“More than 80 per cent of Australians would welcome a federal corruption watchdog similar to the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), Vote Compass data shows.”
So says the ABC in one of its numerous pronouncements from on high about how Australians feel about various issues of the election campaign (we are halfway there, guys. Just keep holding on.) Vote Compass results often lead ABC news bulletins, and the national broadcaster makes much of its online poll results.
But Vote Compass, scientifically speaking, is completely useless. It is an opt-in poll — punters have to choose to visit the ABC’s website and answer as many questions as they choose in Vote Compass. It’s a fun tool to reveal your own political leanings, but in aggregate, opt-in polls show absolutely nothing about the opinions of the electorate. According to the National Council on Public Polls, Vote Compass and polls like it are “unscientific junk”:
“The key reason that some polls reflect public opinion accurately and other polls are unscientific junk is how people were chosen to be interviewed. In scientific polls, the pollster uses a specific statistical method for picking respondents. In unscientific polls, the person picks himself to participate.”
Stop pretending Vote Compass is news, ABC. It is meaningless.
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“The National Council on Public Polls (NCPP) is an association of polling organizations established in 1969”
Right, so completely impartial about this.
“In unscientific polls, the person picks himself to participate.”
Rather like other countries conduct elections, where participation is voluntary. Perhaps picking oneself to participate can be a good scientific method. Or not. But the reasons given here don’t convince me.
Well, in that case, all polls are bunkum, and so is your article. I was phoned by a robot last night to be polled for the election and I hung up. I would also have hung up on a human. Opt-in polls may be biased but opt-out polls only have meaning if they declare how many of their advances were refused?
I’m guessing there’s a significant percentage of Australians who have never visited the ABC website (apart from i-View) so these surveys are a snapshot of ABC listeners/viewers/readers.
To be accurate as a news story Vote Compass results should read ‘More than 80% of ABC respondents would welcome a federal corruption watchdog….’
Simples.
I believe the SMH Sat News Review polls are also a self selecting, in-opters.
Perhaps it is some form of self medication or therapy?
I am OK with that Zut, I don’ t care that much what the others think, intelligent debate will not sway them…
I’d like to know what percentage of voters think straw polls are important?
Of course it is as you say complete bunkum, but that’s par for how the ABC/SBS duo splurge taxpayer moneys, so it’s hardly new news is it.