16
COMMUNITY PULSE 2018 WESTERN AUSTRALIA economic disconnect the
C o m m u n i t y p u l s e
2018
western australia
economic disconnect
the
Community pulse 2018: the economic disconnect
western austral ia
About this publicationCommunity pulse 2018: the economic disconnect – Western Australia © CEDA 2018 ISBN: 0 85801 324 X
CEDA’s objective in publishing this collection is to encourage constructive debate and discussion on matters of national economic importance. Persons who rely upon the material published do so at their own risk.
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About CEDACEDA – the Committee for Economic Development of Australia – is a national, independent, member-based organisation providing thought leadership and policy perspectives on the economic and social issues affecting Australia.
We achieve this through a rigorous and evidence-based research agenda, and forums and events that deliver lively debate and critical perspectives.
CEDA’s membership includes more than 750 of Australia’s leading businesses and organisations, and leaders from a wide cross-section of industries and academia. It allows us to reach major decision makers across the private and public sectors.
CEDA is an independent not-for-profit organisation, founded in 1960 by leading Australian economist Sir Douglas Copland. Our funding comes from membership fees, events and sponsorship.
CEDA – the Committee for Economic Development of Australia Level 13, 440 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 Australia Telephone: +61 3 9662 3544 Fax: +61 3 9663 7271 Email: [email protected] Web: ceda.com.au
5
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18
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on
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Western Australia results
6
State profile – Western Australia
Gross state Product (2016–17) $247.7 billion
Percentage of national economy 14.1 per cent
average weekly earnings (november 2017) $1,742.80
unemployment rate (May) 6.4 per cent
Population (september 2017) 2.59 million
Population in greater capital city 2.02 million
Population growth (2012–17) 0.141 million
Population over 65 years old 0.36 million
annual Government expenditure (2018–19) $30.5 billion
largest industries Mining, professional and scientific services, construction, healthcare and social assistance, manufacturing
Source: ABS, State Budget papers
This brief paper summarises Western Australian results of
nation-wide polling exploring Australians’ attitudes to work,
education, health, community and the economy.
The full results are contained in the report Community pulse
2018: the economic disconnect. This Western Australian
summary is a companion paper to the main report.
Additional state-specific papers have been produced to
summarise results from New South Wales, Queensland,
South Australia and Victoria. Community pulse 2018: the
economic disconnect and companion reports are available
from www.ceda.com.au.
introduction
7
Attitudes to recent economic growth and development
Who has benefited from 26 years of economic growth?• Compared to the national results, West Australians are more likely to believe
that foreign shareholders have gained (either a little or a lot) from recent eco-
nomic growth – 82 per cent vs 75 per cent nationally.
• Around 40 per cent of WA respondents believe they have gained personally
(either a little or a lot) from recent economic growth, which is less than the
national average of 45 per cent.
• 80 per cent of WA respondents believe that the gap between rich and poor in
Australia is an unacceptable consequence of economic growth – compared to
79 per cent nationally.
FigurE 1 Who hAs gAinED From 26 yEArs oF EConomiC groWth? (% oF rEsponDEnts)*
*Please note numbers have been rounded and may not equal 100 per cent
Don't know Not gained at all Gained a little Gained a lot
Small and medium sized businesses
Large corporations
Non-working citizens
Blue collar workers
White collar workers
Senior executives
Foreign shareholders
Australian shareholders
People like you
You personally 9
1143415
1575325
1532656
831177
1194733
13304512
1254287
821278
1423576
52354
8
Personal issues of greatest importance to West Australians
issues of greatest importance• in addition to the top six personal issues nationally (basic health services,
essential services, affordable housing, chronic disease services, job security
and reduced violence), WA respondents also place increased importance on
mental health services.
issues that are most contested• WA respondents are most divided over access to affordable private health
insurance and prevention of welfare fraud.
• At the national level people were also most divided over access to affordable
private health insurance.
National issues of greatest importance to West Australians
issues of greatest importance• in addition to the top national issues across the population (public hospitals,
limiting foreign ownership, aged care and increased pensions) West Australians
place increased importance on tough criminal laws and strong security to
combat terrorism.
issues that are most contested• West Australians are most divided over lower immigration and foreign working
visas, in line with national trends.
9
Fig
ur
E 2
Wh
iCh
oF
thE
Foll
oW
ing
FACt
ors
ArE
th
E m
ost
impo
rtAn
t An
D l
EAst
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rtAn
t to
yo
u pe
rso
nal
ly?
