Cost of living nominated as top issue facing the nation
Australians have nominated Cost of Living (33%) as the top issue facing the nation in June 2018, according to the Ipsos Issues Monitor, released today. Cost of Living has been nominated as the top concern for ten of the past 12 months. Healthcare (30%), Housing (26%), Crime (24%) and The Economy (20%) rounded out our top five concerns.
The Ipsos Issues Monitor asks 1,000 Australians each month to select the three most important issues facing the nation, from a list of 19 issues (see below).
Commenting on the findings, Daniel Evans, Deputy Managing Director, Ipsos Public Affairs, said: “While the top issues facing the nation appear very balanced on face value – with relatively equal overall concern about Cost of Living, Healthcare and Housing – it’s really different segments of the community citing acute concerns in specific areas that causes this convergent effect.
“According to Millennials, the top three issues facing the nation are Cost of Living, Housing and Unemployment. In contrast, the Silent generation – who cite Healthcare, Crime and The Economy as the top worries – rank Cost of Living the 7th most pressing concern, Housing 6th and Unemployment 11th. Generation X and Boomers’ top three worries are Cost of Living, Healthcare and Crime.”
|
Top issues |
NET |
Millennial |
Gen X |
Boomer |
Silent |
|
Cost of Living |
33% |
40% |
35% |
26% |
16% |
|
Healthcare |
30% |
21% |
31% |
39% |
34% |
|
Housing |
26% |
29% |
24% |
24% |
21% |
|
Crime |
24% |
20% |
26% |
26% |
34% |
|
The Economy |
20% |
18% |
21% |
21% |
28% |
|
Unemployment |
20% |
26% |
19% |
15% |
13% |
|
Immigration |
20% |
14% |
23% |
22% |
25% |
|
Environment |
15% |
16% |
11% |
19% |
11% |
|
Poverty |
15% |
10% |
15% |
21% |
14% |
|
Drug Abuse |
15% |
15% |
16% |
12% |
16% |
|
Petrol Prices |
14% |
16% |
14% |
12% |
12% |
|
Education |
12% |
14% |
12% |
12% |
7% |
|
Population |
11% |
8% |
11% |
12% |
24% |
|
Transport |
11% |
12% |
9% |
12% |
10% |
|
Personal Debt |
9% |
10% |
11% |
6% |
12% |
|
Taxation |
8% |
11% |
8% |
5% |
2% |
|
Defence |
8% |
7% |
6% |
10% |
15% |
|
Racism |
5% |
6% |
7% |
3% |
3% |
|
Indigenous Issues |
4% |
6% |
4% |
3% |
1% |
Current concerns compared with most recent Federal election
Compared to the most recent Federal election (July 2016), in June 2018 Australians were more concerned about Cost of Living (33% vs 27%), Housing (26% vs 20%), Poverty (15% vs 11%), Petrol Prices (14% vs 4%), Population (11% vs 6%), Transport (11% vs 7%) and Indigenous Issues (4% vs 2%).
In contrast, Australians were less worried about Healthcare (30% vs 48%), The Economy (20% vs 31%), Unemployment (20% vs 24%), Education (12% vs 21%) and Defence (8% vs 11%).
Political party capability to manage issues facing the nation
While Australians believed the Coalition (29%) and the ALP (28%) were equally capable of managing the top issue facing the nation – Cost of Living, Australians also told us that the Coalition was best placed to handle Defence (39%), The Economy (35%), Immigration (31%), Taxation (31%) and Crime (29%).
The ALP was perceived to be most capable of managing Education (34%), Healthcare (33%), Poverty (32%), Unemployment (31%) and Transport (30%).
|
Issues Facing Australia |
Current month |
Previous election |
Party most capable to manage concern |
|||||
|
Jun-18 |
Jul-16 |
Coalition |
ALP |
Greens |
Other |
Don’t Know |
None |
|
|
Cost of Living |
33% |
27% |
29% |
28% |
5% |
5% |
22% |
12% |
|
Healthcare |
30% |
48% |
26% |
33% |
7% |
5% |
20% |
9% |
|
Housing |
26% |
20% |
24% |
27% |
5% |
5% |
24% |
15% |
|
Crime |
24% |
21% |
29% |
23% |
6% |
6% |
24% |
12% |
|
The Economy |
20% |
31% |
35% |
25% |
5% |
5% |
22% |
8% |
|
Unemployment |
20% |
24% |
28% |
31% |
6% |
6% |
20% |
9% |
|
Immigration |
20% |
19% |
31% |
22% |
9% |
8% |
21% |
10% |
|
Environment |
15% |
12% |
18% |
20% |
29% |
5% |
19% |
8% |
|
Poverty |
15% |
11% |
20% |
32% |
8% |
5% |
22% |
12% |
|
Drug Abuse |
15% |
12% |
21% |
22% |
8% |
6% |
27% |
14% |
|
Petrol Prices |
14% |
4% |
22% |
22% |
7% |
5% |
25% |
19% |
|
Education |
12% |
21% |
26% |
34% |
7% |
5% |
21% |
8% |
|
Population |
11% |
6% |
26% |
22% |
7% |
7% |
25% |
13% |
|
Transport |
11% |
7% |
28% |
30% |
7% |
5% |
22% |
8% |
|
Personal Debt |
9% |
8% |
24% |
27% |
5% |
6% |
24% |
14% |
|
Taxation |
8% |
9% |
31% |
29% |
6% |
5% |
20% |
9% |
|
Defence |
8% |
11% |
39% |
22% |
4% |
5% |
23% |
7% |
|
Racism |
5% |
7% |
21% |
22% |
12% |
7% |
26% |
12% |
|
Indigenous Issues |
4% |
2% |
18% |
24% |
12% |
7% |
28% |
13% |
