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D0082: Australian Gallup Poll, May 1 1954

POLLING ORGANISATION Roy Morgan Research Centre SURVEY METHOD Each weekend, 110 trained interviewers were sent to different but randomly- selected "cluster points" spread in proportion to population over cities and country areas throughout Australia excluding the ACT and the Northern Territory. Interviewers were instructed to commence interviewing at the dwelling adjacent to, and at the right of, the random start and to interview one individual there and, moving in a clockwise fashion around the block, in each adjacent dwelling until a cluster of 10 individuals was interviewed. Interviews were conducted during daylight hours, on Saturdays and Sundays when most people were at home. Each weekend, an Australia-wide cross-section of about 2,200 different adults aged 21 years and over from 110 districts were therefore interviewed. This poll is based on 2,020 interviews conducted in May 1954. BACKGROUND VARIABLES age / sex / economic classification / occupation / religion / location / vote at last Federal election / voting intention / car ownership / telephone subscriber / WEIGHTING The responses are unweighted. A weighting variable (WTVAR) is included in the data file to indicate the interviewer workloads selected for duplication. THEMES - NAMES AND RESPONSES 1a. The first question is about the Queen's visit. Did you see the Queen while she was here? If "YES," how many times? Category label Code Count Percent ONCE 1 481 23.8 TWICE 2 395 19.6 THREE TIMES 3 258 12.8 FOUR TIMES 4 159 7.9 FIVE TIMES 5 79 3.9 SIX TIMES 6 75 3.7 SEVEN TIMES 7 21 1.0 EIGHT TIMES 8 23 1.1 NINE TIMES 9 11 .5 TEN OR MORE TIMES 10 37 1.8 NO, NOT SEEN 12 478 23.7 MISSING 13 3 .1 ------- ----- Total responses 2020 100.0 1b. It's been suggested Australia should buy a 500,000 pound sheep station near Canberra as a residence for the Queen. Are you for, or against, that? Category label Code Count Percent UNDECIDED 0 226 11.2 AGAINST 11 1048 51.9 FOR 12 713 35.3 MISSING 13 33 1.6 ------- ----- Total responses 2020 100.0 2. Some people say the eye-sight and health of all car and truck drivers should be tested, at regular intervals - say 10 years. Would you favor, or oppose, that? Category label Code Count Percent FAVOR 1 1851 91.6 OPPOSE 2 113 5.6 NO OPINION 3 50 2.5 MISSING 4 6 .3 ------- ----- Total responses 2020 100.0 3. In your opinion, should trade unions try to get increased margins for skill NOW, by negotiating with employers - or should the Unions wait until the Arbitration Court reconsiders the matter in November? Category label Code Count Percent NEGOTIATE NOW 4 510 25.2 WAIT 5 1052 52.1 NO OPINION 6 443 21.9 MISSING 7 15 .7 ------- ----- Total responses 2020 100.0 4. A plan now being discussed provides for spending MORE on the Air Force, and LESS on the Permanent Army and aircraft carriers. Do you think that's a good plan, or not? Category label Code Count Percent GOOD, FAVOR IT 7 1353 67.0 NO, OPPOSE 8 305 15.1 NO OPINION 9 350 17.3 MISSING 13 12 .6 ------- ----- Total responses 2020 100.0 5a. The next question is to see how accurately we can forecast the coming Federal election. Judging by how you feel now, which Party - Labor, Liberal, Country, Communist or Independent - are you likely to vote for? IF EVASIVE, ask: Well, which side are you leaning toward at present? Category label Code Count Percent LABOR 5 909 45.0 LIBERAL 6 828 41.0 C.P 7 126 6.2 OTHER 8 8 .4 UNDECIDED 9 130 6.4 MISSING 13 19 .9 ------- ----- Total responses 2020 100.0 5b. Do you think you may change your mind before the election? Category label Code Count Percent YES 1 109 5.4 NO 2 1525 75.5 LEANING ASKED 3 121 6.0 MISSING 4 265 13.1 ------- ----- Total responses 2020 100.0 6. Which ONE of these things (HAND CARD) will have MOST effect on how you vote at the Federal election? Secure employment Lowering living costs Who will be Prime Minister The Petrov affair Lowering taxes Raising pensions, etc. Socialism Category label Code Count Percent PETROV 1 50 2.5 TAXES 2 195 9.7 PENSIONS 3 151 7.5 SOCIALISM 4 66 3.3 EMPLOYMENT 5 326 16.1 LIVING COST 6 412 20.4 PRIME MIN 7 115 5.7 NO IDEA 8 108 5.3 ALWAYS VOTE THE SAME 9 561 27.8 MISSING 13 36 1.8 ------- ----- Total responses 2020 100.0 7a. Do you think incurable insanity should be grounds for divorce? Category label Code Count Percent NO 11 336 16.6 YES 12 1527 75.6 NO OPINION 13 156 7.7 MISSING 14 1 .0 ------- ----- Total responses 2020 100.0 7b. And persistent cruelty - should that be grounds for divorce? Category label Code Count Percent YES 1 1687 83.5 NO 2 237 11.7 NO OPINION 3 86 4.3 MISSING 4 10 .5 ------- ----- Total responses 2020 100.0 7c. And continual drunkenness - should that be grounds for divorce? Category label Code Count Percent YES 4 1562 77.3 NO 5 327 16.2 NO OPINION 6 123 6.1 MISSING 7 8 .4 ------- ----- Total responses 2020 100.0 7d. To help classify answers to this question, would you mind telling me your religion? Category label Code Count Percent ROMAN CATHOLIC 1 404 20.0 CHURCH OF ENGLAND 2 842 41.7 PRESBYTERIAN 3 252 12.5 METHODIST 4 260 12.9 BAPTIST 5 38 1.9 PROTESTANT 6 46 2.3 OTHER CHRISTIANS 7 111 5.5 NON-CHRISTIAN 8 10 .5 NO RELIGION 9 25 1.2 MISSING 13 32 1.6 ------- ----- Total responses 2020 100.0 8a. Have you heard of the Royal Commission on the Petrov case? Category label Code Count Percent NO 11 175 8.7 YES 12 1842 91.2 MISSING 13 3 .1 ------- ----- Total responses 2020 100.0 8b. If YES: If any people are tried and found guilty of treason as a result of the Royal Commission, what should be the penalty? Category label Code Count Percent DEATH 0 446 22.1 LIFE PRISON 1 368 18.2 DEPORT 2 649 32.1 OTHER 3 191 9.5 NO OPINION 4 189 9.4 NOT ASKED 5 175 8.7 MISSING 6 2 .1 ------- ----- Total responses 2020 100.0 9a. If watersiders again refuse to load munitions given to the French for use in Indo-China, do you think troops should do the loading, or not? Category label Code Count Percent YES, USE TROOPS 1 1434 71.0 NO 2 292 14.5 NO OPINION 3 277 13.7 MISSING 4 17 .8 ------- ----- Total responses 2020 100.0 9b. If the French are driven out of Indo-China, do you think Australia will be greatly affected? Category label Code Count Percent YES, GREATLY 6 775 38.4 YES, A LITTLE 7 352 17.4 NO 8 337 16.7 NO OPINION 9 535 26.5 MISSING 13 21 1.0 ------- ----- Total responses 2020 100.0 10. Do you think the hydrogen bomb has made another world war MORE likely, or LESS likely? Category label Code Count Percent UNDECIDED 0 396 19.6 NO DIFFERENCE 1 108 5.3 LESS 11 1143 56.6 MORE 12 349 17.3 MISSING 13 24 1.2 ------- ----- Total responses 2020 100.0


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