Poll respondents with attitudes

New poll results from around the place on attitudes towards climate change, Australia Day and things-in-general.

An off week in the fortnightly cycles for both Newspoll and Essential Research, but we do have three fairly detailed sets of attitudinal polling doing the rounds:

• Ipsos has results from its monthly Issues Monitor series, which records a dramatic escalation in concern about the environment. Asked to pick the three most salient out of 19 listed issues, 41% chose the environment, more than any other. This was up ten on last month’s survey, and compares with single digit results that were not uncommonly recorded as recently as 2015. Cost of living and health care tied for second on 31%, respectively down three and up six on last month. The economy was up one to 25%, and crime down one to 21%. On “party most capable to manage environmental issues across the generations”, generations up to and including X gave the highest rating to the Greens, towards whom the “boomer” and “builder” generations showed their usual hostility. The poll was conducted online from a sample of 1000.

• A poll by YouGov for the Australian Institute finds 79% expressing concern about climate change, up five since a similar poll in July. This includes 47% who were very concerned, up ten. Among those aged 18 to 34, only around 10% expressed a lack of concern. Fifty-seven per cent said Australia was experiencing “a lot” of climate change impact, up 14%; 67% said climate change was making bushfires worse, with 26% disagreeing; and only 33% felt the Coalition had done a good job “managing the climate crisis” (a potentially problematic turn of phrase for those who did not allow that there was one), compared with 53% who took the contrary view. The poll was conducted January 8 to 12 from a sample of 1200; considerable further detail is available through the full report.

• The Institute of Public Affairs has a poll on Australia Day and political correctness from Dynata, which has also done polling on the other side of the ideological aisle for the aforesaid Australia Institute. This finds 71% agreeing that “Australia Day should be celebrated on January 26” (55% strongly, 16% somewhat), and 68% agreeing Australia had become too politically correct (42% strongly, 26% somewhat). Disagreement with both propositions was at just 11%. A very substantial age effect was evident here, but not for the two further questions relating to pride in Australia, which received enthusiastic responses across the board. I have my doubts about opening the batting on this particular set of questions by asking if respondents were “proud to be an Australian”, which brings Yes Minister to mind. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the poll is the demographic detail on the respondents, who were presumably drawn from an online panel. This shows women were greatly over-represented in the younger cohorts, while the opposite was true among the old; and that the sample included rather too many middle-aged people on low incomes. The results would have been weighted to correct for this, but some of these weightings were doing some fairly heavy lifting (so to speak).

Elsewhere, if you’re a Crikey subscriber you can enjoy my searing expose on the electoral impact of Bridget McKenzie’s sports sports. I particularly hope you appreciate the following line, as it was the fruit of about two days’ work:

When polling booth and sport grants data are aggregated into 2288 local regions designated by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, there turns out to be no correlation whatsoever between the amount of funding they received and how much they swung to or against the Coalition.

I worked this out by identifying the approximate target locations of 518 grants, building a dataset recording grant funding and booth-level election swings for each of the ABS’s Statistical Local Area 2 regions, and using linear regression to calculate how much impact the grants had on the Coalition vote. The verdict: absolutely none whatsoever.

Author: William Bowe

William Bowe is a Perth-based election analyst and occasional teacher of political science. His blog, The Poll Bludger, has existed in one form or another since 2004, and is one of the most heavily trafficked websites on Australian politics.

2,074 comments on “Poll respondents with attitudes”

Comments Page 2 of 42
1 2 3 … 42

  3. The LNP is our version of The Donald: “Yeah, we did it. So big deal!” All the good right wing authoritarian dictatorships do it so we can do it as well.

  4. Remember the early “Learning to read” books, with their simple language?

    This is Spot. Spot can run. See Spot run up the hill. Good boy, Spot.

    This is how Trump talks most of the time, taking one word and trying it out in different sentences.

