Public opinion

The first quarter of 2014 saw the top issues facing Queensland converge somewhat, with healthcare again topping the list followed by cost of living, crime, unemployment, and petrol prices.

In the last quarter of 2013 and the first quarter of 2014 we saw community focus on crime and drug abuse rise sharply, with both reaching three year highs in late 2013 and continuing to rise in the first quarter of 2014.

Despite the Coalition Government’s looming first budget, the economy is not a pressing issue for Western Australians.

As the Coalition prepares to deliver its first budget, ‘The Economy’ continues to be rated by Australians as the most important issue nationally, selected by over two in five (41%) as one of the top three issues facing the nation. ‘The Economy’ has been the nation’s greatest concern since November 2013, and, as such, it is safe to say we are well entrenched in a new paradigm of concern, largely driven by a final and perhaps overdue recognition that the global economy runs in both directions.

As the Government, Opposition and other parties prepare to draw swords and charge towards November’s state election, Victorian citizens are delivering their politicians a rich river of concerns and will be looking for a response in the lead up to 29 November.

While Australians continue to cite ‘Healthcare’ as the single biggest issue facing the nation, its distinction as the clear front runner has declined in recent months, as anxieties around key economic issues come to the fore.

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