Validity of Ipsos Survey Queried: Are Supporters of The Voice Truly Representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples?
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's Advocacy: Is It Based on Potentially Misleading Research?
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 1, 2023
SYDNEY, NSW - Concerns have arisen regarding the validity of a research survey by global market research firm, Ipsos, which claimed that 80% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people support The Voice, an Indigenous advisory body to Parliament.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and The Voice proponents, including Alyawarre woman and Uluru Dialogue Co-Chair Pat Anderson AO, have cited the research as a substantial part of their campaign.
But questions about the verification process used to confirm the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage of the survey's participants cast a shadow on the research's credibility.
In a recent enquiry, Simon Wake, CEO of Australia & New Zealand for Ipsos, described the iMob recruitment method which relies on the company's panel of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. According to Wake, "the iMob recruitment method guarantees our participants are real people of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander decent and are aged 18+.”
When asked about the exact method of confirming Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage, Wake referred to Ipsos' network of local researchers and elders.
However, he did not provide further details or evidence of a systematic process aligning with the Commonwealth government's three-part definition of an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person.
Critics have argued that the reliance on self-identification and personal connections within the communities introduces potential for bias and inaccuracies in the survey data.
Without concrete evidence of heritage, the study's claim that 80% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people support The Voice has been called into question.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has a longstanding record of challenging misinformation, yet the present circumstances indicate that his advocacy for The Voice may be based on potentially misleading research.
As the dialogue around The Voice continues, it is essential that transparency and accuracy guide the decision-making process.
The voices of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples deserve to be heard, understood, and respected, and any claims made on their behalf must be substantiated with robust, credible evidence.
-ENDS-
Media Contact:
Dean Foley
Barayamal
p: +61 458 980 232
Resources:
Ipsos research enquiry.
Ipsos research disclosure statement.
This research engaged with individuals identifying as 'Indigenous Australians' from various regions nationwide, with the survey conducted between January 20th to 24th this year. (Photo: Getty)
So 300 people took the survey but only 181 responses were counted? And the sample was tiny, research was paid for by the people it "benefits" and survey stated 7 days before the results were published?
No university in the country would accept this as research.
I came here looking for more info because the yes campaign ads are quoting Financial Review as their source. Almost like they don't want to say "from a study of 300 that we paid for and where 120 responses weren't counted despite there only being 2 options".
Not a single one of my Aboriginal friends is talking about voting yes.
As I've said many times on Facebook, skewed and conflated statistics like the 80% support being advertised everywhere just damage the cause.