D0146: Age Poll, September, 1980
POLLING ORGANISATION Irving Saulwick and Associates SURVEY METHOD The sampled population consisted of persons aged 18 years and over who were enrolled to vote from all federal electorates throughout Australia, excluding the Northern Territory. Approximately 2,000 interviews were usually conducted. A number of starting points, proportional to the number of electors, was chosen in each Federal electorate. Beginning at the dwelling adjacent to that starting point the interviewer approached each dwelling until a contact was made and an interview completed. The next three adjacent dwellings were skipped and approaches were then made to each dwelling until a second interview was obtained and so on until a cluster size of 4 interviews were completed. The interviewee was selected by taking that person whose birthday was 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 were imposed in each sample locality. This poll was based on 1,820 interviews conducted in September 1980. BACKGROUND VARIABLES country of birth / religion / tenure / self assessment of social class/ number of persons living in dwelling/ home ownership/ occupation of head of household / age / sex / marital status / highest level of education / occupation / income / church attendance/ vote at last federal election/ present voting intention/ WEIGHTING The responses are unweighted. THEMES - NAMES AND RESPONSES 1. THE FEDERAL ELECTION FOR BOTH THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND HALF THE SENATE WILL BE HELD ON OCTOBER 18TH. HERE ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES WHICH ARE BEING DISCUSSED IN THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN. WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT AS FAR AS YOU ARE CONCERNED? WHICH NEXT (etc.)? Rank from 1 to 10 PENSIONS AND SOCIAL SERVICES Category label Code Count Percent MOST IMPORTANT 1 261 14.3 SECOND 2 163 9.0 THIRD 3 167 9.2 FOURTH 4 165 9.1 FIFTH 5 208 11.4 SIXTH 6 205 11.3 SEVENTH 7 185 10.2 EIGHTH 8 170 9.3 NINTH 9 171 9.4 LEAST IMPORTANT 10 110 6.0 MISSING 11 15 .8 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 STRIKES AND UNION POWER Category label Code Count Percent MOST IMPORTANT 1 146 8.0 SECOND 2 179 9.8 THIRD 3 161 8.8 FOURTH 4 173 9.5 FIFTH 5 163 9.0 SIXTH 6 166 9.1 SEVENTH 7 165 9.1 EIGHTH 8 185 10.2 NINTH 9 210 11.5 LEAST IMPORTANT 10 259 14.2 MISSING 11 13 .7 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTRALIAN RESOURCES Category label Code Count Percent MOST IMPORTANT 1 99 5.4 SECOND 2 137 7.5 THIRD 3 157 8.6 FOURTH 4 170 9.3 FIFTH 5 214 11.8 SIXTH 6 219 12.0 SEVENTH 7 227 12.5 EIGHTH 8 238 13.1 NINTH 9 191 10.5 LEAST IMPORTANT 10 148 8.1 MISSING 11 20 1.1 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 INFLATION Category label Code Count Percent MOST IMPORTANT 1 219 12.0 SECOND 2 330 18.1 THIRD 3 296 16.3 FOURTH 4 248 13.6 FIFTH 5 200 11.0 SIXTH 6 158 8.7 SEVENTH 7 111 6.1 EIGHTH 8 97 5.3 NINTH 9 77 4.2 LEAST IMPORTANT 10 67 3.7 MISSING 11 17 .9 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 PETROL PRICES Category label Code Count Percent MOST IMPORTANT 1 66 3.6 SECOND 2 129 7.1 THIRD 3 164 9.0 FOURTH 4 135 7.4 FIFTH 5 132 7.3 SIXTH 6 145 8.0 SEVENTH 7 182 10.0 EIGHTH 8 214 11.8 NINTH 9 253 13.9 LEAST IMPORTANT 10 386 21.2 MISSING 11 14 .8 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 ABILITY TO MANAGE THE ECONOMY Category label Code Count Percent MOST IMPORTANT 1 303 16.6 SECOND 2 224 12.3 THIRD 3 186 10.2 FOURTH 4 202 11.1 FIFTH 5 194 10.7 SIXTH 6 176 9.7 SEVENTH 7 174 9.6 EIGHTH 8 148 8.1 NINTH 9 113 6.2 LEAST IMPORTANT 10 84 4.6 MISSING 11 16 .9 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 UNEMPLOYMENT Category label Code Count Percent MOST IMPORTANT 1 510 28.0 SECOND 2 354 19.5 THIRD 3 261 14.3 FOURTH 4 199 10.9 FIFTH 5 131 7.2 SIXTH 6 101 5.5 SEVENTH 7 88 4.8 EIGHTH 8 73 4.0 NINTH 9 54 3.0 LEAST IMPORTANT 10 40 2.2 MISSING 11 9 .5 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 QUALITY OF THE LEADERS Category label Code Count Percent MOST IMPORTANT 1 104 5.7 SECOND 2 94 5.2 THIRD 3 132 7.3 FOURTH 4 147 8.1 FIFTH 5 170 9.3 SIXTH 6 159 8.7 SEVENTH 7 189 10.4 EIGHTH 8 213 11.7 