Economic & Financial Issues are still the biggest problems facing Australia (39%, down 1%) and the World (34%, up 1%). Unemployment (11%, up 2%) – now equal record highest as Toyota, Alcoa and Telstra all make significant job-cuts in recent weeks

Contact

Office

Mobile

Gary Morgan:

+61 3 9224 5213

+61 411 129 094

Michele Levine:

+61 3 9224 5215

+61 411 129 093

Most Important Problem Facing Australia

Australia

May
2012

July 2012

Nov
2012

Jan
2013

Apr
2013

July
2013

Aug
2013

Oct
2013

Feb
2014

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

The Economy/ Economic problems/ Interest rates

10

10

13

10

13

11

21

14

12

Housing affordability

*

-

*

1

*

*

*

2

2

Banks/ Bank interest rates

1

-

-

-

*

-

1

-

1

Cost of living issues/ Rising prices/ Inflation

5

2

3

4

2

4

4

2

1

Financial problems/ Money issues

2

2

1

3

3

2

2

1

1

General Taxation – Mining Tax, Resource Tax etc.

2

1

1

1

1

1

2

*

*

(SUB TOTAL) TOTAL Financial Issues/ Cost of living

18

14

18

18

19

18

29

19

17

Unemployment

11

6

5

8

8

10

11

9

11

Poverty, & Gap between rich and poor

2

3

3

3

2

2

3

3

4

Foreign ownership & investment/ Selling our assets

2

2

1

2

1

1

1

1

2

Farming/ Cut food imports and support our farmers

1

1

*

1

*

1

-

1

1

Globalisation/Fairer world trade

1

*

1

1

1

*

1

1

1

Homelessness/ Lack of housing

1

1

2

1

1

1

1

1

1

Over reliance on Mining Industry/ Impact of Mining

-

1

2

2

*

1

1

1

1

General Infrastructure/ Energy, Water, Internet etc.

1

*

*

*

1

*

1

1

*

Transport/ Transport infrastructure/ Road & rail

*

*

*

*

1

1

*

1

*

Approve Carbon Tax

1

-

-

-

*

1

-

*

-

Disapprove Carbon Tax

3

4

1

*

1

-

*

*

-

Over-population

1

1

1

*

1

1

1

1

-

TOTAL Economic/ Financial issues (INCLUDING Carbon Tax)

44

33

33

37

36

35

49

40

39

Refugees and Asylum seeker problems

4

16

12

6

8

13

12

9

9

Aboriginal Issues/ Health/ Rights

1

2

1

*

1

*

*

1

2

Immigration/ Immigration policy

2

2

3

4

2

2

2

3

2

Human rights (Including gay rights)

*

-

*

*

1

*

1

1

1

Multiculturalism/ Integration/ Assimilation

1

-

1

*

1

1

*

2

1

Racism/Racial tensions

1

1

1

2

1

*

1

1

1

Industrial relations reforms/ Strikes

*

*

-

-

-

*

*

*

*

Religion/ Religious fundamentalism

*

*

1

1

*

1

*

1

*

Intolerance/Discrimination

*

1

*

1

1

*

-

*

-

(SUB TOTAL) Religion/ Immigration/ Human Rights

8

21

18

14

15

18

17

17

16

Politics/ Leadership

14

16

17

13

15

16

8

8

11

TOTAL Religion/ Immigration/ Politics/ Leadership

22

37

35

27

30

34

24

26

27

Educational issues

2

3

2

3

5

3

3

3

3

Social apathy/Family breakdowns/ Selfishness/Moral decline

2

2

2

2

2

3

2

2

3

Anger/Violence/Aggression

*

*

1

1

1

1

*

1

1

Crime/ Law & Order

2

1

1

2

*

1

1

1

1

Drugs and drug abuse

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

Greed/ Materialism

1

1

*

*

1

1

1

1

1

Corporate Greed

*

*

-

-

*

-

-

-

*

Corruption

-

-

*

-

*

*

-

*

*

Youth issues (Homelessness/ Apathy etc.)

