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Community Attitudes to Asbestos
David Stolper
Senior Research Partner
T/ 02 9258 4462
REPORT PREPARED BY:
02 July 2012
Nick Wyatt
Consultant
T/ 02 9258 4497
Contents
1. Background and methodology
2. Key findings
3. Detailed findings
► Attitudes to asbestos and government action on the
issue
► Attitudes to asbestos in home purchase
4. Demographics
3
Background
► From the 1950s until the 1980s Australia had the highest per
capita use of asbestos in the world.
► As a result of this in the following years Australia has developed
the highest incidence of asbestos related cancer in the world, a
rate that is still rising.
► To address this the ACTU have campaigned about the dangers
of asbestos and helped achieve long-term compensation for
people affected by asbestos-related disease.
► This campaign is continuing today as the Australian Government
conduct a review of how asbestos is dealt with in Australia.
4
Methodology
Survey method
► The results presented herein are based upon an online survey conducted between 19th and 27th June 2012, with
respondents drawn from a professional market and social research panel.
Sample
► The sample consisted of n=1022 residents randomly drawn from across Australia. Within this overall sample there was a
boost of 300 respondents from “asbestos belt suburbs” identified as the areas with a higher incidence of asbestos
buildings. This segment was boosted to provide an accurate measure of their views however they were weighted back to
representative levels when reporting on attitudes at an overall level.
► The sample was weighted to be representative of the general population by age, gender and location using latest data
from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Accuracy
► With a sample size of n=1022, the accuracy of the results overall is +/- 4.3% at the 95% confidence interval after
weighting. This means, for example, that if the survey returns a result of 50%, there is 95% probability that the actual
result will be between 45.7% and 54.3%.
► The asbestos belt suburbs with a sample of n=307 have an accuracy of +/- 5.6% at the 95% confidence interval.
► Note: All percentage figures in this report are rounded. Accordingly, totals may not add up to 100%.
5 5
Key findings
6
Key findings
7
Australians believe that asbestos is a big health problem that is not going away
► Two thirds of respondents believe asbestos is either a very big or quite a big health problem in Australia.
► Over 70% believe this problem isn’t getting any smaller.
There is overwhelming support for government action to reduce the amount of asbestos
► Over 90% of respondents believe it is very important or quite important for the Federal government to take action to
reduce asbestos in homes and workplaces with removing asbestos from schools the biggest priority for action.
► Nearly half of voters would be more likely to vote for a party that takes action to reduce the amount of asbestos in
workplaces and homes.
The presence of asbestos would put most people off buying a home
► Nearly 90% of respondents would be less likely to buy a home that contained asbestos or would never buy one at all.
► Three quarters of respondents believe that the seller should pay for an audit of asbestos when the house is on the
market.
Many people do not know if their house contains asbestos
► Nearly 30% of people don’t know if their house contains asbestos, a figure that rises to over 40% for renters.
► Around 15% of respondents know that their house contains asbestos.
There is little difference in attitudes between those living in the asbestos belt suburbs and elsewhere
► Although there is slightly higher level of asbestos in homes in the asbestos belt there is similar strong levels of support
for action on removal both within these areas and elsewhere.
Attitudes to asbestos and government
action on the issue
8
The majority of Australians recognise asbestos as a
considerable health problem
Around two thirds of respondents believe asbestos is a very big or quite a big health problem. Only 2%
say it is not a problem at all.
Very big problem, 17
Quite a big problem, 49
Not much of a problem, 32
Not a problem at all, 2
Q. How big of a health problem is asbestos in Australia today?
All respondents
Over a third of respondents believe that the health effects from
asbestos are becoming a bigger problem
Less than a third think the health problem is becoming smaller.
Becoming a bigger problem, 36
Staying the same, 35
Becoming a smaller problem, 29
All respondents
Q. And do you think that the scale of health effects from asbestos in Australia is….
People recognise that the risk of exposure to asbestos is in all
building environments
A slight majority at 37% believe the greatest risk of exposure to asbestos is in the home, however 28%
of respondents believe it is in the workplace.
In the workplace, 28
In the home, 37
In public buildings, 35
All respondents
Q. Where do you think the greatest risk of exposure to asbestos is?
Nearly everybody thinks it is important that the Federal
Government takes action to reduce asbestos in workplaces
and homes
Less than 1% of respondents believe it is not important at all that the Federal government takes action
to reduce the amount of asbestos in Australian workplaces and homes.
Very Important, 60
Quite Important, 34
Not very important, 6
Not important at all, 0
Q. How important is it for the Federal Government to take action to reduce the amount of asbestos in Australian workplaces and homes?
