Yahoo Finance Two-thirds of Australians think government more interested in protecting itself than women – poll
Two in three respondents in the latest Essential poll believe the government has shown more interest in protecting its political interests than the interests of women who have made rape and sexual assault allegations.
With Scott Morrison now facing pressure to act over a historical rape allegation against an unnamed serving cabinet minister, the poll also shows just one in three respondents say they have trust in political offices to ensure a safe workplace for women.
After a fortnight of questions about the government’s handling of the alleged rape of then-staffer Brittany Higgins in the defence industry minister’s office in Parliament House in 2019, the Essential poll asked respondents whether they agreed or disagreed with several statements about recent allegations of rape and sexual assault from women in politics.
About 65% of the sample of 1,074 people polled agreed with the statement: “The government has been more interested in protecting itself than the interests of those who have been assaulted.” A closer breakdown showed that level was 68% among women and 62% of men.
Based on federal voting intentions, the statement was backed by 76% of Labor supporters, 51% of Coalition supporters and 88% of Greens supporters.
Overall, nearly seven in 10 respondents agreed with the statement that “it’s wrong that the Liberal party did not notify the police to launch a criminal inquiry immediately after the allegations were made” – a view that was backed by about six in 10 Coalition supporters.
Morrison has ordered several reviews into workplace culture but has maintained that the government had been seeking to maintain Higgins’ privacy.
The prime minister said last week the government wanted to “provide compassionate support to those who are affected and to ensure that we uphold the rule of law in dealing with these issues”.
And about six in 10 of the respondents agree with the statement that while women can face a hard time in workplaces in all professions, “politics has a particular problem with harassment and assault”.
There was majority support (57%) for the view that workplaces only change when women are equally represented in leadership positions.
The Essential poll also found sizeable support for the proposition there was a problem across the political divide, with 45% of the sample believing there was “no difference in the way the different political parties treat women”.
Related: 'She was a very credible person,' says friend of woman who claims minister raped her in 1988
When respondents were asked about their trust in various named institutions to ensure safe workplaces for women, just 34% had such trust in political offices.
That level of trust compared with 50% in the public service more generally, 48% in private companies, 40% in sporting clubs, and 36% in the entertainment industry.
The poll also revealed a variety of views when it came to gender equality in Australia, with about half of the sample agreeing with the notion that gender equality “has already been mostly achieved”, a level that was broken down to 62% among men and 39% among women.
But in response to a separate question, some three-quarters of the sample agreed that “there is still a long way to go”.
The poll identified strong support for further policy reforms, with more than eight in 10 respondents (83%) saying there should be laws that require equal salaries for men and women in the same position. That’s up three points compared with June last year.
Morrison also appears to have taken a hit with voters since mid-last year. In the latest poll, 59% still rated Morrison as good in a crisis, but that was down seven points compared with May 2020.
Over the same period, his level of trustworthiness dropped four points to 52%.
The poll showed 56% of the sample viewed Morrison as out of touch with ordinary people, up nine points since May.
Significantly, nearly half of the sample (49%) agreed that Morrison “avoids responsibility” – a view that Labor has sought to increasingly promote over the last few months. It is the first time in the poll that this attribute has been tested, so there is no previous number to compare it with.
Amid some stumbles with the first round of vaccinations, the poll also tested public confidence in the Covid-19 vaccine rollout in Australia. More than two-thirds of the sample (68%) expressed confidence it would be done efficiently. Nearly three-quarters, or 73%, believed the rollout would be done safely.
Confidence in the safety of the rollout was highest among Coalition voters (84%) and relatively high among Greens voters (78%), compared to 70% among Labor voters and just 61% among supporters of other parties and independents.
Some 80% of male respondents had confidence in the safety of the rollout, compared with 67% among female respondents, confirming the government’s focus on addressing vaccine hesitancy among women.
The survey of 1,074 respondents was conducted online from 24 February to 1 March.
• If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault or family violence, call 1800-RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au.