NINTH 9 257 14.1 LEAST IMPORTANT 10 335 18.4 MISSING 11 20 1.1 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 DEFENCE AND FOREIGN POLICY Category label Code Count Percent MOST IMPORTANT 1 48 2.6 SECOND 2 76 4.2 THIRD 3 140 7.7 FOURTH 4 157 8.6 FIFTH 5 179 9.8 SIXTH 6 223 12.3 SEVENTH 7 248 13.6 EIGHTH 8 236 13.0 NINTH 9 262 14.4 LEAST IMPORTANT 10 232 12.7 MISSING 11 19 1.0 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 TAXES Category label Code Count Percent MOST IMPORTANT 1 59 3.2 SECOND 2 130 7.1 THIRD 3 147 8.1 FOURTH 4 214 11.8 FIFTH 5 216 11.9 SIXTH 6 251 13.8 SEVENTH 7 231 12.7 EIGHTH 8 223 12.3 NINTH 9 200 11.0 LEAST IMPORTANT 10 132 7.3 MISSING 11 17 .9 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 2a. THERE IS MUCH TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN AUSTRALIA - WOULD YOU SAY THAT THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN AUSTRALIA TODAY ARE -- (Read out) Encourage 'Best Guess' Category label Code Count Percent VERY GOOD 1 54 3.0 GOOD 2 422 23.2 FAIR 3 830 45.6 POOR 4 319 17.5 VERY POOR 5 175 9.6 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB 6 20 1.1 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 2b. AND IN 6 MONTHS TIME DO YOU THINK THEY WILL BE - - (Read out) Category label Code Count Percent VERY GOOD 1 58 3.2 GOOD 2 407 22.4 FAIR 3 635 34.9 POOR 4 314 17.3 VERY POOR 5 217 11.9 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB 6 189 10.4 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 3. STILL ON THE SAME SUBJECT - DO YOU FEEL THAT YOUR LIVING STANDARDS AT THE PRESENT TIME ARE - - (Read out) Category label Code Count Percent IMPROVING 1 264 14.5 REMAINING SAME 2 920 50.5 GETTING WORSE 3 629 34.6 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB 4 7 .4 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 4. SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE SPENDING MORE MONEY TO IMPROVE HOUSING, HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION, FAMILY ALLOWANCES AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES - - OTHERS SAY THIS WOULD INVOLVE HIGHER TAXES OR THE RISK OF HIGHER INFLATION. WHICH OF THESE TWO STATEMENTS COMES CLOSEST TO YOUR VIEW? (1) THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE SPENDING MORE MONEY TO PROVIDE BETTER GOVERNMENT SERVICES AND MORE JOBS OR (2) THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD KEEP DOWN ITS SPENDING IN AN ATTEMPT TO SPEED UP ECONOMIC RECOVERY Category label Code Count Percent SPEND MORE 1 1085 59.6 KEEP DOWN SPENDING 2 686 37.7 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB 3 49 2.7 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 5. RECENTLY THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT ORDERED THAT DRILLING FOR OIL BE STARTED ON AN ABORIGINAL CATTLE STATION AT NOONKANBAH - - THE ABORIGINES SAY THAT THE DRILLING IS TOO CLOSE TO AN IMPORTANT SACRED SITE - - DO YOU FEEL THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT - - (Read Out) (1) SHOULD HAVE TRIED TO USE ITS POWERS TO STOP THIS DRILLING OR (2) SHOULD NOT HAVE TRIED TO USE ITS POWERS TO STOP THIS DRILLING Category label Code Count Percent STOP DRILLING 1 815 44.8 NOT STOP DRILLING 2 841 46.2 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB 3 164 9.0 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 6a. THINKING ABOUT MR FRASER AND HIS PERFORMANCE AS PRIME MINISTER- - HOW WOULD YOU RATE HIS PERFORMANCE? WOULD YOU SAY HIS PERFORMANCE WAS - - Category label Code Count Percent VERY GOOD 1 124 6.8 GOOD 2 376 20.7 FAIR 3 644 35.4 POOR 4 317 17.4 VERY POOR 5 340 18.7 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB 6 19 1.0 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 6b. AND WHAT ABOUT MR HAYDEN AND HIS PERFORMANCE AS LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION - - HOW WOULD YOU RATE HIS PERFORMANCE? WOULD YOU SAY HIS PERFORMANCE WAS - - Category label Code Count Percent VERY GOOD 1 124 6.8 GOOD 2 449 24.7 FAIR 3 794 43.6 POOR 4 249 13.7 VERY POOR 5 128 7.0 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB 6 76 4.2 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 7. QUITE APART FROM THE PARTY YOU MAY VOTE FOR - WHO DO YOU THINK