  5. This is just scandalous. It is Josh Frydenburg virtually saying that he thinks it is worth it for the nation to become a Climate Change pariah in the world, just so we can maintain his ‘strong economy’! 😡

    Josh Frydenberg says the Coalition will not compromise “the strength of the economy” to manage rising environmental concerns as international authorities urge governments to do more to tackle climate change.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/treasurer-climate-s-economic-threat-requires-balanced-approach-20200121-p53tch.html

  6. Right. So the process will be:

    – impeachment managers and Team Trump make their cases (happening now)
    – Senators have 16 hours to pose their own questions (in writing to be read by Roberts, as per Senate rules)
    – in Clinton’s trial these questions went for over 100 hours (the Senate cannot do its normal gig while a trial is in play)
    – questions are answered by either side depending on the question
    – then it’s vote time, likely to be in a week or two after the Senate has been going at it hammer and tongs for 6 days per week often late into the night
    – debate on the vote will be for four hours on whether to admit witnesses or not, thus keeping the trial going
    – Moscow Mitch is betting that Democrats and Republicans alike will simply want to end the thing
    – Dems need 4 Republicans to cross the floor to vote to keep the trial going
    – Romney, Susan Collins and Murkowski have either said outright, or are very supportive of hearing from more witnesses (Bolton in particular), so that means one more Republican needs to cross the floor to keep the trial going
    – this all presupposes that the above 3 vote to hear from witnesses (big ask IMO)

  7. I just thought of a good ad campaign that the Lincoln Project could use if the inevitable Republican acquittal of Trump ensues:

    Run this in every state and district:

    (insert Senator’s name here) just gave the all clear for the next Democratic President to obstruct congress and blackmail a foreign ally into corruptly forcing them to dig up dirt on a political opponent. Are you OK with (insert senator’s name here) giving that level of power to the next Democratic President? If not, vote the fucker out of office.

    Words to that effect anyway.

  8. Here’s another great article on Sports Rorts 2.0:

    Two out of five of the grassroots projects under the Morrison government’s controversial sports grants scheme had begun construction before funding agreements were in place, in clear contravention of program guidelines.

    Despite ministers’ insistence no rules were broken, work on eight projects had finished by the time their applicants had finalised funding agreements with Sports Australia.

    …”In addition to program ineligibility, this situation suggests that – particularly in respect of the eight completed projects – those selected for funding under the program may not have required Australian government funding in order to deliver their projects,” the report said.

    …Labor leader Anthony Albanese, who visited a bowling club in the Labor seat of Perth that missed out on funding, demanded the government release the full assessment list of the 2000 sporting groups that sought funding.

    https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/40-per-cent-of-sports-projects-breached-guidelines-20200121-p53tbx

    Looks like there’s a LOT of Sporting Clubs that missed out on Grants that Albanese can visit. 🙂

  10. Dr Lou Bennett AM
    @winya2012
    Anyone tells you it’s because of the Greens not allowing ‘us’ to back burn for fuel reduction you know they’re bullsh#^ing. This myth has to stop. Cultural burns are critical to our safety and health of country #Greens #SackScoMo #culturalburning

  11. C@T
    Josh is probably right to dismiss the idea that the RBA will buy power stations or other businesses because the RBA has made it clear that the only thing the RBA would consider buying is government bonds.

  12. Right wing political correctness:

    – climate denial
    – monarchism / anti republicanism
    – the language of patrioutism
    – disdain for the language of inclusiveness
    – expressing how strongly you want to punish wrongdoers – criminals, climate activists, etc
    – disdain for certain groups – greenies, welfare recipients
    – hatred / contempt for unions and unionists
    – devotion to January 26
    – disdain for “socialism”, which is pretty much anything you disapprove of
    – especially in the USA, the language of (consevative Christian) faith, calling on the Diety at every opportunity
    – … no doubt the list can be greatly expanded

  13. Tom NicholsVerified account@RadioFreeTom
    12m12 minutes ago
    This trial will be the legacy of the Republican Party. I think there was an argument to be made that Trump alone couldn’t kill the GOP. I don’t agree, but I think a lot of GOPers could at least pretend it was possible to recover from Trump. After today, no more pretending.

  14. I know I’m being naughty to post this. 😆

    @AaronDodd
    ·
    37m
    BREAKING: Australian PM Scott Morrison has advised Australians not to panic over the coronavirus. He went on “I’ve consulted with experts such as Brian Houston of Hillsong who advises that the virus will only affect the immoral, indolent and ungodly. So just pray harder”. #auspol

  17. Confessions says:
    Wednesday, January 22, 2020 at 9:11 am
    Tom NicholsVerified account@RadioFreeTom
    12m12 minutes ago
    This trial will be the legacy of the Republican Party. I think there was an argument to be made that Trump alone couldn’t kill the GOP. I don’t agree, but I think a lot of GOPers could at least pretend it was possible to recover from Trump. After today, no more pretending.