(rEs
pon
sE r
AtE)
–40
–20
020
40
WID
ELY
IMP
OR
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T
WID
ELY
UNIM
PORT
ANT
IND
IFFE
REN
T /
CON
TEST
EDLe
ast i
mpo
rtant
Mos
t im
porta
nt
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ss to
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rcis
e an
d re
crea
tion
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litie
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e be
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ase
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ng re
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55
34
37
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29 29
25
24
21
16
22 21
16
18
16
17 17
14
11
13
15
10 10 9
8
7
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4
–1 –2
–6
–9 –8
–6
–14
–10
–11
–14
–11
–17
–19 –1
7
–20 –1
8
–23
–23
–20 –1
9
–22
–26
–26
–28
–29
–34 –3
2
–40
–45
–47
55
10
Fig
ur
E 3
rElA
tivE
impo
rtAn
CE s
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s Fo
r pE
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Es in
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RTAN
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este
rn A
ustra
lia
Natio
nal
02
46
8
Acce
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litie
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ng re
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/TAF
E
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8.7
8.5
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4.5
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2.9
2.9
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2.7
2.3
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11
Fig
ur
E 3
rElA
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CE s
CorE
s Fo
r pE
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Es in
WEs
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Fig
ur
E 4
Wh
iCh
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oW
ing
ArE
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st C
riti
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AnD
lEA
st C
riti
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pAth
s Fo
r th
E n
atio
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(rEs
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AtE)
–40
–20
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40
Mos
t cru
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WID
ELY
IMP
OR
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IFFE
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DIS
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nal t
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nerg
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ng p
rote
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ks, o
cean
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ildlif
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c.
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ectio
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' rig
hts
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lity
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ublic
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ools
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nsio
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inal
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tenc
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qua
lity
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ce o
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re s
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ublic
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ls–3
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4
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7
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13–1
5
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7
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8
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5–3
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9
4–4
9
50
12
Fig
ur
E 5
rElA
tivE
impo
rtAn
CE s
CorE
s Fo
r n
Atio
nAl
issu
Es in
WEs
tErn
Aus
trAl
iA
HIG
H I
MP
OR
TAN
CE
LOW
IMPO
RTAN
CE
AVER
AGE
IMPO
RTAN
CEW
este
rn A
ustra
lia
Natio
nal
02
46
8
A st
rong
priv
ate
scho
ol s
yste
m
Low
er c
ompa
ny ta
xes
Less
bus
ines
s re
gula
tion
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ease
d hu
man
itaria
n in
take
of r
efug
ees
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rest
rictio
ns o
n us
ing
our n
atur
al re
sour
ces
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rong
priv
ate
hosp
ital s
yste
m
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ng g
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uppo
rt fo
r new
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stry
inve
stin
g in
Aus
tralia
Prot
ectio
n of
pen
alty
rate
s
High
qua
lity
and
exte
nsive
road
net
wor
ks
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rong
NDI
S
Stro
ng li
mita
tions
on
fore
ign
wor
king
vis
as
Busi
ness
inve
stm
ent i
n ne
w te
chno
logi
es a
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aini
ng
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mig
ratio
n
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er ta
xatio
n of
sup
eran
nuat
ion
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qua
lity
and
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ssib
le p
ublic
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spor
t ser
vices
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ng re
gula
tion
for e
nerg
y se
curit
y
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qua
lity
and
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ce o
f uni
vers
ity /
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ng li
nks
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een
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atio
n an
d th
e w
orkp
lace
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ng g
ovt s
uppo
rt fo
r ren
ewab
le e
nerg
y
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cos
t acc
ess
to u
nive
rsity
/ TA
FE
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er p
erso
nal t
axes
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ectio
n of
wor
kers
righ
ts
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ng p
rote
ctio
n fo
r nat
iona
l par
ks, o
cean
s, w
ildlif
e et
c
High
qua
lity
and
acce
ssib
le p
ublic
sch
ools
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ng s
ecur
ity to
com
bat t
erro
rism
Incr
ease
d pe
nsio
n pa
ymen
ts
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h cr
imin
al la
ws
and
crim
inal
sen
tenc
es
High
qua
lity
and
choi
ce o
f age
d ca
re s
ervic
es
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ng re
gula
tion
to li
mit
fore
ign
owne
rshi
p of
Aus
tralia
n la
nd /
asse
ts
High
qua
lity
and
acce
ssib
le p
ublic
hos
pita
ls7.