2

*

1

1

*

1

*

1

*

TOTAL Social Issues

8

8

8

9

10

9

9

8

11

Climate Change/ Global warming

3

4

3

7

4

4

4

9

6

Other Environmental issues

3

2

2

2

3

2

2

2

3

Drought

*

*

*

-

*

-

-

*

1

Famine/ Food shortages

*

*

*

1

*

*

-

-

*

Natural disasters – Floods, Earthquakes, Bushfires

*

*

*

1

-

-

-

1

*

Pollution/ Rubbish

1

1

*

*

*

*

-

*

*

Water conservation

1

*

1

*

1

*

*

1

*

Approve Carbon Tax

1

-

-

-

*

1

-

*

-

Disapprove Carbon Tax

3

4

1

*

1

-

*

*

-

Climate change concerns are exaggerated

-

-

-

*

-

*

-

-

-

TOTAL Environmental Issues

13

12

8

11

8

7

7

13

10

Other health issues

3

3

4

3

4

3

4

4

4

Hospitals

*

1

1

1

*

1

1

1

-

TOTAL Health Issues

4

4

4

4

4

3

5

5

4

Sustainable management of natural resources

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

2

1

Energy crisis

*

*

1

*

*

*

*

*

*

Depletion of fossil fuels

1

*

*

-

-

-

-

*

-

Petrol prices

*

*

-

*

*

*

*

-

-

TOTAL Energy Crisis/ Depletion of Fossil Fuels/Petrol Price

2

2

2

2

1

1

1

2

2

Relations with other countries, Indonesia, USA etc.

1

*

1

1

*

*

*

*

*

Security, Safety

*

*

1

*

1

1

*

1

*

Terrorism

*

-

-

-

*

*

-

-

*

Wars and conflicts

1

*

*

*

1

*

-

*

*

World Peace

-

-

-

1

-

-

-

-

*

TOTAL Terrorism/Wars/Security/Safety

2

1

2

3

2

2

1

1

1

Other

1

3

1

2

2

2

*

*

*

Can’t say

8

5

8

5

7

8

4

6

6

TOTAL

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

Most Important Problem Facing Australia

Australia

Feb
2014

%

STATES

CITY/COUNTRY

NSW

VIC

QLD

WA

SA

TAS#

CITY

COUNTRY

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

The Economy/ Economic problems/ Interest rates

12

14

10

15

11

8

5

12

13

Housing affordability

2

3

2

-

2

-

-

1

2

Banks/ Bank interest rates

1

1

-

1

-

-

-

*

1

Cost of living issues/ Rising prices/ Inflation

1

1

3

2

2

-

-

2

-

Financial problems/ Money issues

1

-

-

2

1

4

7

1

2

General Taxation – Mining Tax, Resource Tax etc.

*

-

-

1

-

2

-

1

-

(SUB TOTAL) TOTAL Financial Issues/ Cost of living

17

19

14

20

15

13

12

17

18

Unemployment

11

7

19

11

6

10

18

11

12

Poverty, & Gap between rich and poor

4

5

5

3

3

3

-

4

3

Foreign ownership & investment/ Selling our assets

2

1

3

2

2

4

-

1

3

Farming/ Cut food imports and support our farmers

1

*

1

2

-

4

-

1

1

Globalisation/Fairer world trade

1

2

1

-

-

4

-

2

1

Homelessness/ Lack of housing

1

1

2

1

-

2

-

1

2

Over reliance on Mining/ Impact of Mining

1

*

-

1

2

-

-

1

1

General Infrastructure/ Energy, Water, Internet etc.

*

1

-

-

-

-

-

*

1

Transport/ Transport infrastructure/ Road & rail

*

*

1

-

-

-

-

*

-

Approve Carbon Tax

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Disapprove Carbon Tax

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Over-population

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

TOTAL Economic/ Financial issues (INCLUDING Carbon Tax)

39

37

46

38

28

41

30

38

41

Refugees and Asylum seeker problems

9

7

9

12

14

9

-

10

8

Aboriginal Issues/ Health/ Rights

2

2

1

1

3

-

-

2

1

Immigration/ Immigration policy

2

2

1

1

5

2

-

2

*

Multiculturalism/ Integration/ Assimilation

1

2

1

1

-

-

5

1

1

Human rights (Including gay rights)

1

-

2

-

-

-

-

1

1

Racism/Racial tensions

1

2

1

-

-

-

3

1

1

Industrial relations reforms/ Strikes

*

1

-

1

-

-

-

1

-

Religion/ Religious fundamentalism

*

-

-

1

-

2

-

-

1

Intolerance/Discrimination

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

(SUB TOTAL) Religion/ Immigration/ Human Rights

16

15

14

17

22

13

8

18

13

Politics/ Leadership

11

11

10

12

11

9

20

11

11

TOTAL Religion/ Immigration/ Politics/ Leadership

27

26

24

28

34

22

28

29

23

Educational issues

3

4

2

3

3

-

6

3

3

Social apathy/Family breakdowns/ Selfishness/Moral decline

3

2

5

3

1

1

-

3

4

Anger/Violence/Aggression

1

1

1

2

-

-

-

1

1

Crime/ Law & Order

1

2

-

2

2

-

-

2

-

Drugs and drug abuse

1

1

*

3

1

-

-

1

2

Greed/ Materialism

1

2

2

2

-

2

-

1

2

Corporate Greed

*

-

1

-

-

-

-

-

1

Corruption

*

1

-

-

2

-

-

*

1

Youth issues (Homelessness/ Apathy etc.)