    Do you even know who your re-posting? Seems like your a fan of pro-nuclear weapons, US first strike traditional conservative Republicans. Who knew?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Nichols_(academic)

  18. Peg
    This is where the left gets itself into trouble because many Australians would respond with “well you already receive funding from us taxpayers”

  19. Ipsos Survey

    https://www.theage.com.au/environment/climate-change/environment-now-trumps-economy-on-australian-list-of-biggest-worries-20200121-p53td7.html

    Unsurprisingly, younger Australians are the most worried, with 48 per cent of Millennials and 45 per cent of Gen Z’ers putting the environment on their top three list.

    But concern among older people is catching up, with 42 per cent of Baby Boomers also putting it on their list and 30 per cent of “Builders”, aged over 73.
    :::
    Participants were asked which political party they felt was best able to address their environmental concerns.

    Generation X, Millenials and Gen Z’ers ranked the Greens highest, while Baby Boomer and Builders nominated the Coalition.

    No age cohort put Labor first to manage the environment.
    :::
    “A relatively high proportion of younger Australians did not know which party was most capable and a relatively high number of older Australians believed that none of them were capable.”

  20. Mexicanbeemer @ #61 Wednesday, January 22nd, 2020 – 9:07 am

    C@T
    One thing in that article where Josh is probably right is on dismissing the idea that the RBA will buy power stations or other businesses because Phil Lowe has made it clear the only thing the RBA would consider buying is government bonds.

    Yes, I read the article recently where the IMF (?) suggested the Reserve buy Stranded Assets like Coal-Fired Power Stations and mines and the like. I thought, no way ia a COALition government going to allow that! Even though the Reserve is apparently independent.

    In fact, Morrison and Frydenburg are about government guarantees and underwriting of the damn things! 😡

  22. Day 200 of the First Shorten Government. The Greatest Government in Australian History.

    On this day Prime Minister Shorten delivered carrots to a wildlife sanctuary.

  24. C@T
    Yes, I read the article recently where the IMF (?) suggested the Reserve buy Stranded Assets like Coal-Fired Power Stations and mines and the like. I thought, no way ia a COALition government going to allow that! Even though the Reserve is apparently independent.

    In fact, Morrison and Frydenburg are about government guarantees and underwriting of the damn things!
    —————————————
    I would think the government would do it before the RBA would and from time to time the reactionary faction pushes the idea of the government buying or underwriting a coal power station but like many things with this government they just going around and around with the same debate on repeat cycle.

  26. More Ipsos results:

    * agree that this is a wake-up call for the world on the impacts of climate
    change (72%)

    * agree that governments should mobilise all of society to tackle climate
    change, like they mobilised everyone during the world wars (66%)

    * More Australians agree than disagree that mining and burning coal makes
    bushfires worse (48% v 34%)

  27. Quite sickening SMH headlines at the moment:

    POLITICAL EXPENSES
    Christensen misused domestic travel that linked up with month-long holiday
    Nationals MP George Christensen misused his travel expenses by linking taxpayer-funded domestic travel to a month-long personal holiday that included visits to the Middle East and the Philippines.

    BUSHFIRES
    Prime Minister says hazard reduction burns as important as emissions
    by Nick Bonyhady

    BUSHFIRES
    ‘Millstone’: Environmental funding cuts to hinder fire recovery plans
    by Peter Hannam and Mike Foley

    CLIMATE POLICY
    Treasurer: Climate’s economic threat requires ‘balanced approach’
    by Eryk Bagshaw and Shane Wright

    Fears for wildlife as brumbies compete for reduced Kosciuszko grassland
    Calls are mounting on the Berejiklian government to control feral horse numbers in delicate alpine regions after bushfires burnt much of the Kosciuszko National Park, potentially intensifying impacts from the animals.
    by Peter Hannam

  28. Greensborough Growler @ #43 Wednesday, January 22nd, 2020 – 8:30 am

    C@tmomma @ #32 Wednesday, January 22nd, 2020 – 8:19 am

    Greensborough Growler @ #20 Wednesday, January 22nd, 2020 – 7:55 am

    Here’s Kennedy’s interview with Hunt this morning.

    https://twitter.com/i/status/1219721784146022400

    The problem as I see it with these, thankfully, intense interviews, is that Ministers in the Morrison government, after they have been skewered on the ABC, then hop over to 2GB or 3AW, and Sky After Dark, and push out a seamless version of the daily propaganda points, release it to the media, who feel a duty to report it widely because it is official government information. And so, while the commendable interview has occurred, what gets more widely disseminated, through the Murdoch, 9Fax and 7 media, is the garbage. Which ends up in the minds of Bushfire Bill’s grog shop attendant and those like her. Not that which should, being the Paul Kennedy interview.