8
5.9
5.1
5.1
4.4
4.9
4.3
4.3
4.2
4.2
4.2
4.1
3.8
3.4
3.2
3.3
3.2
3.1
3.1
3.0
2.9
2.5
1.9
2.2
1.6
1.4
1 0.8
0.7
0.5
1.1
13
West Australians’ attitudes to work
Work satisfaction• 61 per cent of WA workers are satisfied with their level of pay and 59 per cent
with other benefits (Figure 6). this is higher than the national population (53 per
cent and 57 per cent respectively).
Work/life balance• WA workers were more satisfied (very + somewhat) than the national population
across a number of aspects of work/life balance (Figure 7):
– Flexibility to work from home (38 per cent vs 34 per cent nationally)
– Flexibility to take personal leave (69 per cent vs 67 per cent nationally)
– Flexibility to take holidays when desired (68 per cent vs 65 per cent nationally).
Commuting• 87 per cent of WA workers have a commute to work of less than an hour
(nationally this was 81 per cent).
FigurE 6 sAtisFACtion With DiFFErEnt AspECts oF Work (%, vEry + somEWhAt sAtisFiED)
FigurE 7 sAtisFACtion With DiFFErEnt AspECts oF Work/liFE bAlAnCE (%)
NationalWA
Conditions in the workplace (e.g. wellbeing, safety, support etc)
Your opportunities for career progression
The level of job training/development from your employer
Other benefits, such as superannuation, sick pay, holiday pay
Your current level of pay per hour (on average)61
53
59
57
49
50
40
42
65
69
NationalWA
69
Flexibility to take holidays when desired
Flexibility to take personal leave(e.g. stay home with sick kids, attend funerals etc)
Flexibility to work from home
Travel time to and from work61
63
38
34
69
67
68
65
14
technology• West Australians are slightly less optimistic than the general population about
the impact of technology on their job.
• 70 per cent would welcome new technology in their job (71 per cent nationally)
and 16 per cent are worried it would replace them (12 per cent nationally).
Future jobs• West Australians placed even greater priority on more jobs overall to reduce
unemployment than the national population (Figure 8).
• When looking for a job, consistent with national trends conditions in the work-
place are the most important factor.
• However, West Australians placed less importance on pay, training and career
progression than the national population.
FigurE 8 WhiCh oF thE FolloWing is most CritiCAl For FuturE job CrEAtion?
More innovative jobs in new, cutting-edge sectors
More jobs in ethical and environmentally-sustainable businesses
More permanent jobs, to reduce work insecurity
Higher wages, so more people can share the economic gains
More entry-level jobs, for school leavers
More jobs overall, to reduce unemployment
NationalWA
39
32
12
11
11
10
22
25
8
9
10
11
Notes on methodology and sample
• total sample; Weight: WA Weight; base n = 400; total n = 3000.
• For Western Australia, the margin of error at the 95 per cent confidence interval
is +/-4.9 per cent.
• this Western Australian results profile is supplementary to Community pulse
2018: the economic disconnect. A full description of the methodology and
sample is available in this report at pp. 47 to 55.
15
Acknowledgements
CEDA would like to acknowledge members and individuals who contributed to
CEDA’s general research fund between 2 June 2017 and 1 June 2018. CEDA
undertakes research with the objective of delivering independent, evidence-
based policy to address critical economic issues and drive public debate and
discussion. It could not complete its research agenda without the support of
these contributions.
nationalLevel 13, 440 Collins Street Melbourne VIC 3000 GPO Box 2117 Melbourne VIC 3001 Telephone 03 9662 3544 Email [email protected]
new south Wales and the ACtLevel 14 The John Hunter Building 9 Hunter Street Sydney NSW 2000 GPO Box 2100 Sydney NSW 2001 Telephone 02 9299 7022 Email [email protected]
QueenslandLevel 17, 300 Adelaide Street Brisbane QLD 4000 GPO Box 2900 Brisbane QLD 4001 Telephone 07 3229 9955 Email [email protected]
south Australia and the northern territoryLevel 5 2 Ebenezer Place Adelaide SA 5000 Telephone 08 8211 7222 Email [email protected]
victoria and tasmaniaLevel 13 440 Collins Street Melbourne VIC 3000 GPO Box 2117 Melbourne VIC 3001 Telephone 03 9662 3544 Email [email protected]
Western AustraliaLevel 5 105 St Georges Terrace Perth WA 6000 PO Box 5631 St Georges Tce Perth WA 6831 Telephone 08 9226 4799 Email [email protected]
