Home |  site-map |  indonesia |  indonesian-single-source-articles |  asteroid-user-registration |

Roy Morgan OZ Panel Login  |  Mail Diary Panel Login |   careers |  contact-us |

Economic and Environmental issues are of equal importance as problems facing the World today (each mentioned by 29% of Australians). However in Australia, Economic Issues (31%) still outweigh Environmental issues (24%) according to a special Roy Morgan survey on what concerns Australians finds.

The survey finds substantial changes in Australian views since 6 months ago — the height of the ‘Global Financial Crisis’ (GFC). Although Economic issues remain the most important problem facing both the World and Australia, over the last six months Economic issues have become less important as worries about Unemployment and Economic problems have eased as the GFC has improved.

World Problems

As a World problem Economic issues are down 22% since May 2009 to 29%. This is almost back to pre-GFC levels of 24% in May 2008. In particular significantly fewer Australians regard Economy/ Interest rates/ Inflation (9%, down 27%) as the most important problem facing the World.

Environmental Issues are up 8% since May 2009 to 29%, still a little lower than the 35% recorded in May 2008, specifically 19% (up 7%) of Australians regard Climate Change/ Global Warming as the most important problem — similar to the how Australians viewed the issue in May 2008 (18%). Other problems to increase significantly are Poverty, the Gap between rich and poor (13%, up 5%), Wars and conflicts (12%, up 7%) and Terrorism (6%, up 4%).

Other issues that Australians consider important facing the World include Terrorism and Security issues 18% (up 11%), Government/Human Issues, 9% (up 3%) and Social Issues 7% (up 1%).

Australian Problems

Similar trends, although with some key differences, can be seen in what Australians regard as the most important problem facing Australia. The most important problems facing Australia today are still Economic issues 31% (although down 20% since May 2009), ahead of Environmental issues 24% (up 7%), Government/ Human issues (21%, up 9%) and Social issues 9% (up 3%).

The most significant falls since May have been for Economy/ Interest rates/ Inflation (14%, down 21%) and Unemployment (8%, down 3%) — even though many economists still say Unemployment has not yet peaked.

Three issues have clearly emerged as more important problems facing Australia since May. The most significant is Climate Change/ Global Warming (13%, up 8%). Also increasing are the closely related issues of Refugees and Asylum problems (7%, up 6%) and Immigration/ Immigration policy (6%, up 4%).

Michele Levine says:

“The renewed concern about Environmental Issues (24%, up 7% since May 2009) as the most important problem facing Australia coinciding with a lessening in concern about Economic Issues (31%, down 20%) are the most significant changes in Australian views in the last six months.

“The last time — May 20/21, 2009 — Roy Morgan conducted this special survey Australia was thought by most to be in recession, while now it is generally agreed to be past the worst of the recent ‘Global Financial Crisis.’

“The same trend is evident in terms of the most important problems facing the World with 29% (up 8%) regarding Environmental Issues as most important — now equal with Economic Issues (29%, down 22%). Most of the fall is due to the decrease in those viewing Economy/ Interest rates/ Inflation (9%, down 27%) as the most important problem — only partially offset by a rise in those nominating Poverty, The gap between rich and poor (13%, up 5%)."

Respondents were asked:  “Firstly, what do you think is the most important problem facing the World today?” and “What do you think is the most important problem facing Australia today?”

These findings come from a special Roy Morgan survey conducted in Australia on attitudes towards issues facing the World and Australia in the future. In Australia, a cross-section of 656 men and women aged 14 or over were interviewed by telephone on November 18-22, 2009.

The research conducted was both qualitative (in that people were asked to use their own words) and quantitative (in that the ‘open-ended’ responses were analysed and ‘coded’ so that the results could be counted and reported as percentages).

