D0131: Age Poll, June, 1976
POLLING ORGANISATION Irving Saulwick and Associates SURVEY METHOD The sampled population consists of persons aged 18 years and over who are enrolled to vote from all federal electorates throughout Australia, excluding the Northern Territory. Approximately 2,000 interviews are usually conducted. A number of starting points, proportional to the number of electors, is chosen in each Federal electorate. Beginning at the dwelling adjacent to that starting point the interviewer approaches each dwelling until an interview is completed. The next three adjacent dwellings are skipped and approaches are then made to each dwelling until a second interview is obtained, and so on until a cluster size of 4 interviews is completed. The interviewee is selected by taking that person whose birthday is nearest to the date of interview, aged 18 years or more and enrolled to vote and at home. Equal numbers of interviews with males and females within a pair of clusters and an age quota are imposed in each sample locality. This poll is based on 1,969 interviews conducted in June 1976. BACKGROUND VARIABLES country of birth / religion / self assessment of social class/ occupation of head of household / age / sex / marital status / highest level of education / occupation / voting intention/ vote at last federal election/ WEIGHTING The responses are unweighted. THEMES - NAMES AND RESPONSES 1a. THERE IS MUCH TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN AUSTRALIA - WOULD YOU SAY THAT THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN AUSTRALIA TODAY ARE - ? Category label Code Count Percent VERY GOOD 1 42 2.1 GOOD 2 302 15.3 FAIR 3 973 49.4 POOR 4 410 20.8 VERY POOR 5 234 11.9 DK:NE 6 8 .4 ------- ----- Total responses 1969 100.0 1b. AND IN 6 MONTHS TIME DO YOU THINK THEY WILL BE - ? Category label Code Count Percent VERY GOOD 1 72 3.7 GOOD 2 461 23.4 FAIR 3 731 37.1 POOR 4 370 18.8 VERY POOR 5 272 13.8 DK:NE 6 63 3.2 ------- ----- Total responses 1969 100.0 2a. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS RECENTLY INTRODUCED A NUMBER OF MEASURES WHICH IT HOPES WILL HELP TO IMPROVE THE AUSTRALIAN ECONOMY. IT PROPOSES TO REDUCE GOVERNMENT SPENDING BY $2,600 MILLION, TO INTRODUCE A LEVY ON MEDIBANK, TO INDEX INCOME TAXES, AND TO INCREASE CHILD ENDOWMENT PAYMENTS. ALTHOUGH THESE CHANGES ARE COMPLICATED, YOU MAY HAVE SOME FEELINGS ABOUT WHAT EFFECT THEY MAY HAVE ON YOU PERSONALLY. DO YOU THINK THAT YOU PERSONALLY WILL HAVE - - (1) MORE MONEY TO SPEND FOLLOWING THESE CHANGES (2) ABOUT THE SAME MONEY TO SPEND (3) LESS MONEY TO SPEND FOLLOWING THESE CHANGES Category label Code Count Percent MORE MONEY TO SPEND 1 156 7.9 SAME MONEY TO SPEND 2 982 49.9 LESS MONEY TO SPEND 3 792 40.2 DK 4 39 2.0 ------- ----- Total responses 1969 100.0 2b. (If more money to spend) THINKING ABOUT THE EXTRA MONEY YOU WILL HAVE TO SPEND, DO YOU THINK YOU WILL PROBABLY: Category label Code Count Percent NOT APPLICABLE 0 1813 92.1 SPEND IT ALL 1 40 2.0 SPEND SOME 2 59 3.0 TRY TO SAVE ALL 3 56 2.8 DK 4 1 .1 ------- ----- Total responses 1969 100.0 2c. (If less money to spend) IF YOU HAVE LESS MONEY TO SPEND, DO YOU THINK YOU WILL PROBABLY: (1) MAINTAIN YOUR LEVEL OF SPENDING AND SAVE LESS (2) TRY TO REDUCE YOUR LEVEL OF SPENDING ACCORDINGLY Category label Code Count Percent NOT APPLICABLE 0 1177 59.8 SAVE LESS\SPEND SAME 1 315 16.0 MAINTAIN SAVINGS\REDUCE SPENDING 2 451 22.9 DK 3 26 1.3 ------- ----- Total responses 1969 100.0 3. THINKING ABOUT THE POLITICAL SITUATION, I'D LIKE YOUR OPINION OF THE STANDING OF THE PARTIES AND THEIR LEADERS - - IF A FEDERAL ELECTION FOR THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WAS HELD TOMORROW, FOR