All respondents
There is widespread agreement that government action is
important across key demographic groups
13
Over 60% of supporters of all political parties believe it is very important to take action.
There is greater concern amongst women than men with 70% of women saying it is very important to
take action compared to 49% of men.
Q. How important is it for the Federal Government to take action to reduce the amount of asbestos in Australian workplaces and homes?
58 61
58 60
60 62
64
63 58
64 54
60 58
61
67 63
52
70 49
63 60
33 34
33 34
34 31
32
30 36
28 40
37 35
32
28 32
39
25 43
33 34
9 5
9 5
6 6 4
7 6
9 6
3 7
7
5 5
9
5 8
4 6
0 0
0 0
0
0
0 0
0 0 0 0
1 0 0
0
0 0
0 25 50 75 100
Not workingWorking
Soft voterHard voter
Coalition voterGreen voterLabor voter
RuralMetro
OtherWA
QueenslandVictoria
NSW
60+40-5918-39
FemaleMale
Asbestos belt suburbsOverall
Very important Quite Important Not very important Not important at all
There is strong community support for a range of Government
actions to reduce the amount of asbestos in Australia
14
Over 80% of respondents supported each of the 4 actions, with “Establishing a national program for
the removal of asbestos, beginning with public buildings” getting the most support.
47
49
50
51
35
34
35
38
12
13
12
10
4
3
2
1
2
1
1
0
0 25 50 75 100
Making property sellersobtain an asbestos safetycertificate which identifiesasbestos hazards before
they can sell it
Setting a target to have allasbestos removed from
Australian buildings by theyear 2030
Conducting a national auditto identify locations andcondition of remaining
asbestos
Establishing a nationalprogram for the removal ofasbestos, beginning with
public buildings
Strongly support Support Neither support nor oppose Oppose Strongly oppose
All respondents
Q. Do you support or oppose the Federal Government taking the following actions to reduce the amount of asbestos in Australia?
Nearly half of voters would be more likely to vote for a party
that takes action to reduce asbestos
Only 3% of voters say it would make them less likely to vote while around half believe it would have no
effect on their vote.
More likely to vote , 46
No effect on my vote, 52
Less likely to vote, 3
All respondents
Q. What effect would taking action to reduce the amount of asbestos in Australian workplaces and homes have on your vote in the next Federal
election?
Schools are considered the biggest priority for asbestos
removal action
More than half of all respondents believe that schools should be the main priority for asbestos removal,
followed by 16% who thought private residences are most important.
Government Buildings, 6
Workplaces, 14
Private residences, 16
Schools, 58
None of these
should be a priority, 6
All respondents
Q. Which of the following should be the biggest priority for asbestos removal in Australia?
Attitudes between asbestos belt suburbs and other areas were
virtually identical on a range of key questions
17
Asbestos belt suburb residents are equally likely to recognise the health problems, believe that
government should take action, and change their voting intention as residents of other areas
17
18
49
47
32
32
2
3
0 25 50 75 100
All other areas
Asbestos belt
How much of a health problem is asbestos today?
It is a very big problem It is quite a big problem It is not much of a problem It isn’t a problem at all
59
63
34
33
6
4
0 25 50 75 100
All other areas
Asbestos belt
How important is it for government to take action?
Very important Quite important Not very important Not important at all
46
46
51
52
3
2
0 25 50 75 100
All other areas
Asbestos belt
What effect would taking action on asbestos have on your vote at a Federal election?
More likely to vote No effect on my vote Less likely to vote
18
Attitudes to asbestos in the home buying
process
Most people think that a property seller should pay for an
asbestos audit rather than the buyer
19
Over three-quarters of respondents thought it should be the seller’s responsibility to pay for an audit if
it was a government requirement.
The seller, 76
The buyer, 24
All respondents
Q. If the Government required all properties for sale to have an asbestos audit and certificate, who of the following do you think should pay for it?
Most people would be put off buying a property if it contained
asbestos
45% say they would never consider a property with asbestos, whilst 43% say they’d be less likely to
buy one.
More likely, 2
No difference, 9
Less likely , 43
Would never purchase, 45
Q. Would the presence of asbestos affect your likelihood to purchase a property?
Respondents likely to buy in next
20 years
Most people think properties with asbestos would be a bad buy
21
Around 9 in 10 think that the dangers and the cost of removal of the asbestos would make it a bad
buy.
Buildings with a lot of asbestos are generally a good buy because you can get them at a good
price , 9
Buildings with a lot of asbestos are generally a
bad buy because it is not worth the health
dangers or the cost of dealing with the
asbestos, 91
Respondents likely to buy in next
20 years
Q. Which of these is closest to your view?
A majority of respondents would be prepared to pay more for a
property if the asbestos had been removed
58% of respondents would pay more for a property if all the asbestos had been removed by the
previous owner.
