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Domestic Issues Are Top Priority For Electors
More Australians say the Government should be doing something about health and education, the latest Morgan Poll finds. While defence and national security (21%) remain a high priority, health (62%) and education (55%) have soared as the two issues of top concern for Australians. Electors were asked: "What are the three most important things the Federal Government should be doing something about?" With the media focus on Medicare and bulk billing in recent weeks, those mentioning health issues increased 23% since December 2002 to 62%, with 55% mentioning the health system and hospitals and 10% Medicare. Education and schools were mentioned by 55% of electors, a rise of 17% since December. Defence (21%) was still a high priority for Australian electors, although it was mentioned less often than in December, when 28% of electors believed that it was an issue the Federal Government should be doing something about. Concern for the environment increased 3% since December 2002, with 17% now mentioning it as an issue that the Government should act upon. This was an increase of 8% since October 2001. Issues that were mentioned less often than in December 2002 included social welfare (11%, down 8% since December), taxation (8%, down 5%), and industry and business (2%, down 6%). NSW electors were most likely to mention health issues (64%), education (60%) or defence (19%) among the three most important things the Federal Government should do something about. In Victoria, 59% mentioned health and 54% mentioned education, while the environment (19%) received the third highest number of mentions. Sixty-one percent of Queenslanders mentioned health and 47% mentioned education, with law and order (18% cf 9% nationally) coming in third. Western Australians also believed that the Federal Government should be doing something about health issues (61%) and education (50%), with defence and national security (35% cf 21% nationally) coming in third. For South Australians, health (57%) and education (53%) also topped the list of important things the Federal Government should do something about. The environment (33%) received the third highest number of mentions, with a high 14% (cf 5% nationally) believing that water conservation and catchment was something that the Federal Government should be acting upon. When electors were asked what the Federal Government could do that would most benefit them and their families, taxation (34%, up 9% since December 2002) dominated the list for the tenth consecutive poll. Specifically 26% (up 11%) said the Federal Government lowering taxes would benefit them and their families, while 5% (down 1%) said tax reform and only 3% (unchanged) nominated removing the GST. Health issues ranked second (mentioned by 22%, up 10% since December 2002). Education (13%, up 5%) and social welfare (10%, down 3%) were also among the issues most often mentioned with regard to helping electors and their families. These are the main findings of a Morgan Poll of 482 electors conducted by telephone throughout Australia on May 20-22, 2003. For further information: Gary Morgan: Office: (03) 9224 5213 Mobile: 0411 129 094 Home: (03) 9419 3242
1. Three Most Important Things The Federal Government Should Be Doing Something About (Unaided) Electors were first asked: "Thinking about Australia as a whole. In your opinion, what are the THREE most important things the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT should be DOING SOMETHING ABOUT?" Health (overall - 62%) and education (overall - 55%) were the most mentioned issues among supporters of all parties. For supporters of the Liberal Party (health - 63%, education - 47%), National Party (health - 65%, education - 50%), ALP (health - 66%, education - 62%) and Other Parties and Independent Candidates (health - 57%, education - 50%), health was considered to be the issue of most importance. For supporters of the Greens (health - 44%, education - 57%) and the Australian Democrats (health - 58%, education - 61%), education was the top issue. Overall, defence & national security (21%), unemployment (15%) and immigration (15%) received the next highest mentions as important issues the Government should be doing something about. These three issues all ranked highly with supporters of all parties, however there were some notable differences across parties as to which issues made up the remainder of the top five issues mentioned. For Liberal Party supporters, after health and education, defence & national security (31%), immigration (15%) and the environment (15%) were the most important issues. National Party supporters were somewhat different from their Coalition bedfellows, with transport & roads (36%), housing & homelessness (16%) and defence & national security (15%) making up their top five. ALP supporters felt that the environment (20%), unemployment (16%) and social welfare & the aged (13%) were the next most important issues that the Government should be doing something about. Not surprisingly, the environment (32%) received the third highest number of mentions amongst Greens supporters, with immigration (28%) and unemployment (20%) coming fourth and fifth. For supporters of the Australian Democrats, unemployment (21%), taxation (15%) and the environment (12%) filled their top five most important issues. The top five issues for supporters of Other Parties and Independent Candidates was made up of unemployment (28%), law and order (20%) and defence & national security (18%). Table 1: Three Most Important Things The Federal Government Should Be Doing Something About (Unaided) ANALYSIS BY YEAR
Table 2: Three Most Important Things The Federal Government Should Be Doing Something About (Unaided) ANALYSIS BY VOTING INTENTION
2. What could the Federal Government do that would be of most benefit to you and your family? Electors were then asked: "Thinking about YOURSELF. What could the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT do, that would MOST BENEFIT YOU and YOUR FAMILY?" Overall, taxation issues (34%) such as lowering taxes (26%), tax reform (5%) and abolishing GST (3%) were considered by respondents to be the action that the Federal Government could take that would bring them the most personal benefit. Taxation issues fell into the top two issues amongst supporters of all parties. It was the top issue for supporters of the Liberal Party (37%), Australian Democrats (41%) and Other Parties and Independent Candidates (52%), while for ALP (27%), National Party (25%) and Greens (27%) supporters it received the second highest number of mentions. It is interesting to note that while electors were aware that tax cuts or tax reform would improve their personal situation, as an issue considered most important for the Federal Government to be doing something about it came in at ninth, with only 8% of electors mentioning it (compared with health at 62% and education at 55%). Overall, health (22%), education (13%) and social welfare & the aged (10%) received the next highest mentions as issues the Government could do something about that would benefit respondents and their families. These three issues all ranked highly with supporters of all parties. Liberal Party supporters were similar to the overall population of electors, with taxation (37%) being followed by health (21%), education (11%) and social welfare & the aged (10%) as things the Government could do something about to help them. For National Party supporters, health (30%) ranked highest as something the Government could do to help them, followed by taxation (25%) and housing (16%), with education, superannuation/ self-funded retirees, and transport/ roads all receiving 9% of mentions. ALP supporters were similar to Liberal Party supporters, with health (28%) being followed by taxation (27%), education (13%) and social welfare & the aged (10%). For Greens supporters, education (28%) ranked highest, followed by taxation (27%), the environment (15%) and health (14%). For supporters of the Australian Democrats, taxation (41%) was followed by health (20%) and education (18%), with child & youth services, transport/ roads, housing, and increasing wages all receiving 5% of mentions. For supporters of Other Parties and Independent Candidates, taxation (52%) was followed by social welfare & the aged (24%), health (14%) and industry & business (9%) as things that the Federal Government could do something about to help them and their families.
Table 3: What could the Federal Government do that would be of most benefit to you and your family? ANALYSIS BY YEAR
Table 4: What could the Federal Government do that would be of most benefit to you and your family? ANALYSIS BY VOTING INTENTION
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