WHICH POLITICAL PARTY WOULD YOU PROBABLY VOTE? Category label Code Count Percent AUSTRALIA PARTY 1 44 2.2 AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY 2 819 41.6 DEMOCRATIC LABOR PARTY 3 29 1.5 LIBERAL PARTY 4 827 42.0 NATIONAL COUNTRY PARTY 5 96 4.9 OTHER VOTE 6 28 1.4 WOULD NOT VOTE 7 26 1.3 DK:NE 8 100 5.1 ------- ----- Total responses 1969 100.0 4a. IF YOU HAD TO GIVE MR FRASER A MARK OUT OF TEN FOR HIS POPULARITY WITH YOU, WHAT MARK WOULD YOU GIVE HIM - YOU CAN GIVE HIM ANY NUMBER BETWEEN ONE AND TEN? Category label Code Count Percent EXTREMELY UNPOPULAR 1 498 25.3 2 78 4.0 3 89 4.5 4 96 4.9 5 355 18.0 6 164 8.3 7 192 9.8 8 224 11.4 9 70 3.6 EXTREMELY POPULAR 10 172 8.7 DK:NE 11 31 1.6 ------- ----- Total responses 1969 100.0 4b. IF YOU HAD TO GIVE MR WHITLAM A MARK OUT OF TEN FOR HIS POPULARITY WITH YOU, WHAT MARK WOULD YOU GIVE HIM - YOU CAN GIVE HIM ANY NUMBER BETWEEN ONE AND TEN? Category label Code Count Percent EXTREMELY UNPOPULAR 1 557 28.3 2 122 6.2 3 117 5.9 4 113 5.7 5 316 16.0 6 119 6.0 7 112 5.7 8 154 7.8 9 66 3.4 EXTREMELY POPULAR 10 259 13.2 DK:NE 11 34 1.7 ------- ----- Total responses 1969 100.0 5a. THERE HAS BEEN A GREAT DEAL OF TALK RECENTLY ABOUT WHETHER CERTAIN THINGS SHOULD BE COMPULSORY OR NOT. SOME PEOPLE ARGUE THAT IF YOU DO NOT HAVE RULES, SOCIETY CANNOT WORK. OTHERS ARGUE THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY THINGS WHICH PEOPLE ARE FORCED TO DO. LOOKING AT THE WHOLE RANGE OF RULES AND REGULATIONS WHICH AFFECT US, WHICH OF THESE STATEMENTS COMES CLOSEST TO YOUR VIEW? (1) IN AUSTRALIA TODAY WE HAVE TOO MANY RULES AND REGULATIONS WHICH TELL US WHAT WE CAN DO OR CANNOT DO (2) IN AUSTRALIA TODAY WE DO NOT HAVE TOO MANY RULES AND REGULATIONS WHICH TELL US WHAT WE CAN DO OR CANNOT DO Category label Code Count Percent TOO MANY COMPULSORY RULES 1 889 45.1 NOT TOO MANY 2 991 50.3 DK:NE 3 89 4.5 ------- ----- Total responses 1969 100.0 5b. I HAVE HERE A LIST OF THINGS WHICH SOME PEOPLE CONSIDER SHOULD BE COMPULSORY, AND OTHERS MAY THINK SHOULD NOT BE COMPULSORY. I WANT YOU TO TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THEM. LOOKING AT THIS CARD, WOULD YOU SAY - (Ask for each) (i) RANDOM BREATHALISER TESTS FOR MOTORISTS SHOULD BE - Category label Code Count Percent DEFINITELY COMPULSORY 1 1127 57.2 PROBABLY COMPULSORY 2 311 15.8 PROBABLY NOT COMPULSORY 3 176 8.9 DEFINITELY NOT COMPULSORY 4 338 17.2 DK:NE 5 17 .9 ------- ----- Total responses 1969 100.0 (ii) ANSWERS TO THE COMMONWEALTH CENSUS SHOULD BE Category label Code Count Percent DEFINITELY COMPULSORY 1 627 31.8 PROBABLY COMPULSORY 2 451 22.9 PROBABLY NOT COMPULSORY 3 352 17.9 DEFINITELY NOT COMPULSORY 4 510 25.9 DK:NE 5 29 1.5 ------- ----- Total responses 1969 100.0 (iii) MEMBERSHIP OF SOME HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME SHOULD BE Category label Code Count Percent DEFINITELY COMPULSORY 1 798 40.5 PROBABLY COMPULSORY 2 333 16.9 PROBABLY NOT COMPULSORY 3 351 17.8 DEFINITELY NOT COMPULSORY 4 459 23.3 DK:NE 5 28 1.4 ------- ----- Total responses 1969 100.0 (iv) MEMBERSHIP OF SOME TRADE UNION FOR THOSE PEOPLE COVERED BY A UNION Category label Code Count Percent DEFINITELY COMPULSORY 1 563 28.6 PROBABLY COMPULSORY 2 265 13.5 PROBABLY NOT COMPULSORY 3 337 17.1 DEFINITELY NOT COMPULSORY 4 763 38.8 DK:NE 5 41 2.1 ------- ----- Total responses 1969 100.0 (v) ATTENDING SCHOOL TO THE AGE OF 15 YEARS SHOULD BE Category label Code Count Percent DEFINITELY COMPULSORY 1 1719 87.3 PROBABLY COMPULSORY 2 107 5.4 PROBABLY NOT COMPULSORY 3 71 3.6 DEFINITELY NOT COMPULSORY 4 66 3.4 DK:NE 5 6 .3 ------- ----- Total responses 1969 100.0 (vi) TB X-RAYS SHOULD BE Category label Code Count Percent DEFINITELY COMPULSORY 1 