D0148: Age Poll, May, 1981
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 1,918 interviews conducted in May 1981. 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. THERE HAS BEEN SOME DISCUSSION IN RECENT MONTHS ABOUT THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF AUSTRALIA'S CLOSE TIES WITH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - - THINKING ABOUT AUSTRALIA AND THE UNITED STATES - - 1a. CAN YOU NAME ANY OF THE UNTED STATES COMMUNICATION BASES IN AUSTRALIA If Nec: WHERE ARE THE BASES LOCATED? Category label Code Count Percent NORTH WEST CAPE Q1A1 349 19.1 PINE GAP Q1A2 664 36.2 NULLUNGUR Q1A3 25 1.4 SMITHSFIELD Q1A4 29 1.6 OTHER Q1A5 171 9.3 OTHER Q1A6 70 3.8 DON'T KNOW ANY Q1A7 900 49.1 ------- ----- Total responses 1918 100.0 1b. IN FACT, THERE ARE FOUR UNITED STATES COMMUNICATION BASES IN AUSTRALIA - DO YOU FAVOUR OR OPPOSE THE PRESENCE OF SUCH BASES IN AUSTRALIA? Category label Code Count Percent FAVOUR 1 1152 60.1 OPPOSE 2 419 21.8 DON'T CARE 3 212 11.1 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB. 4 135 7.0 ------- ----- Total responses 1918 100.0 1c. RECENTLY, THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO ALLOW THE UNITED STATES TO USE DARWIN AS A LANDING BASE FOR THEIR B52 RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT - DO YOU - - Category label Code Count Percent AGREE WITH THIS 1 1124 58.6 DISAGREE WITH IT 2 553 28.8 HAVE NO VIEW ON IT 3 204 10.6 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB. 4 37 1.9 ------- ----- Total responses 1918 100.0 1d. DO YOU THINK THAT, OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, AUSTRALIA'S ALLIANCE WITH THE UNITED STATES IS LIKELY TO - - (1) REDUCE THE RISK OF AN ATTACK ON AUSTRALIA (2) INCREASE THE RISK OF AN ATTACK ON AUSTRALIA OR (3) MAKE NO DIFFERENCE TO THE RISK OF AN ATTACK ON AUSTRALIA Category label Code Count Percent REDUCE THE RISK 1 504 26.3 INCREASE THE RISK 2 609 31.8 MAKE NO DIFFERENCE 3 728 38.0 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB. 4 77 4.0 ------- ----- Total responses 1918 100.0 1e. FINALLY, ON THIS SUBJECT - DO YOU THINK THAT AN ATTACK ON AUSTRALIA IN SAY, THE NEXT 10 YEARS IS - - Category label Code Count Percent VERY LIKELY 1 125 6.5 QUITE LIKELY 2 591 30.8 QUITE UNLIKELY 3 668 34.8 VERY UNLIKELY 4 435 22.7 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB. 5 99 5.2 ------- ----- Total responses 1918 100.0 2. THERE HAS BEEN MUCH TALK RECENTLY ABOUT A RESOURCES BOOM IN AUSTRALIA. FOR EXAMPLE, PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT MAJOR PROJECTS IN OIL AND GAS AND MINING - - 2a. THINKING ABOUT THIS SUBJECT, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO TELL ME WHICH OF THESE STATEMENTS COMES CLOSER TO YOUR OWN VIEW? (1) MOST AUSTRALIANS WILL BENEFIT FROM THE RESOURCES BOOM (2) MOST AUSTRALIANS WILL NOT BENEFIT FROM THE RESOURCES BOOM Category label Code Count Percent WILL BENEFIT 1 1204 62.8 WILL NOT BENEFIT 2 641 33.4 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB. 3 73 3.8 ------- ----- Total responses 1918 100.0 2b. OVERSEAS COMPANIES ARE SUPPLYING MUCH OF THE CAPITAL REQUIRED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTRALIA'S RESOURCES - - DO YOU THINK THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT SHOULD - - (1) ENCOURAGE OVERSEAS INVESTMENT WITH A MINIMUM OF INTERFERENCE OR (2) ENCOURAGE OVERSEAS INVESTMENT BUT WITH STRICT LIMITS ON THE EXTENT OF