Today we are here to reflect on July 1, 1851, when - 157 years ago - Victoria became a State of Australia – a State without convict labour! (The Victorian Legislative Council first met in November 1851 at St Patrick's Hall in Melbourne – today I am presenting this paper in Queen’s Hall, Parliament of Victoria, where Federal Parliament was conducted from 1901-1927). It is an honour for my family and all those who have been part of Roy Morgan Research from the time my father was sent by Sir Keith Murdoch in 1940 to work in the US with Dr George Gallup. In 1941, my father published the first Australian Gallup Poll for the Melbourne Herald, the Sydney Sun, the Brisbane Courier Mail, the Adelaide Advertiser, and the Hobart Mercury. When asked to speak I thought the last thing needed was another general review of Victorian history. So, I have decided to focus on three areas: women, the media and people from other countries who have helped to make Australia and Victoria. Today, women hold, and have held, many positions of power in Australia and Victoria. Full Article ( PDF, Size: 9,462KB)

The early July 2008 New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll shows National Party support at 51.5% (down 1%) is clearly ahead of the Labour Party 30.5% (down 1%), if an election were held now the National Party would win. Support for the Greens was 8% (up 1%), NZ First 4% (unchanged), Maori Party 2.5% (up 0.5%), ACT NZ 2% (unchanged) and United Future 1% (up 0.5%). The Roy Morgan Government Confidence Rating has fallen to a record low 88 (down 14) and the Roy Morgan New Zealand Consumer Confidence Rating is also at a record low 82 (down 5.5 points). Full article.

The early July NZ Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence rating is at a record low of 82 points, down 5.6 points since mid June and 39.4 points lower than this time last year. A record 64% (up 2%) of New Zealanders expect New Zealand to have bad times financially in the next 12 months, while only 16% (unchanged) look forward to good times. More New Zealanders (58% - up 8%) than ever before are feeling worse off financially since this time last year, and just 22% (down 3%) say they are better off. The highest number of New Zealanders to date (49% - up 4%) say that now is a bad time to buy major household items, and 35% (down 2%) think it’s a good time to buy. Full article.

A special poll was conducted in April by Roy Morgan Research to understand the views of people around Jakarta on issues relating to the increasing price of fuel, energy and commodities. As many as 2,010 respondents of 14 years of age and older were asked what would impact more greatly on the lives of their families: the rising prices of commodities, fuel or electricity. The overwhelming response was the price of commodities, with 74 percent of respondents ranking it their number one economic concern. Projected to that national population, that would account for 106 million people concerned with the ever-increasing price of food. Full Article ( PDF, Size: 291KB)

Next Saturday, July 5, 2008, Gary Morgan will be presenting the 2008 Victoria Day Council 157th Anniversary LaTrobe Lecture in the Legislative Assembly of the Victorian Parliament House. The lecture is titled: "Women, Media and People from Other Countries who have made Victoria – 1851 to Today” By Gary Morgan, Roy Morgan Research July 5, 2008 Full article.

Australian Masséna Families 1. Jean Charles Domenica Antoine Paul Masséna b abt 1783. In 1822 married Susannah Reynolds b 1802. Parents of 8 children including Alfred Henry Massina b 1834 and Charles Edward Paul Massina b 1825, and Dr Louis Massena, b abt 1770 and wife (nee Countess va Lear), parents of..... Full Article ( PDF, Size: 461KB)

To the Pioneer Printers and risk takers who set up their businessess under almost impossible climatic conditions with heat, cold, dust, lack of proper equipment, materials, worn type.......Many of whom ventured from England and Europe to a new life in Australia. Full Article ( PDF, Size: 3,599KB)

Roy Morgan, master pollster and pioneer market researcher, died on October 31, 1985. For 17 years he had fought cancer. He never allowed that fight to interfere with his work. To within a few hours of his death, he sent messages from his hospital bed to the company which he had founded, and which was his love and life. Full Article ( PDF, Size: 3,279KB)