Australia is a country that accepts gay couples, hates the big banks, considers second-generation migrants “Australian”, but the majority feel negatively towards Islam.
New wide-ranging data released by YouGov has revealed fascinating insights into the Australian identity, its place in the world, and its many contradictions.
Australians were the second-highest out of 23 countries surveyed in not considering where someone’s parents come from as relevant to identifying as Australian, but in our personal lives, 47% admitted to having “very few” or no close friends of a different ethnic background. And 80% of us believe women still suffer discrimination, but a third also think the women’s rights movement has gone too far.
Older Australians, perhaps surprisingly, are just as supportive of gender equality as their younger counterparts. In some cases, more so. But generational fault lines opened up over same-sex relationships (those under 45 vs over 45) and the acceptance of transgender Australians (under 35 and over 35). [The Guardian] Read more
European and English-speaking migrants back immigration cuts and fear Australia is losing its identity
European and English-speaking migrants are more likely to back immigration cuts as they fear Australia is losing its cultural identity.
Migrants from these nations are less likely to support those born in other countries, with 58 per cent agreeing immigration should be cut, a survey by the Australian Population Research Institute has found.
However, two-thirds of Asian migrants favour an increase in migrant numbers and disagree with the idea that Australia’s identity is disappearing.
Report authors Dr Bob Birrell and Dr Katharine Betts also found non-graduates are more likely to support the cuts compared to university graduates.
There were 67 per cent of graduates who supported an increase in immigration.
Dr Birrell and Dr Betts told the Herald Sun that second-generation migrants are more skeptical about immigration.
‘These migrants have become an important part of a voter base worried about immigration,’ they said.
However the survey also found that 58 per cent of Australian-born individuals agreed Australia was in danger of losing its identity and 47 per cent of voters supported ‘a partial ban’ on Muslim immigration. [Daily Mail Australia] Read more
Islam Surveyed 