IS THE BETTER POLITICAL LEADER - - Category label Code Count Percent MR FRASER 1 852 46.8 MR HAYDEN 2 719 39.5 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB 3 249 13.7 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 8a. GENERALLY SPEAKING, IN POLITICS DO YOU THINK OF YOURSELF AS - - Category label Code Count Percent ALP 1 861 47.3 AUST.DEM 2 91 5.0 LIBERAL 3 518 28.5 NCP 4 86 4.7 OTHER 5 14 .8 NOT ANY PARTY 6 210 11.5 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB 7 40 2.2 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 If '6' - 'Does not identify with any party' or '7' - 'Don't Know' - Circle Code 1 in Col (28) Q8B and Go to Q9 If any party given - Ask: 8b. HOW STRONGLY (.name of party.) DO YOU FEEL - VERY STRONGLY, FAIRLY STRONGLY OR NOT VERY STRONGLY? Category label Code Count Percent NOT APPLICABLE 1 250 13.7 VERY STRONGLY 2 470 25.8 FAIRLY STRONGLY 3 695 38.2 NOT VERY STRONGLY 4 375 20.6 NOT ESTABLISHED 5 23 1.3 MISSING 6 7 .4 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 9. IF THE FEDERAL ELECTION FOR THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WERE HELD TOMORROW, FOR WHICH POLITICAL PARTY WOULD YOU PROBABLY VOTE? Category label Code Count Percent ALP 1 949 52.1 AUST.DEM 2 104 5.7 LIBERAL 3 563 30.9 NCP 4 86 4.7 OTHER 5 11 .6 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB 6 107 5.9 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 * If ALP., Liberal, or National Country Party given to Q9 - Go to Q10(b). If NOT - Go to Q10(a) 10a. AND TO WHICH PARTY WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR SECOND PREFERENCE? Category label Code Count Percent ALP 1 39 2.1 LIBERAL 2 47 2.6 NCP 3 15 .8 OTHER 4 4 .2 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB 5 18 1.0 NOT ASKED 6 1598 87.8 MISSING 7 99 5.4 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 Ask ALL who give a party at Q9: 10b. YOU SAID YOU INTENDED TO VOTE (.mention party given to Q9.) IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - HAVE YOU EVER VOTED FOR A DIFFERENT PARTY IN A HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ELECTION? Category label Code Count Percent YES 1 615 33.8 NO 2 1070 58.8 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB 3 28 1.5 NOT ASKED 4 107 5.9 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 If 'No' - Skip to Next Page If 'Yes': 10c. ON THE LAST OCCASION IT WAS DIFFERENT - FOR WHICH PARTY DID YOU VOTE? Category label Code Count Percent ALP 1 196 10.8 AUST.DEM 2 60 3.3 DLP 3 35 1.9 LIBERAL 4 225 12.4 NCP 5 49 2.7 OTHER 6 17 .9 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB 7 33 1.8 NOT ASKED 8 1205 66.2 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 11. AND IF THE SENATE ELECTION WERE HELD TOMORROW, FOR WHICH POLITICAL PARTY WOULD YOU PROBABLY VOTE? Category label Code Count Percent ALP 1 904 49.7 AUST.DEM 2 153 8.4 LIBERAL 3 528 29.0 NCP 4 98 5.4 OTHER 5 13 .7 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB 6 124 6.8 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 12. IF A STATE ELECTION WAS HELD TOMORROW, FOR WHICH POLITICAL PARTY WOULD YOU PROBABLY VOTE? Category label Code Count Percent ALP 1 993 54.6 AUST.DEM 2 71 3.9 LIBERAL 3 533 29.3 NCP 4 101 5.5 OTHER PARTY 5 10 .5 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB 6 112 6.2 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 13. THINKING ABOUT THE FEDERAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON OCTOBER 18TH - - HOW MUCH INTEREST HAVE YOU TAKEN IN THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN SO FAR - WOULD YOU SAY YOU HAVE TAKEN - - Category label Code Count Percent A GOOD DEAL 1 401 22.0 SOME 2 620 34.1 NOT MUCH 3 562 30.9 NONE 4 236 13.0 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB 5 1 .1 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0 14. BY THE WAY, WHICH PARTY DO YOU THINK WILL PROBABLY WIN THE COMING ELECTION FOR THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES? Category label Code Count Percent ALP 1 416 22.9 LIBERAL 2 1205 66.2 OTHER 3 6 .3 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB 4 193 10.6 ------- ----- Total responses 1820 100.0
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