Rangiora Poll On Reform Bill (Press, 8 July 1985)
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Summary: Rangiora Poll On Reform Bill (Press, 8 July 1985)
In response to a recent poll conducted by Mr Jim Gerard, Member of Parliament for Rangiora, which indicated that 81 per cent of respondents opposed homosexual law reform, Virginia and Harry Pawsey from Hawarden expressed their concerns regarding the reliability of the poll. Their letter, published on 8 July 1985, highlighted the need for transparency regarding the poll's response rate, which Mr Gerard did not disclose in his initial report. The Pawseys suggested that it would be beneficial for the electorate to see the questionnaire used in the survey as well. In his reply, Mr Gerard acknowledged the Pawseys' concerns and indicated that they had arranged a meeting to discuss the matter further. He conceded that while polls can be unreliable indicators of public opinion, the 40 per cent response rate for his poll was relatively higher than typical for this type of survey, which generally sees a response rate between 10 and 20 per cent. He estimated that this response rate would mean the poll's accuracy was within a margin of about 6 per cent. This meant that despite the high percentage of opposition reported, there was still a significant level of uncertainty. Mr Gerard also provided a copy of the questionnaire used for the poll. The questionnaire sought basic demographic information, such as the respondent's sex and age group, with options for ages ranging from 18-30, 31-40, 41-50, and 51 plus. Additionally, it asked questions regarding support for a specific bill related to homosexual law reform, offering simple response options of "no," "don't know," and inquiries around what the appropriate age of consent should be: 16, 18, 20, or "don't know." Overall, this exchange highlights the ongoing discussions and differing viewpoints regarding homosexual law reform within the Rangiora electorate at the time, as well as the importance of questioning the methodologies behind political surveys in shaping public policy discussions.
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