Polling Council Launch for Australia

Leading firms in Australia have announced the launch of the Australian Polling Council (APC), a body to advance and promote the quality and understanding of public opinion polling in Australia.

The seven founding members are YouGov Galaxy Pty Ltd, The Essential Research and Communications Group Pty Ltd, uCommunication Pty Ltd, Ipsos Pty Ltd, Lonergan Research Pty Ltd, Telereach Pty Ltd and JWS Research Pty Ltd.

The association aims to ensure standards of disclosure that provide an adequate basis for judging the reliability and validity of results published in the public arena; to encourage high professional standards and public confidence in them; to publish guidelines and a Code of Conduct; and to 'inform' media and the public about best practice in conducting and reporting polls.

The Council's charter is based on those of the British Polling Council, launched in 2004; and the pre-existing US-based National Council for Published Polls.

Council Chairman Dr Campbell White says of the launch: 'We believe that polling provides a crucial window into how Australians are perceiving the government of the day and crucial insights into what the public expects from our nation's leaders. The last Federal Election and the discrepancy in many polls regarding the outcome has allowed us to step back and thoroughly investigate how polls are conducted and review best practice around the world'.

'The APC believes that although published polling needs to have appropriate standards of transparency, existing standards of disclosure are not fit for purpose. The guidelines should be determined by active participants in the industry with the cooperation of Australian media who publish poll results. One of the key functions of the APC will be to design these guidelines in consultation with media and interested stakeholders'.

The body's coverage will include not just surveys which measure voting intention or political leader and party performance; but also those evaluating government performance; political leaning; election, plebiscite or referendum outcomes; and 'those which focus on public policy and societal issues with political implications'.

Australian MR associations AMSRO and The Research Society both welcomed the move and supported the new body.