Australian Election Study, 1987

The Australian Election Study (AES) is a survey designed to collect data for academic research on Australian public opinion and behaviour during federal elections. All the studies are national, post-election self-completion (mail-in, mail-out) surveys with the sample drawn randomly from the electoral register. The 1987 study had two goals. The first was to continue the broad line of enquiry established by the 1967 and 1979 Australian National Political Attitudes surveys so that patterns of stability and change in the political attitudes and behaviour of the Australian electorate could be traced over two decades. The second was to assess the electoral impact of forces specific to the 1987 election in order better to understand its outcome. For 1987, the total sample was 3,061. Of those sampled, 156 moved/gone away and 1,080 were refusals/non-responses. There were 1,825 valid responses giving an effective response of 62.8. The survey instrument consisted of 6 sections totalling 90 questions. Section A: The Federal Election included 18 questions on media coverage of the 1987 election and previous voting record/preferences. Section B: Political Leaders included 7 questions about party leader preferences and reasons for preferences. Section C: Election Issues included 26 questions about the economy and non-economic issues including defence, mining, health, ties to the UK and USA, the flag, law and order, migration and immigrants, Australian aborigines, censorship, unions, homosexuality, and gender equality. Section D: Social and Political Goals included 8 questions about the effectiveness of government and how the country should be governed. Section E: Education and Work included 11 questions about educational qualifications/background and work experience. Section F: Personal Background included 20 questions about birthplace and family background, place of residence, and work and religious affiliations. A systematic random sample of 2762 cases covering all States and Ter