Something must change if pollsters expect to reclaim voters’ trust

Will political polling bodies ever be seen in the same way after the lead up to the May federal election? Crikey readers — responding to William Bowe — didn’t seem to think so. Companies like Newspoll can’t expect to simply pick up where they left off. Elsewhere, readers discussed the ACCC’s avoidance of tackling digital monopolies, and reacted to the fallout of Nine’s Crown exposé.

On political polls

John Attwood writes: Do the pollsters even know what they are measuring? Very much doubt it! As for a poll this far out from any meaningful election, the doubts exist. Given that most people are so far over politics that they refuse to answer landline phone calls — simply because they are more and more likely to be either a pollster or a scam (and the difference is getting more difficult to discern).

On the ACCC and monopolies

Mark E Smith writes: I’d be happy just getting big tech to pay tax here. We’ve heard all these claims about not stepping on other nations’ toes regarding multinationals taxation, but it’s rubbish. Pay tax on business done here. Best to just impose a flat turnover tax imposed on a locally domiciled trading company you make them trade through. None of this crap about IP royalties and related party loans coming first. Pay tax here first in line then trot out the dodgy accounting for your investors. Make it 10% for a decade so we can catch up with what’s been scammed. Then drag out reductions through committee process, etc.

On the Crown revelations

Joanne Knight writes: While it is certainly fun to watch the feathers fly, shouldn’t we be calling for prosecutions for money laundering?

Chris Gulland writes: Good Work Nine, but hardly a “full one-hour attack”. At best 30 minutes, plus station promotions and adverts. Not really the best way to do a serious story.

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