	Most important problem facing the World			Most important problem facing Australia
	Nov       April 2005       2006	May      Nov 2008     2008	May       Nov 2009      2009	Nov      April 2005     2006	May      Nov 2008     2008	May      Nov 2009     2009
	(%)        (%)	(%)       (%)	(%)        (%)	(%)      (%)	(%)      (%)	(%)    (%)
Economy / Interest rates/ Inflation	3           1	8           26	36          9	6         2	18        24	35      14
Industrial relations reforms	-           -	-            -	-            -	-         6	-           -	-        -
Poverty, the gap between rich and poor	10        16	11          8	8          13	4        4	3          2	2        4
Unemployment	*          *	1            1	4            2	*       5	1          2	11      8
Over-population	1          1	3            2	2           4	1        *	1          1	1        3
Globalisation/Fairer world trade	1          1	1            1	1           *	1        2	-          *	2        1
Infrastructure	-           -	-             -	*           *	-         1	-          1	1        1
Total Economic issues	16        19	24          37	51         29	14      20	23        30	51       31
Water conservation	1          1	3            *	*           2	8       3	-          7	4        5
Climate Change / Global warming	4          5	18          14	12         19	2       1	7        11	5       13
Famine	-          2	4            4	2           4	-        -	-          -	-        *
Drought	-          -	-            *	-           -	-        -	4          2	6        3
(Mis)management of Natural Resources (water)	-          -	-             -	-           -	-        -	13        -	-        -
Other Environmental issues	7         6	10          8	7           4	4       4	6        5	2        3
Total Environmental issues	12        14	35         26	21        29	15      8	30        25	17       24
Government, Politics, Political system	1         2	1           1	3           2	9       81	3         5	6        5
Religion, Religious fundamentalism	2         5	1           3	1           3	1       2	-          -	*        *
Human rights	*         *	1           *	-           1	1       1	-          -	*        *
Refugees and Asylum problems	-          -	-            -	*           3	1       2	-          -	1        7
Immigration/ Immigration policy	-         1	-            *	1           1	1       5	3        3	2        6
Intolerance	1         3	1           1	1           *	*       3	1        *	*        -
Racism/Racial tensions	-         2	-            *	*           -	-        2	2        1	1        1
Multiculturalism	-         *	-            *	1           *	-        2	2        2	*        1
Total Government, Human Issues	4        13	4           6	6           9	13      25	11       11	12       21
Corruption	*         *	1          *	*           1	*        *	-          -	*        *
Greed, Materialism	1         3	1          3	3           2	*        *	1        1	1        1
Drugs and drug abuse	*         2	1          1	*           *	1        2	2        3	1        1
Educational issues	*         1	1          1	*           1	2        2	2        2	2        3
Crime	*         1	1          *	-           -	*        2	1        1	*        *
Youth issues	-          1	1          1	1           2	-         2	2        2	*        2
Anger/Violence/Aggression	-          1	-           1	1           1	-         *	-         -	1        *
Social apathy/Family breakdowns/  Selfishness/Moral decline	-          2	2          2	1           1	-         3	3        2	1        2
Total Social issues	3          11	10         9	6           7	4      11	11       11	6        9
Terrorism	46       20	4           2	2           6	19        6	1         *	1        1
Wars and conflicts	6         11	10          6	5           12	2         2	2         *	-        1
Security, Safety	-          1	-            1	*           *	-          1	-          *	*       -
Relations with other countries	-          -	-            -	-            -	-          3	-          *	-        *
Total Terrorism/Wars/Security/Safety	52        32	14           9	7           18	21       12	3          1	1        3
Petrol prices	-          *	2           1	*           *	-        1	2          1	1        -
Energy crisis	-          1	2           *	*           *	-        *	1          *	-        1
Depletion of fossil fuels	-          *	1           *	*           1	-        *	1          -	1        *
Total Energy Crisis/ Depletion of Fossil Fuels/Petrol Price	-          1	5           2	1           1	-        1	4          1	1        1
Bird flu	*          1	-            -	-           -	1        -	-           -	-        -
Other health issues	2          3	2           1	2           2	6        9	4          3	2        2
Total Health Issues	-          4	2           1	2           2	-         9	4          3	2        2
Other	-          3	4           6	4           2	-        8	9         10	4        5
Can’t say	-          3	2           4	3           2	-        6	5           8	4        5
Total	100      100	100     100	100       100	100     100	100       100	100     100

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

© 2012 Roy Morgan Research. All Rights Reserved
privacy-statement