    And the Morrison government knows it.

    Maybe. But ABC gives them a national platform that reaches in to every nook and cranny of the Nation. Whereas Sky talks to no one, and NSW shock jock media has a much more limited exposure than you might care to think. Very few are tuned in to to all the subtlies and nuances of any particular debate. Sure people that are Twitter oriented will be able to access these views and opinions. But, I daresay they aren’t nearly as important as something credible as the ABC in revealing the Government’s failures.

    My perception is the Government is on the backfoot, still behaving arrogantly and blustering when they should be far more contrite and focussed on the concerns of the Community. This dissembling and prevarication is there on view to everyone. The drip is on McKenzie (similar to Bishop). So, the saga will play out and eventually there will be a scalp. Who it is and how high it goes is yet to unfold.

    But, the whole political pendulum has swung since the Bushfires arrived.

    And that’s as may be, but I’m still thinking that the Herald Sun/3AW/2GB/Daily Telegraph/Adelaide Advertiser/Courier Mail/West Australian/Hobart Mercury/Channel 7 Sunrise etc. watching contingent of ‘Quiet (Dumbed Down) Australians’, are still believing the government propaganda that is being disseminated to them. If people on the streets of Italy and America are believing it, it’s some damn good yellow journalism in service of the Morrison government!

    The Bushfires MAY have changed things, but I’m already hearing reports of people saying how quickly green shoots are appearing after the bushfires, as in, pfft! those bushfires were exaggerated.

  29. One good turn deserves another?

    David Marler
    @Qldaah
    ·
    7m
    Bridget McKenzie became a member of the Wangaratta Clay Target Club on January 25, 2019. On February 24, 2019, she announced the club had received a $35,980 sports grant. #auspol #sportsrorts

  30. Mexicanbeemer @ #74 Wednesday, January 22nd, 2020 – 9:29 am

    C@T
    Yes, I read the article recently where the IMF (?) suggested the Reserve buy Stranded Assets like Coal-Fired Power Stations and mines and the like. I thought, no way ia a COALition government going to allow that! Even though the Reserve is apparently independent.

    In fact, Morrison and Frydenburg are about government guarantees and underwriting of the damn things!
    —————————————
    I would think the government would do it before the RBA would and from time to time the reactionary faction pushes the idea of the government buying or underwriting a coal power station but like many things with this government they just going around and around with the same debate on repeat cycle.

    I hope so, MB! I don’t have your confidence about that, though. This is a government that are prepared to brazenly use the Treasury to fund their ideological jihad.

  31. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jan/22/scott-morrisons-senior-ministers-discuss-how-to-reposition-climate-policies

    But in a sign of the political challenge facing Morrison, moderate MPs in inner-city seats are at the same time pushing for more ambitious action, amid concern that climate change will be a hot button issue at the next election.

    Labor faces the same issue in its inner city seats where the Greens poll well. Reconciling the different demands from inner city voters who want real action on global heating versus the demands from coal miners and their communities in Queensland to preserve their way of life is fraught.

    Labor needs to come out with detailed plans for just transition and sell these plans every day from now to the next election.

  32. Yep C@t,

    That will be one of the next memes.

    ‘Look at the country recover.’

    ‘It has always recovered.’

    SfM photo op among vigorously growing saplings.

  34. ‘nath says:
    Wednesday, January 22, 2020 at 9:27 am

    Day 200 of the First Shorten Government. The Greatest Government in Australian History.

    On this day Prime Minister Shorten delivered carrots to a wildlife sanctuary.’

    Thanks for drawing this to our attention. You are quite right, as always.

    Shorten would have been a much better prime minister and a Labor government would have been a much better government.

    Only three more interminable years of buyer’s remorse to go.

  35. I read the article recently where the IMF (?) suggested the Reserve buy Stranded Assets like Coal-Fired Power Stations and mines and the like.

    Taxpayer money to ‘bail out’ the Clives and Ginas of the world. Fark off IMF . Let ’em do their dough.

