What message should John Howard be heeding from Australian voters? A
new Morgan Poll on what we think are the key issues facing our nation
and the world has some answers:

Only 12% of Australians now think that
collectively, Terrorism, Wars, Security and Safety are the most important
problem facing Australia, down from 21% in October 2005…

Now Australians most often mention Government
and Human issues (25% up 11%) such as Government and the Political System (7%
down 2%), Immigration (5% up 4%) and Intolerance (3% up 3%) as the most
important problem facing Australia. Government and Human issues are
followed by Economic issues (20% up 6%), Terrorism, Wars, Security and Safety
(12% down 9%) and Social issues (11% up 8%) as the most commonly cited problems
for Australia.

The nuts
and bolts of the polling break down like this:

Australians
Aged 14+
Most important problem facing The World Australia

October
5/6 2005 (%)		 April
5/6 2006 (%)		 October
5/6 2005 (%)		 April
5/6 2006 (%)
Total
Terrorism/Wars/Security, Safety		 52 32 2 12
Total Economic Issues 16 19 14 20
Total
Environmental Issues		 12 14 15 8
Total
Government, Human Issues		 4 13 14 25
Total
Social Issues		 3 11 3 11
Total
Health Issues		 2 4 6 9
Total
Energy Crisis/Depletion of Fossil Fuels/Petrol prices		 2 1 8 1
Other 8 3 14 8
Can’t
Say		 1 3 5 6

It would be
interesting to see how petrol prices rate a few weeks on. Gary Morgan comments
“Australians’ domestic concerns have changed significantly since October last
year, when the London Terrorist attacks and the Bali Bombings were still fresh
in their minds”.

We’re in
the second half of the term of this Government. That focus on health issues,
social issues, human issues and environmental issues is interesting. Relaxed
and comfortable – but feeling the first signs of bed sores?