64% of Australians want Asylum Seekers arriving by Boat to be returned & told to apply through normal refugee channels

Julia Gillard has rejected the drive for a bigger Australia instead talking about wanting a more sustainable Australia — sharing the view of most Australians. The majority of electors — 78% — want to aim for a population of less than 35 million by 2040 according to a special telephone Morgan Poll on immigration and population conducted over the last two nights, July 20/21, 2010.

However immigration per se is not the problem in the minds of the Australian electorate — the majority (58%) being comfortable with immigration remaining the same (47%) or increasing (11%) while 40% want immigration levels reduced and just 2% can’t say. Importantly, more Australian electors believe immigration has a positive effect on Australia (33%) than a negative effect (30%) while 21% believe immigration has little effect and 16% can’t say.

Not surprisingly, the vast majority of Australian electors support both Skilled migrant immigration (88%) and Family reunion migration (75%).

However, given the broadly negative debate about Muslims and Asylum seekers — it is perhaps surprising that a majority of Australian electors support both Muslim immigration (54% support vs. 35% opposed) and Asylum seeker immigration (52% support vs. 39% opposed).

However, a political divide emerges for these two immigrant categories — whereby ALP and Greens supporters are in favour, L-NP supporters on average oppose both Muslim and Asylum seeker immigration.

On the question of ‘Boat People’ the majority of Australians (64%) believe asylum seekers arriving by boat should be ‘returned and told to apply through normal refugee channels’ — only 24% want ‘boat people’ to be allowed to apply for immigration as now. 75% of L-NP voters want the ‘boat people’ returned as do 56% of ALP voters and 50% of Greens voters.

Gary Morgan says:

“Despite the recent political debate about ‘boat people’ and discussion over the Pacific Solution; and the debate over immigration levels and crowding, Australian views haven’t changed in the last four months since March 2010.

“In fact, what is surprising is that despite the debate about immigration levels in Australia, if immigration continues at the levels of recent years, when combined with the natural increase Australia’s population would exceed 35 million by 2040 in any case.”

These are the main insights from the special Roy Morgan telephone survey conducted on the evenings of July 20/21, 2010, with an Australia-wide cross-section of 719 men and women electors aged 18 or over.

Immigration Levels

When Australians were asked: “Over the last year (2008/09) about 170,000 immigrants came to Australia. Do you think the number of people coming here to live permanently should be increased, or reduced, or remain about the same?”

Only 11% of Australians said that immigration should be ‘increased,’ while 40% say it should be ‘reduced’ and 47% say it should ‘remain about the same.’ Only 4% of Australians can’t say.

* In 1952 immigration level asked about was not stated; 1955 & 1956 — 125,000; 1958 — 100,000; 1969 — 160,000; 1970 — 180,000.

*The results for political affiliation are based only on interviews conducted with Australian electors. (1952 — 1970 electors were aged 21 & over. Whereas for 2010 electors are now aged 18 & over).

# Sample sizes less than 50 should be treated with caution.

Immigrants effect on Australian Life

Respondents were then asked: “Judging by what you see and hear, do you think immigrants are changing Australia’s culture and way of life — or having little effect.”

Respondents who responded that immigrants are changing us were then asked: “Do you think immigrants are changing Australia’s culture and way of life for better or for worse?”

# Sample sizes less than 50 should be treated with caution.

Australian Population Size

Respondents were then asked: “Australia’s population has increased by 5 million from 17 million to 22 million over the last 20 years. What population do you think we should aim to have in Australia in 30 years — that is, by 2040?”

# Sample sizes less than 50 should be treated with caution.

Types of Immigration to Australia

Respondents were then asked: “Please say whether you support or oppose (Muslim / Asylum seeker/ Skilled migrant/ Family reunion) immigration?”

Looking at different types of immigration shows that more Australians support, than oppose, varying types of immigration. When asked “Please say whether you support or oppose (insert type) of immigration” a majority of Australians supported each type of immigration.

The strongest support was for skilled immigration with 88% of Australian electors supporting skilled immigration compared to only 10% that oppose and 2% that can’t say. Family reunion immigration is also strongly supported with 75% support compared to 16% that oppose and 9% that can’t say.

Opinion was more divided — but still positive — for Muslim immigration with 54% of Australian electors supporting Muslim immigration compared to 35% that oppose and 11% that can’t say and Asylum seeker immigration with 52% supporting compared to 39% that are opposed and 9% that can’t say.

Skilled migrant immigration

# Sample sizes less than 50 should be treated with caution.

Family reunion immigration

# Sample sizes less than 50 should be treated with caution.

Muslim immigration

# Sample sizes less than 50 should be treated with caution.

Asylum seeker immigration

# Sample sizes less than 50 should be treated with caution.

Attitudes to Immigration of ‘Boat People’

Respondents were then asked: “Should asylum seekers arriving by boat be allowed to apply for immigration as now, or should they all be returned and told to apply through normal refugee channels?”

# Sample sizes less than 50 should be treated with caution.

For further information:

Gary Morgan:     Office +61 3 9224 5213 Mobile +61 411 129 094

Michele Levine:   Office +61 3 9224 5215 Mobile +61 411 129 093