  38. https://theconversation.com/scientists-hate-to-say-i-told-you-so-but-australia-you-were-warned-130211

    Scientists have, clearly and respectfully, warned about the risks to Australia of a rapidly heating climate – more extreme heat, changes to rainfall patterns, rising seas, increased coastal flooding and more dangerous bushfire conditions. We have also warned about the consequences of these changes for our health and well-being, our society and economy, our natural ecosystems and our unique wildlife.

    Being quiet, civil and respectful doesn’t cut it anymore. Writing letters, sending emails, signing petitions doesn’t cut it anymore. Politely requesting action from our politicians doesn’t cut it any more. Such actions have been tried for decades and have failed.

    Now is the time to take collective action within our communities and be loud.

    Now is the time to stand up, march in the streets and take direct action.

    Otherwise it will continue to be business as usual all the while the planet burns.

  39. Mining giant BHP has said Australia’s horror bushfire season is taking a toll on its coal production.

    On Tuesday, the company said energy coal production in New South Wales fell 11 per cent to seven million tonnes for the second quarter, partly blaming the fires.

    Management reported in their first-half trading update that work had slowed due to poor visibility in December, when the fires were at their worst and some employees took leave to protect their homes.

    https://www.sbs.com.au/news/you-can-t-make-this-stuff-up-bhp-says-australian-bushfires-hurting-coal-production

  42. This seems an opportunity for interested Bludgers.

    Following a referral from the Minister for Water Resources, Drought, Rural Finance, Natural Disaster and Emergency Management, the Hon David Littleproud MP, the Committee resolved on 5 December 2019 to conduct an inquiry into the efficacy of past and current vegetation and land management policy, practice and legislation and their effect on the intensity and frequency of bushfires and subsequent risk to property, life and the environment.

    The Committee is accepting written submissions, addressing one or more of the terms of reference, to be received by Tuesday, 31 March 2020. For information on how to make a submission, go to our Making a submission to a Committee Inquiry page.

    https://www.aph.gov.au/vegetationandlandmanagement

  43. Breaking: Prime Minister Morrison has advised Australians not to concern themselves about the coronavirus. The Government will stop it by deploying McKenzie, Taylor, Dutton, Hunt, Molan, Joyce, Robocop, the ADF Reserve, not many thoughts at all, and a shitload of prayers.

  44. See Spot run indeed.

    and from local sources – singer, songwriter, author John Williamson

    I will be visiting my senior, executive, managing director favourite daughter tomorrow (early childhood education) and I will be sure to check the “Daddy Snores” item. 👼😇

  45. Peg
    So, stop wasting your time on Bludger.
    Get your Greens mates out and protest.
    Make sure that Greens influencers like Wally get a lot of time on the podium.
    Now is the right time!
    Just do it!

  46. Confessions @ #92 Wednesday, January 22nd, 2020 – 9:58 am

    This seems an opportunity for interested Bludgers.

    Following a referral from the Minister for Water Resources, Drought, Rural Finance, Natural Disaster and Emergency Management, the Hon David Littleproud MP, the Committee resolved on 5 December 2019 to conduct an inquiry into the efficacy of past and current vegetation and land management policy, practice and legislation and their effect on the intensity and frequency of bushfires and subsequent risk to property, life and the environment.

    The Committee is accepting written submissions, addressing one or more of the terms of reference, to be received by Tuesday, 31 March 2020. For information on how to make a submission, go to our Making a submission to a Committee Inquiry page.

    https://www.aph.gov.au/vegetationandlandmanagement

    They never take any notice when people write in submissions telling them what they don’t want to hear. Just like Sports Grants. So why bother wasting your time with this lot?

  50. Pity Paul Kennedy didn’t know about this when he interviewed Greg the Lying Hunt this morning:

    Aaron Dodd
    @AaronDodd

    They’re all in on it. A rat’s nest. To quote Obi Wan Kenobi “You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy [than within the Australian Liberal Party]”. #auspol #sportsrorts
    @GregHuntMP

    THE Russell – The BOT who Votes
    @THE_Russell
    Hunt acknowledges $175,000 “grant” to a yacht club in his electorate which was not recommended by Sports Australia. He was thanked by the yacht club in a Facebook post to club members “for all the back room work he did in organising the payment” days before the election. #auspol

    A Yacht Club, FFS! In a wealthy Liberal electorate!

Comments Page 2 of 42
1 2 3 … 42

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *