Issues Monitor March 2014: New South Wales

Top Issues Facing New South Wales

Such is the increased focus on crime amongst NSW residents; it has now overtaken health care as the top issue facing NSW. This change at the top is a result of the increase in community focus on crime but also the steady decline in concern about health care throughout 2013 and into the first quarter of 2014, where it reached a four year low as an important issue facing NSW.

The next three most important issues facing NSW were those of housing, the cost of living, and drug abuse, the later rising sharply to its highest levels in the second half of 2013 and into 2014.

This increase in focus on crime is an interesting one for the NSW Government. On one hand this increased focus is likely to be related to the considerable media focus in late 2013 and early 2014 on gun related crime, the Liberal government’s changes to licencing laws to decrease alcohol related crime, and the ‘one punch’ legislation. What is less clear is whether the regular media coverage of the activities of ICAC, which whilst initially focussing on former labour politicians such as Eddie Obeid has also influenced this focus on crime. Now that ICAC has turned its attention to members of the current NSW government and continues to investigate concealed political payments; and the ever-present media focus on violent crime it will be interesting to see what the second quarter data reveals regarding community concerns about crime.

It will also be interesting to see whether we see increases in the focus on healthcare and the cost of living in the second and subsequent quarters of 2014 following the Federal Government’s budget announcement in May. With State Government’s getting together to discuss their concerns about the budget and their likely actions, given it’s impact on health and education in particular, it may be an opportunity for the NSW Government to improve community confidence as we move deeper into 2014.