D0164: Australian Gallup Poll, April 10, 1953
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 1,782 interviews conducted in April 1953. BACKGROUND VARIABLES age / sex / economic classification / occupation / religion / location / vote at last Federal election / voting intention / car ownership / telephone subscriber / political complexion / interviewer grade / WEIGHTING The responses are unweighted. A weighting variable (WEIGHT) 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 books people read. About how many books do you read in a year - not magazines? Category label Code Count Percent MISSING 0 135 7.6 7.6 1 32 1.8 1.8 2 99 5.6 5.6 3 65 3.6 3.6 4 53 3.0 3.0 5 26 1.5 1.5 6 147 8.2 8.2 7 7 .4 .4 8 17 1.0 1.0 9 1 .1 .1 10 42 2.4 2.4 11 1 .1 .1 12 167 9.4 9.4 13 1 .1 .1 14 3 .2 .2 15 22 1.2 1.2 16 4 .2 .2 18 4 .2 .2 20 66 3.7 3.7 23 1 .1 .1 24 28 1.6 1.6 25 26 1.5 1.5 26 14 .8 .8 30 53 3.0 3.0 35 4 .2 .2 36 10 .6 .6 40 43 2.4 2.4 45 3 .2 .2 46 1 .1 .1 48 2 .1 .1 50 96 5.4 5.4 52 28 1.6 1.6 55 1 .1 .1 56 3 .2 .2 60 20 1.1 1.1 70 5 .3 .3 75 1 .1 .1 80 4 .2 .2 84 1 .1 .1 86 2 .1 .1 90 3 .2 .2 96 1 .1 .1 NONE 99 540 30.3 30.3 ------- ----- ----- Total responses 1782 100.0 100.0 1b. Unless NONE: Do you happen to be reading a book now? Category label Code Count Percent NO 11 567 31.8 YES 12 602 33.8 NOT ASKED 13 540 30.3 MISSING 14 73 4.1 ------- ----- Total responses 1782 100.0 1c. What kind of book (are you reading now) (did you read last)? Category label Code Count Percent POETRY, PLAYS 0 5 .3 NOVELS, GENERAL FICTION, DRAMA 1 394 22.1 HISTORICAL NOVEL 2 27 1.5 HISTORICAL, WAR 3 115 6.5 ROMANCE 4 41 2.3 WESTERN 5 52 2.9 DETECTIVE, MYSTERY, MURDER 6 156 8.8 TRAVEL 7 78 4.4 AUTOBIOGRAPHY, BIOGRAPHY 8 44 2.5 EDUCATIONAL, TECHNICAL, ART, RELIGI 9 109 6.1 OTHERS 11 59 3.3 UNCLASSIFIABLE, DONT READ 12 162 9.1 NOT ASKED 13 540 30.3 ------- ----- Total responses 1782 100.0 2a. MILITARY TRAINING: At present all young men of 18 must go to military camp for 3 months. Are you for, or against, that? Category label Code Count Percent NO OPINION 0 62 3.5 AGAINST 11 150 8.4 FOR 12 1570 88.1 ------- ----- Total responses 1782 100.0 2b. This camp is followed by spare-time training, and fortnightly (annual) camps for 3 years. Are you for, or against, that? Category label Code Count Percent FOR 1 1436 80.6 AGAINST 2 241 13.5 NO OPINION 3 92 5.2 MISSING 4 13 .7 ------- ----- Total responses 1782 100.0 3. HOLIDAYS FOR MARRIED PEOPLE: Speaking generally do you think husbands and wives should have their holidays together or apart? Category label Code Count Percent TOGETHER 4 1374 77.1 APART 5 275 15.4 NO OPINION 6 119 6.7 MISSING 7 14 .8 ------- ----- Total responses 1782 100.0 4a. OURSELVES: The people of every nation have their good points and their bad points. Thinking of Australians as a whole, what would you say is out best point? Category label Code Count Percent MODERN,OPEN-MINDED 0 8 .4 CAREFREE, CASUAL 1 155 8.7 FRIENDLINESS, HOSPITALITY 2 568 31.9 TOLERANCE, DEMOCRATIC 3 73 4.1 GENEROSITY 4 165 9.3 FAIR PLAY, GOOD SPORTS 5 125 7.0 LOVE OF SPORT,OUTDOORS 6 60 3.4 FRANKNESS,HONESTY 7 45 2.5 INITIATIVE,ADAPTABLE 8 83 4.7 LOYAL,PATRIOTIC 9 52 2.9 OTHER ANSWERS 11 119 6.7 CANT SAY 12 329 18.5 ------- ----- Total responses 1782 100.0 4b. And what would you say is out worst fault? Category label Code Count Percent TOO MODEST,GENEROUS 0 8 .4 APATHY, NOT SERIOUS ENOUGH 1 259 14.5 LAZINESS 2 162 9.1 TOO MUCH SPORT 3 69 3.9 SELF-SATISFIED,BRAGGERS 4 69 3.9 SELF-CENTRED,INTOLERANT 5 113 6.3 BAD MANNERS, IMPOLITE 6 71 4.0 GAMBLING 7 275 15.4 DRINK 8 214 12.0 SELFISH, GREEDY 9 68 3.8 OTHER FAULTS 11 112 6.3 CANT SAY 12 362 20.3 ------- ----- Total responses 1782 100.0 5. The next question is to see how accurately we can forecast the Federal election for the Senate, in May. Judging by how you feel now, which party