*

-

1

1

-

-

-

*

*

TOTAL Social Issues

11

12

11

15

9

3

6

10

13

Climate Change/ Global warming

6

6

6

4

7

8

6

8

3

Other Environmental issues

3

3

2

2

3

6

6

2

4

Drought

1

1

-

1

-

-

-

1

1

Famine/ Food shortages

*

-

1

-

-

-

-

*

1

Natural disasters – Floods, Earthquakes, Bushfires

*

1

-

1

-

-

-

*

*

Pollution/ Rubbish

*

-

-

-

3

-

-

1

-

Water conservation

*

-

-

1

-

-

-

*

-

Approve Carbon Tax

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Disapprove Carbon Tax

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Climate change concerns are exaggerated

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

TOTAL Environmental Issues

10

10

9

8

13

15

12

12

8

Other health issues

4

4

4

-

4

6

12

3

5

Hospitals

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

TOTAL Health Issues

4

4

4

-

4

6

12

3

5

Sustainable management of natural resources

1

1

1

1

2

-

6

1

1

Energy crisis

*

-

-

-

-

5

-

1

-

Depletion of fossil fuels

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Petrol prices

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

TOTAL Energy Crisis/ Depletion of Fossil Fuels/Petrol Price

2

1

1

1

2

5

6

2

1

Relations with other countries

*

-

-

1

-

-

-

*

-

Security, Safety

*

-

-

-

2

-

-

*

-

Terrorism

*

-

-

1

-

1

-

*

-

Wars and conflicts

*

-

-

-

2

-

-

-

1

World Peace

*

-

-

1

-

-

-

-

1

TOTAL Terrorism/Wars/Security/Safety

1

-

-

2

3

1

-

1

1

Other

*

1

-

-

-

-

-

*

-

Can’t say

6

9

5

8

7

7

6

5

8

TOTAL

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

Most Important Problem Facing the World

The World

May
2012

July
2012

Nov
2012

Jan
2013

Apr
2013

July
2013

Aug
2013

Oct
2013

Feb
2014

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

The Economy/ Economic problems/ Interest rates

14

18

18

14

13

13

23

12

8

Cost of living issues/ Rising prices/ Inflation

3

2

1

1

1

2

*

1

1

Financial problems/ Money issues

5

5

4

3

3

4

2

1

1

General Taxation – Mining Tax, Resource Tax etc.

*

-

*

1

*

*

*

-

*

Housing affordability

*

-

-

-

-

1

-

*

-

Banks/ Bank interest rates

-

*

*

1

-

-

-

-

-

(SUB TOTAL) TOTAL Financial Issues/ Cost of living

22

24

24

20

17

19

26

15

10

Poverty, & Gap between rich and poor

10

14

11

9

8

12

12

10

14

Unemployment

4

3

2

4

2

2

5

3

4

Over-population

4

4

3

3

3

4

4

4

3

Globalisation/Fairer world trade

1

*

1

1

1

*

1

*

1

Farming/ Cut food imports and support our farmers

-

-

-

-

-

*

-

-

*

General Infrastructure/ Energy, Water, Internet etc.

-

-

-

-

-

-

*

-

*

Homelessness/ Lack of housing

*

*

*

*

1

1

*

1

*

Approve Carbon Tax

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Disapprove Carbon Tax

1

1

*

*

*

*

*

-

-

Foreign ownership & investment/ Selling our assets

-

*

-

-

-

-

*

*

-

Transport/ Transport infrastructure/ Road & rail

-

1

*

-

-

*

-

-

-

TOTAL Economic/ Financial issues (INCLUDING Carbon Tax)