1619 82.2 PROBABLY COMPULSORY 2 163 8.3 PROBABLY NOT COMPULSORY 3 88 4.5 DEFINITELY NOT COMPULSORY 4 90 4.6 DK:NE 5 9 .5 ------- ----- Total responses 1969 100.0 6. THERE HAS BEEN A GOOD DEAL OF DISCUSSION RECENTLY ABOUT WHETHER AUSTRALIA SHOULD MINE AND EXPORT URANIUM - YOU PROBABLY KNOW THAT URANIUM IS USED IN NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY. SOME PEOPLE CLAIM THAT BECAUSE THE WORLD IS RUNNING OUT OF OTHER FUELS SUCH AS OIL, IT IS NECESSARY TO DEVELOP NUCLEAR POWER. OTHERS CLAIM THAT THE DANGERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEAR POWER ARE EITHER TOO GREAT OR TOO LITTLE UNDERSTOOD FOR SUCH DEVELOPMENT TO BE ALLOWED AT THE PRESENT TIME. AS FAR AS YOU KNOW AT THE MOMENT, WHICH OF THESE STATEMENTS COMES CLOSEST TO YOUR VIEW? (Ask for each pair of statements in turn) 6a. (1) BECAUSE AUSTRALIA HAS OVER 25% OF THE KNOWN RESERVES OF URANIUM IN THE WESTERN WORLD, WE WOULD BE STUPID NOT TO EARN INCOME FROM MINING AND EXPORTING THIS PRODUCT (2) WE SHOULD BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBLE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF NUCLEAR DEVELOPMENT ON FUTURE GENERATIONS THAN ABOUT SELLING URANIUM Category label Code Count Percent SHOULD EARN INCOME 1 719 36.5 CONCERN ON HARMFUL EFFECTS 2 1141 57.9 DK:NE 3 109 5.5 ------- ----- Total responses 1969 100.0 6b. (1) ALTHOUGH THERE ARE POSSIBLE DANGERS IN DEVELOPING NUCLEAR POWER IN AUSTRALIA, SCIENTISTS CAN BE RELIED ON TO SOLVE SUCH PROBLEMS (2) WE SHOULD MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE SOLUTIONS TO ALL POSSIBLE PROBLEMS BEFORE WE DEVELOP NUCLEAR POWER IN AUSTRALIA Category label Code Count Percent SCIENTISTS SOLVE PROBLEMS 1 479 24.3 MUST HAVE ALL SOLUTIONS 2 1422 72.2 DK:NE 3 68 3.5 ------- ----- Total responses 1969 100.0 6c. (1) WE ARE LIKELY TO RUN SHORT OF ENERGY MATERIALS SUCH AS OIL OR GAS, AND WE SHOULD THEREFORE INCREASE THE PRICE OF PETROL AND GAS TO REDUCE THEIR USE (2) WE WILL ALWAYS BE ABLE TO FIND NEW ENERGY SOURCES, SO PEOPLE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO USE WHAT IS NOW AVAILABLE WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY MORE FOR IT Category label Code Count Percent INCREASE PRICE 1 442 22.4 SAME PRICE 2 1366 69.4 DK:NE 3 161 8.2 ------- ----- Total responses 1969 100.0 6d. (1) BECAUSE OF THE ENERGY SHORTAGE, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO SUPPLY OTHER COUNTRIES WITH URANIUM (2) AUSTRALIA SHOULD MAKE UP HER OWN MIND ABOUT WHAT WE DO WITH OUR URANIUM AND SHOULD NOT BE INFLUENCED BY PROBLEMS OF OTHER COUNTRIES Category label Code Count Percent MUST SUPPLY 1 427 21.7 MAKE OWN MIND 2 1462 74.3 DK:NE 3 80 4.1 ------- ----- Total responses 1969 100.0 6e. (1) EVEN IF IT COSTS A LOT MORE, AUSTRALIA SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON LEARNING TO USE NEW FORMS OF ENERGY SUCH AS THE SUN OR WIND OR TIDES (2) NUCLEAR ENERGY HAS BEEN PROVEN TO BE ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE, SO THERE IS NO NEED TO SPEND MONEY ON DEVELOPING OTHER ENERGY SOURCES Category label Code Count Percent NEW ENERGY RESEARCH 1 1495 75.9 NO NEED TO DEVELOP 2 399 20.3 DK:NE 3 75 3.8 ------- ----- Total responses 1969 100.0 6f. (1) TRADE UNIONS WHICH OPPOSE THE MINING OF URANIUM ARE ENTITLED TO TAKE STRIKE ACTION TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON THE SUBJECT (2) THE TRADE UNIONS CAN EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON URANIUM MINING BUT SHOULD NOT ENGAGE IN POLITICAL STRIKES ON THE ISSUE Category label Code Count Percent UNION STRIKES OK 1 347 17.6 NOT OK 2 1565 79.5 DK:NE 3 57 2.9 ------- ----- Total responses 1969 100.0
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