are you likely to vote for - Labor, Liberal, Country, Communist or Independent? (If evasive ask 'Well how are you LIKELY to vote?') Category label Code Count Percent LABOR 5 942 52.9 LIBERAL 6 604 33.9 COUNTRY 7 71 4.0 INDEPENDENT 8 9 .5 UNDECIDED 9 141 7.9 MISSING 10 15 .8 ------- ----- Total responses 1782 100.0 6a. VOTING AT PAST ELECTIONS: Since 1934 there have been seven Federal elections. About how many times have you voted Labor? Category label Code Count Percent NO TIMES 0 1 .1 ONCE 1 105 5.9 TWICE 2 136 7.6 THREE TIMES 3 129 7.2 FOUR TIMES 4 109 6.1 FIVE TIMES 5 69 3.9 SIX TIMES 6 71 4.0 SEVEN TIMES 7 481 27.0 MISSING 8 681 38.2 ------- ----- Total responses 1782 100.0 6b. And how many times LCP? Category label Code Count Percent NO TIMES 0 1 .1 ONCE 1 91 5.1 TWICE 2 113 6.3 THREE TIMES 3 106 5.9 FOUR TIMES 4 81 4.5 FIVE TIMES 5 44 2.5 SIX TIMES 6 51 2.9 SEVEN TIMES 7 363 20.4 MISSING 8 932 52.3 ------- ----- Total responses 1782 100.0 6c. Other (1) Category label Code Count Percent NO TIMES 0 1 .1 ONCE 1 6 .3 TWICE 2 5 .3 THREE TIMES 3 2 .1 FOUR TIMES 4 1 .1 FIVE TIMES 5 3 .2 SEVEN TIMES 7 7 .4 MISSING 8 1757 98.6 ------- ----- Total responses 1782 100.0 6d. Other (2) Category label Code Count Percent ONCE 1 69 3.9 TWICE 2 131 7.4 THREE TIMES 3 130 7.3 FOUR TIMES 4 111 6.2 FIVE TIMES 5 74 4.2 SIX TIMES 6 82 4.6 SEVEN TIMES 7 1062 59.6 MISSING 8 123 6.9 ------- ----- Total responses 1782 100.0 7a. What do you think is the chief reason for the sharp drop in the vote for Liberals at recent Federal by-elections? Category label Code Count Percent INFLATION 0 201 11.3 IMPORT CONTROLS 1 27 1.5 CREDIT RESTRICTIONS 2 70 3.9 HIGH TAXATION 3 174 9.8 UNEMPLOYMENT 4 141 7.9 FAILURE TO CARRY OUT PROMISES 5 247 13.9 UNPOPULAR MEASURES 6 52 2.9 DISSENTION IN PARTY 7 19 1.1 ROUTINE SWING 8 64 3.6 OTHER ANSWERS 11 142 8.0 NO ANSWER 12 645 36.2 ------- ----- Total responses 1782 100.0 7b. ASK EVERYONE: Do you think any of these (others) apply? HAND CARD AND CIRCLE ALL ANSWERS Category label Code Count Percent LIB VOTE-COST OF LIVING RQ7B1 837 50.0 LIB VOTE-IMPORT CONTROLS RQ7B2 460 27.5 LIB VOTE-CREDIT RETURNS RQ7B3 543 32.4 LIB VOTE-TAXES RQ7B4 727 43.4 LIB VOTE-UNEMPLOYMENT RQ7B5 557 33.3 LIB VOTE NO (NONE) RQ7B6 199 11.9 ------- ----- Total responses 1782 100.0 8. On the back of the card is a list of things people may plan to buy. Which of them are you FAIRLY CERTAIN to buy new before the end of this year? CIRCLE ALL ANSWERS Category label Code Count Percent BUY NEW-CARPETS RQ81 125 7.1 BUY NEW-S.R. SUIT RQ82 67 3.8 BUY NEW-MOTOR RQ83 81 4.6 BUY NEW-REFRIG RQ84 144 8.1 BUY NEW-WASHING RQ85 145 8.2 BUY NEW-RADIO RQ86 83 4.7 BUY NEW-STOVE RQ87 69 3.9 BUY NEW-VACUUM RQ88 55 3.1 BUY NEW-NONE RQ89 1162 65.6 ------- ----- Total responses 1782 100.0 9a. FLOGGING CRIMINALS: If a man is sent to prison for a crime of violence do you think the judge should, or should not, have power to order a flogging Category label Code Count Percent YES FLOG 7 1200 67.3 NO 8 481 27.0 NO OPINION 9 98 5.5 MISSING 10 3 .2 ------- ----- Total responses 1782 100.0 9b. To help classify answers to this question, would you mind telling me your religion? Category label Code Count Percent ROMAN CATHOLIC 1 362 20.3 CHURCH ENGLAND 2 749 42.0 PRESBYTERIAN 3 215 12.1 METHODIST 4 196 11.0 BAPTIST 5 26 1.5 PROTESTANT 6 47 2.6 OTHER CHRISTIAN 7 100 5.6 NON-CHRISTIAN 8 9 .5 NO RELIGION 9 23 1.3 MISSING 10 55 3.1 ------- ----- Total responses 1782 100.0 10. The next question is on the proposal for Australia to give out-of-date military equipment to France, for use in Indo-China. Are you for, or against, giving the French such military aid? Category label Code Count Percent FOR 7 899 50.4 AGAINST 8 518 29.1 NO OPINION 9 363 20.4 MISSING 10 2 .1 ------- ----- Total responses 1782 100.0
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