42

46

42

37

32

39

48

33

34

Climate Change/ Global warming

10

10

9

13

10

12

10

18

13

Famine/ Food shortages

5

7

3

3

4

4

4

5

5

Other Environmental issues

3

2

3

3

3

5

3

3

4

Pollution/ Rubbish

1

2

1

1

1

1

1

2

1

Climate Change concerns are exaggerated

*

*

-

-

-

*

*

*

*

Water conservation

1

*

1

*

*

*

*

1

*

Approve Carbon Tax

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Disapprove Carbon Tax

1

1

*

*

*

*

*

-

-

Drought

-

-

-

-

*

-

-

-

-

Natural disasters – Floods, Earthquakes, Bushfires

*

-

*

*

-

-

-

*

-

TOTAL Environmental Issues

21

22

17

20

18

22

17

30

23

Social apathy/Family breakdowns/ Selfishness/Moral decline

2

2

3

3

2

2

3

3

5

Greed/ Materialism

2

3

2

2

2

2

2

2

3

Anger/Violence/Aggression

1

1

2

2

1

1

*

1

2

Corporate Greed

1

*

*

1

*

-

-

-

1

Corruption

*

*

1

1

*

*

-

1

1

Drugs and drug abuse

1

1

1

*

*

1

1

*

1

Educational issues

1

1

1

2

2

1

1

1

1

Crime/ Law & Order

1

*

1

2

1

2

1

1

*

Youth issues (Homelessness/ Apathy etc.)

*

*

-

1

*

*

-

*

*

TOTAL Social Issues

8

8

11

14

9

8

7

9

13

Wars and conflicts

7

4

8

6

5

5

5

5

7

World Peace

2

1

3

2

3

1

2

2

3

Terrorism

1

1

1

2

10

1

1

2

1

Relations with other countries

-

*

*

1

*

-

*

*

*

Security, Safety

1

-

*

*

2

*

1

*

*

TOTAL Terrorism/Wars/Security/Safety

10

7

13

11

21

8

10

10

11

Refugees and Asylum seeker problems

*

3

2

1

2

5

3

2

2

Human rights (Including gay rights)

*

1

*

*

1

1

*

1

1

Racism/Racial tensions

*

*

*

*

*

1

*

*

1

Religion/ Religious fundamentalism

2

1

2

2

2

3

1

1

1

Immigration/ Immigration policy

*

*

*

1

*

-

1

1

*

Aboriginal Issues/ Health/ Rights

-

-

-

*

-

-

-

-

-

Intolerance/Discrimination

1

-

*

1

1

*

*

*

-

Multiculturalism/ Integration/ Assimilation

*

-

*

*

1

-

*

-

-

(SUB TOTAL) Religion/  Immigration/ Human Rights

4

5

5

5

7

9

6

6

5

Politics/ Leadership

4

3

4

4

3

4

2

2

2

TOTAL Religion/ Immigration / Politics/ Leadership

8

8

9

9

9

13

8

8

7

Other health issues

2

2

1

2

3

2

2

3

2

Hospitals

*

-

*

*

*

-

*

*

1

TOTAL Health Issues

2

2

1

2

3

2

2

3

3

Sustainable management of natural resources

2

1

1

1

1

1

2

2

1

Energy crisis

1

*

1

*

-

1

*

-

*

Depletion of fossil fuels

1

-

*

-

*

*

-

-

-

Petrol prices

1

*

-

*

-

-

*

*

-

TOTAL Energy Crisis/ Depletion of Fossil Fuels/Petrol Price

4

2

2

2

1

2

2

2

2

Other

1

3

1

1

1

1

*

*

1

Can’t say

5

3

4

4

6

5

6

5

6

TOTAL

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

Most Important Problem Facing the World

The World

Feb
2014

STATES

CITY/COUNTRY

NSW

VIC

QLD

WA

SA

TAS#

CITY

COUNTRY

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

The Economy/ Economic problems/ Interest rates

8

6

9

6

15

5

16

9

6

Cost of living issues/ Rising prices/ Inflation

1

2

1

2

-

1

-

1

2

Financial problems/ Money issues

1

-

1

-

3

3

6

1

1

General Taxation – Mining Tax, Resource Tax etc.

*

-

1

-

-

2

-

*

1

Housing affordability

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Banks/ Bank interest rates

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

(SUB TOTAL) TOTAL Financial Issues/ Cost of living

10

8

12

8

18

11

22

11

9

Poverty, & Gap between rich and poor

14

17

16

10

12

13

9

16

11

Unemployment

4

4

5

4

1

6

12

4

6

Over-population

3

2

2

3

9

2

7

3

5

Globalisation/Fairer world trade

1

1

1

1

1

-

-

1

1

-Farming/ Cut food imports and support our farmers

*

-

-

-

-

3

-

*

-

General Infrastructure/ Energy, Water, Internet etc.

*

*

-

-

-

-

-

*

-

Homelessness/ Lack of housing

*

1

-

-

-

-

-

*

*

Approve Carbon Tax

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Disapprove Carbon Tax

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Foreign ownership & investment/ Selling our assets

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Transport/ Transport infrastructure/ Road & rail

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

TOTAL Economic/ Financial issues (INCLUDING Carbon Tax)

34

34

36

26

41

35

49

35