Table 6: Attitudes to different sections of the program, June 1996 and November 1981 (per cent)

1996:

Humanitarian

Family reunion

Work skills

too high

about right

too few

don’t know

41

48

7

4

61

34

2

3

25

47

25

3

Total

N

100

(2063)

100

(2063)

100

(2063)

1981: Attitudes to different sections of the program — ‘Australia should accept...’

Investors

Refugees

Family reunion

Skilled migrants

19

23

32

44

 Sources: ibid. and an Irving Saulwick poll published in The Age 18/1/82 (multiple response question, total sample of 2000).

Note: The 1996 questions began with the proportions admitted in each category (‘15%’, ‘60%’ and ‘25%’ respectively) and then asked if this proportion for the category was too high, too few or about right. For the full wording of the 1981 question see Betts (1988: 75).