Yes, 58
No, 42
Respondents likely to buy in the
next 20 years
Q. Would you be prepared to pay more for a property if all the asbestos had been removed by the previous owner?
14% of respondents are aware of asbestos in their home
However, almost 30% of all households do not know if there is any asbestos in their home, a level that
rises to over 40% of those currently in rental properties.
All respondents
Q. Does the home in which you live contain asbestos?
1
1
2
1
9
8
14
13
44
49
64
57
46
41
19
29
0 25 50 75 100
Government renters
Private renters
Home owners
All households
My home is largely made of asbestos My home has some asbestos in itMy home has no asbestos in it I don't know if my home has asbestos in it
“Asbestos belt” respondents are slightly more likely to have
asbestos in their home and are slightly more willing to
purchase an asbestos property
24
17% of respondents in the asbestos belt think an asbestos house would be a good buy at a good price
compared to 9% of all respondents.
18% of respondents in the asbestos belt know there is asbestos in their home compared to 14% overall.
2
5
9
9
44
38
45
48
0 25 50 75 100
All other areas
Asbestos belt
Would the presence of asbestos affect your likelihood to purchase a property?
More likely to purchase No difference Less likely to purchase Would never purchase
9
17
91
83
0 25 50 75 100
All other areas
Asbestos belt
Which of the following is closest to your view?
Asbestos buildings are a good buy as you get a good price Asbestos buidlilgns are bad buy as not worth dangers and cost
1
5
13
13
58
48
28
34
0 25 50 75 100
All other areas
Asbestos belt
Does the home you live in have asbestos?
Largely asbestos Some asbestos No asbestos Don't know
Demographics
25
Gender, Age, Location, Housing
Sample sub-
segment
% of sample
(unweighted) # in sample
Male 45 456
Female 55 566
18 to 29 12 120
30 to 49 41 414
50 to 64 27 279
65 + 20 209
NSW 28 288
Victoria 27 280
Queensland 18 185
Western Australia 8 82
Other 18 187
Total sample = 1022 Please note that percentages have been rounded, and may not equal 100%.
26
Sample sub-
segment
% of sample
(unweighted)
# in
sample
Metro 66 678
Rural 34 344
Home owner 64 658
Private renter 25 256
Government renter 6 60
Other 5 48
Employment, household income before tax and voting
intention
Sample sub-
segment
% of sample
(unweighted)
# in
sample
Working full-time 32 329
Working part-time 21 213
Unemployed/not working 6 58
Student 4 38
Retired 24 249
Manage household/
family 10 103
Other 3 32
Total sample = 1022 Please note that percentages have been rounded, and may not equal 100%.
27
Sample sub-
segment
% of sample
(unweighted) # in sample
$0-$39,999 27 278
$40,000-$79,999 28 290
$80,000-$119,999 17 178
$120,000-$149,999 5 46
>$150.000 5 55
Not given 17 175
Asbestos Belt Suburbs
NSW Victoria Queensland WA SA SA SA
Seven Hills Sunshine Redcliffe Collie Adelaide Munno Para Regency Park
Lalor Park Deer Park Wynnum Port Hedland Christie Downs Smithfield Rosewater
Blacktown Footscray Caloundra Wittenoom Gawler Hackham West Pennington
Doonside Geelong Bribie Island Northam Salisbury Hackham Plympton
Granville Colac Ipswich Lake Grace Elizabeth Para Hills Novar Gardens
Merrylands Ballarat Kenmore Southern Cross Murray Bridge Ingle Farm Riverton
Whalan Swan Hill Annerley Gillingara
O'Sullivan
Beach Pooraka Dover Gardens
Green Valley Frankston Mareeba Wundowie Port Augusta Devon Park Balaklava
Tweed heads Reservoir North Cairns Esperance Whyalla Semaphore Eudunda
Figtree Preston Parramatta Park Wickham Victor Harbor Golden Grove Gawler
Dapto Coburg Maroochydore Meekatharra
Greenock
Parafield
Gardens Kadina
Port Kembla Fawkner Caloundra Roebourne Red Hill Greenwith Mannum
Cringila Canarvan Nuriootpa Henley Beach Minlaton
Unanderra Clare Edwardstown Mount Barker
Fairy meadow Port Wakefield Glynde Mount Gambier
Bellambi Baskerville Payneham Port Augusta
Barkley Port Victoria Morphett Vale Renmark
Warilla Port Pirie Murray Bridge Whyalla
Bull Campbelltown Mount Barker Waikerie
Ridgehaven Reynella Kadina
28
