MOST AUSTRALIANS DISAGREE WITH ABBOTT ON POVERTY

Research carried out by the University of New South Wales shows the Federal Minister for Workplace Relations, Mr Tony Abbott's, view that individual failings are a major cause of poverty in Australia is not supported by most Australians.

According to evidence from the Middle Australia Project, conducted by Professor Michael Pusey at UNSW, the most popular explanation for poverty today is "injustice in our society" (40 per cent). Injustice in society out-rated other explanations: "an inevitable part of modern society" (34per cent), "laziness" (16 per cent) and "unlucky" (11 per cent).

Only a minority of respondents considered poverty to be a product of individual failings, nominating luck or individual effort as a source of poverty.

A further finding is that a large majority of Australians (65 per cent) anticipate poverty to increase over the decade 1996-2006.

Questions used in the Middle Australia Study included:
Why do you think there are people who live in need …. [Because they have been unlucky, Because of laziness or lack of willpower, Because of injustice in our society, It's an inevitable part of modern life] N=304

And over the next ten years, do you think poverty in Australia will … [Increase, Decrease, or, Stay at about the same level] N=396

The Middle Australia Project is researching the impact of economic reform on middle Australia.

CONTACT DETAILS: Professor Michael Pusey, School of Sociology, tel. 9663 2060, Dr Shaun Wilson, School of Politics, tel. 9385 2400, s.wilson@unsw.edu.au; Amanda Hainsworth, UNSW Public Affairs, tel. (02) 9385 2873

Date issued: 11 July 2001