Researchers
Galaxy Research
Summary
The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) commissioned Galaxy Research to undertake polling of New South Wales (NSW) residents to gain an understanding of their perspectives on alcohol policies in the lead up to the 2015 NSW State Election.
This study was conducted online among members of a permission-based panel. The sample was selected from the panel members and had quotas applied to it, in order to ensure that it reflected the current population statistics. Fieldwork commenced on Thursday 8 January 2015 and was completed on Wednesday 14 January 2015. The survey sample comprised 351 respondents aged 18 years and older residing in NSW.
Following the collection of data, the results were weighted by age, gender and region to reflect the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) population estimates.
Outcomes
Key findings:
- 73% of NSW residents would like the leaders of the major parties, Premier Mike Baird and Opposition Leader Luke Foley, to outline their plans to address alcohol-related harms prior to the 2015 NSW State Election.
- 66% of NSW residents are in favour of the NSW Government’s measures to reduce alcohol-related violence announced in January 2014. These measures included a 3am last drinks and a 1:30am lockout in the Sydney CBD, and a 10pm close for take-away alcohol across NSW.
- 74% of NSW residents believe that Australia has a problem with excess drinking or alcohol abuse.
- 69% of NSW residents believe that alcohol-related problems will get worse or remain the same in the next five to ten years.
- 71% of NSW residents believe that more needs to be done to reduce the harm caused by alcohol-related illness, injury and related issues.
- 31% of NSW residents have been affected by alcohol-related violence. One in eight (13%) have been a victim of alcohol-related violence, and one in five (22%) have had a family member or friend who has been affected by alcohol-related violence.
- 58% of NSW residents consider the city or centre of town unsafe on a Saturday night. This represents a decline from the 67% of NSW residents who felt the city or centre of town was unsafe in 2014.
- 91% of those who considered the city or centre of town unsafe on a Saturday night indicated that it was because of people affected by alcohol.
- A range of policies to reduce alcohol-related harms were supported by NSW residents, including increasing penalties for people involved in alcohol-related violence (85%); introducing a closing time for pubs, clubs and bars of no later than 3am (82%); and banning political donations from the alcohol industry (70%).
- 65% of NSW residents believe that alcohol advertising should be banned on public transport and 58% believe that alcohol advertising should be banned at bus and train stops.