OVERSEAS OWNERSHIP OR (3) NOT ENCOURAGE OVERSEAS INVESTMENT AT ALL Category label Code Count Percent MIN. INTERFERENCE 1 169 8.8 STRICT LIMITS 2 1495 77.9 NO INVESTMENT 3 220 11.5 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB. 4 34 1.8 ------- ----- Total responses 1918 100.0 3. AND NOW SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT HOURS OF WORK - - 3a. WHICH OF THESE STATEMENTS COMES CLOSEST TO YOUR VIEW? (1) A 35 HOUR WEEK CAN NOW BE JUSTIFIED IN ALL INDUSTRIES (2) A 35 HOUR WEEK CAN NOW BE JUSTIFIED IN SOME INDUSTRIES (3) A 35 HOUR WEEK CANNOT BE JUSTIFIED AT PRESENT IN ANY INDUSTRY Category label Code Count Percent IN ALL INDUSTRIES 1 321 16.7 IN SOME INDUSTRIES 2 735 38.3 IN NO INDUSTRY 3 816 42.5 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB. 4 46 2.4 ------- ----- Total responses 1918 100.0 3b. TAKING ALL THINGS INTO ACCOUNT, WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS COMES CLOSEST TO YOUR VIEW? (1) I WOULD FAVOUR THE GENERAL INTRODUCTION OF A 35 HOUR WEEK THIS YEAR (2) I WOULD FAVOUR THE GENERAL INTRODUCTION OF A 35 HOUR WEEK WITHIN THE NEXT 2 OR 3 YEARS (3) I THINK THE 35 HOUR WEEK SHOULD BE PLANNED FOR WITHIN THE NEXT 5 TO 10 YEARS (4) I THINK THE 35 HOUR WEEK SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AT ALL Category label Code Count Percent FAVOUR NOW 1 249 13.0 FAVOUR IN 2-3 YEARS 2 425 22.2 NEXT 5-10 YEARS 3 604 31.5 OPPOSE 4 599 31.2 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB. 5 41 2.1 ------- ----- Total responses 1918 100.0 4. IF A FEDERAL ELECTION FOR THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WERE HELD TOMORROW, FOR WHICH POLITICAL PARTY WOULD YOU PROBABLY VOTE? Category label Code Count Percent ALP 1 892 46.5 AUST.DEM 2 147 7.7 LIBERAL 3 638 33.3 NCP 4 80 4.2 OTHER 5 24 1.3 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB. 6 137 7.1 ------- ----- Total responses 1918 100.0 If AUSTRALIAN DEMOCRATS or Any Unlisted Party given to Q4 - Ask: 5. AND TO WHICH PARTY WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR SECOND PREFERENCE? Category label Code Count Percent ALP 1 74 3.9 LIBERAL 2 60 3.1 NCP 3 12 .6 OTHER 4 6 .3 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB 5 28 1.5 NOT ASKED 6 1610 83.9 MISSING 7 128 6.7 ------- ----- Total responses 1918 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 99 5.2 GOOD 2 368 19.2 FAIR 3 677 35.3 POOR 4 349 18.2 VERY POOR 5 404 21.1 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB. 6 21 1.1 ------- ----- Total responses 1918 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 1 100 5.2 GOOD 2 431 22.5 FAIR 3 892 46.5 POOR 4 284 14.8 VERY POOR 5 156 8.1 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB. 6 55 2.9 ------- ----- Total responses 1918 100.0 7a. STILL THINKING ABOUT LEADERSHIP - WHO WOULD YOU PREFER TO SEE AS LEADER OF THE LIBERAL PARTY AT THE NEXT FEDERAL ELECTION - MR FRASER OR MR PEACOCK? Category label Code Count Percent MR FRASER 1 539 28.1 MR PEACOCK 2 1160 60.5 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB. 3 219 11.4 ------- ----- Total responses 1918 100.0 7b. AND WHO WOULD YOU PREFER TO SEE AS LEADER OF THE LABOR PARTY AT THE NEXT FEDERAL ELECTION - MR HAYDEN OR MR HAWKE? Category label Code Count Percent MR HAYDEN 1 607 31.6 MR HAWKE 2 1167 60.8 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB. 3 144 7.5 ------- ----- Total responses 1918 100.0 8. IF A STATE ELECTION WAS HELD TOMORROW, FOR WHICH POLITICAL PARTY WOULD YOU PROBABLY VOTE? Category label Code Count Percent ALP 1 960 50.1 AUST.DEM 2 97 5.1 LIBERAL 3 581 30.3 NCP 4 123 6.4 OTHER PARTY 5 17 .9 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB 6 140 7.3 ------- ----- Total responses 1918 100.0 9. AND NOW SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ARBITRATION COMMISSION -- 9a. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS COMES CLOSEST TO YOUR VIEW? (1) THE ARBITRATION COMMISSION SHOULD CONTINUE TO PLAY THE CENTRAL ROLE IN DETERMINING WAGE RATES, HOURS OF WORK AND WORKING CONDITIONS IN AUSTRALIA OR (2) WAGES, HOURS, AND WORKING CONDITIONS SHOULD BE DETERMINED BY DIRECT NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN UNIONS AND EMPLOYERS WITHOUT INTERFERENCE FROM THE ARBITRATION COMMISSION? Category label Code Count Percent ARBITRATION COMM 1 1326 69.1 DIRECT NEGOT 2 498 26.0 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB. 3 94 4.9 ------- ----- Total responses 1918 100.0 9b. IN GENERAL, OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, DO YOU THINK THE ARBITRATION COMMISSION HAS - - (1) TENDED TO FAVOUR THE UNIONS (2) TENDED TO FAVOUR THE EMPLOYERS (3) FAVOURED NEITHER SIDE Category label Code Count Percent FAVOUR UNIONS 1 353 18.4 FAVOUR EMPLOYERS 2 308 16.1 FAVOURED NEITHER 3 1043 54.4 DON'T KNOW, NOT ESTAB. 4 214 11.2 ------- ----- Total responses 1918 100.0 9c. IF THE ARBITRATION COMMISSION WERE TO BE ABOLISHED, WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD BE LIKELY TO HAPPEN TO WAGES? (1) MOST WORKERS WOULD GET HIGHER WAGES (2) THOSE WORKERS IN POWERFUL UNIONS WOULD GET MORE, BUT THOSE IN WEAK UNIONS WOULD GET LESS (3) MOST WORKERS WOULD GET LOWER WAGES (4) THINGS WOULD REMAIN MUCH THE SAME Category label Code Count Percent MOST WORKERS HIGHER 1 179 9.3 POWERFUL UNIONS 2 1062 55.4 MOST WORKERS LOWER 3 147 7.7 REMAIN THE SAME 4 421 21.9 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB. 5 109 5.7 ------- ----- Total responses 1918 100.0 10. AND NOW A QUESTION ABOUT GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP OF BUSINESS ENTERPRISES - - 10a. IN YOUR OPINION, SHOULD TAA BE OWNED AND OPERATED - - Category label Code Count Percent BY GOVT 1 794 41.4 BY PRIV.ENTERPRISE 2 994 51.8 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB. 3 130 6.8 ------- ----- Total responses 1918 100.0 10b. AND IN YOUR OPINION, SHOULD TELECOM BE OWNED AND OPERATED - - Category label Code Count Percent BY GOVT 1 1068 55.7 BY PRIV.ENTERPRISE 2 763 39.8 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB. 3 87 4.5 ------- ----- Total responses 1918 100.0 10c. AND WHAT ABOUT THE COMMONWEALTH BANK - SHOULD IT BE OWNED AND OPERATED - - Category label Code Count Percent BY GOVT 1 1354 70.6 BY PRIV.ENTERPRISE 2 456 23.8 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB. 3 108 5.6 ------- ----- Total responses 1918 100.0 11. NOW TALKING ABOUT THE POSITION OF THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL IN AUSTRALIA - - WHEN A NEW GOVERNOR GENERAL IS APPOINTED WOULD YOU - - (1) LIKE TO SEE PRINCE CHARLES APPOINTED TO THE POSITION OR (2) WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE AN AUSTRALIAN APPOINTED Category label Code Count Percent PRINCE CHARLES 1 459 23.9 AUSTRALIAN 2 1339 69.8 DON'T KNOW;NOT ESTAB. 3 120 6.3 ------- ----- Total responses 1918 100.0
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