Results of the PSA's "Public Interest" research
07 February 2006
About the research:- The poll of 400 voters was carried out by Auspoll in December. Respondants were drawn from the ten marginal seats that will dictate the outcome of the next state election: Menai, Miranda, Georges River, Ryde, Kogarah, Strathfield, Drummoyne, Gosford, Hornsby, The Entrance, Burrinjack, Camden, Clarence, Maitland, Monaro, South Coast and Tweed.
Respondents were given a series of current publics services and asked whether the private sector or public sector would do a better quality job.
| Issue | Public sector | Private Sector |
|---|---|---|
| Providing administrative support to police | 54% | 30% |
| Providing administrative support to teachers | 49% | 34% |
| Providing administrative support to nurses and other hospital staff | 51% | 34% |
| Looking after public parks, gardens, state forests and national parks | 64% | 25% |
| Running jails | 59% | 26% |
| Caring for the elderly and disabled | 51% | 33% |
| Running hospitals and the health system in general | 55% | 27% |
| Running the education system | 60% | 23% |
| Running power stations | 47% | 36% |
| Running the sewage and water systems | 54% | 32% |
| Building and operating roads | 50% | 33% |
| Running buses and trains | 53% | 29% |
| Building schools, hospitals and other government facilities | 40% | 45% |
| Operating and maintaining schools, hospitals and other government facilities | 52% | 32% |
NB - figures do not include responses of 'both/neither/don't know"
Respondents were given the same list of current publics services and asked whether the private sector or public sector would be the most cost effective.
| ISSUE | Public sector | Private Sector |
|---|---|---|
| Providing administrative support to police | 43% | 41% |
| Providing administrative support to teachers | 48% | 36% |
| Providing administrative support to nurses and other hospital staff | 47% | 39% |
| Looking after public parks, gardens, state forests and national parks | 60% | 30% |
| Running jails | 47% | 38% |
| Caring for the elderly and disabled | 42% | 39% |
| Running hospitals and the health system in general | 49% | 35% |
| Running the education system | 50% | 34% |
| Running power stations | 40% | 42% |
| Running the sewage and water systems | 44% | 38% |
| Building and operating roads | 44% | 41% |
| Running buses and trains | 48% | 38% |
| Building schools, hospitals and other government facilities | 40% | 47% |
| Operating and maintaining schools, hospitals and other government facilities | 45% | 39% |
NB - figures do not include responses of 'both/neither/don't know"
Respondents were given a range of areas of public sector delivery and asked about their views towards staffing levels.
| GROUP | More Staff | Leave as is | Less Staff |
|---|---|---|---|
| The RTA | 25% | 46% | 12% |
| National Parks | 33% | 46% | 6% |
| Public transport | 57% | 26% | 5% |
| Hospital administration | 48% | 25% | 20% |
| Police admisinstration | 51% | 26% | 12% |
| School administration | 38% | 38% | 10% |
| Child protection | 77% | 11% | 1% |
| Care of elderly & disabled | 88% | 7% | 0% |
| Rural services | 64% | 19% | 1% |
| Prisons | 33% | 38% | 3% |
*Does not include "Don't Know response"
Respondents were provided with a list of groups in society and asked who would benefit from cuts to the public service.
| GROUP | Better Off | Makes No Difference | Worse Off | Much Worse Off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Government | 25% | 27% | 42% | 9% |
| Public Servants | 11% | 15% | 70% | 15% |
| Small Business | 29% | 25% | 34% | 6% |
| Big Business | 42% | 32% | 15% | 2% |
| The General Public | 19% | 18% | 59% | 15% |
| You Personally | 15% | 39% | 44% | 13% |
*Does not include responses of 'Don't Know'
Q: The New South Wales Liberal Opposition has said that they plan to cut up to 30,000 jobs from the State public service, does this make you more or less likely to vote for them at the next state election?
| Much More Likely (to vote Liberal) |
5% |
| More Likely (to vote Liberal) |
4% |
| Makes No Difference | 38% |
| Less Likely< (to vote Liberal) |
20% |
| Much Less Likely (to vote Liberal) |
25% |
| Don't Know | 5% |
Q The New South Wales Labor Government has said that they plan to cut up to 4,000 jobs from the State public service, does this make you more or less likely to vote for them at the next state election?
| Much More Likely (to vote Labor) |
1% |
| More Likely (to vote Labor) |
10% |
| Makes No Difference | 54% |
| Less Likely< (to vote Labor) |
22% |
| Much Less Likely (to vote Labor) |
9% |
| Don't Know | 4% |