Voters in Braddon do not want to see workers paid less on Sundays and Holidays, polling from The Australia Institute has found.

The polling of 754 respondents in the electorate of Braddon was undertaken on 2^nd March   in the State electorate of Braddon through ReachTEL.

Respondents were asked if they believed more jobs would be created from the Fair Work Commissions ruling that Sunday and public holiday penalty rates be reduced for full-time and part time workers in the hospitality, retail and fast-food industries.

• Almost 60% of respondents believed that it would lead to either no new jobs or less jobs being created.
• Only 31.7% believed the changes would result in more employment being created.

Braddon is often viewed as Tasmania’s most disadvantaged electorate, where bread and butter issues drive the voting intentions of its constituents. As tourism and hospitality drive the economic recovery of Tasmania and manufacturing and forestry decline, the area of Braddon has been hit harder than most.

“Given the importance of Braddon as an electorate to the Liberals, Premier Hodgmans hands off approach to the issue may prove to be politically untenable’ said Australia Institutes Tasmanian Director Leanne Minshull

At the last election the Liberal Party secured 59% of the first preference vote in Braddon. This was a spectacular 13.8% increase from the 2010 election and delivered the Liberals 4 seats in the House of Assembly. 

With an election due sometime between now and March 2018, the Liberals will be looking to hold all of their seats in Braddon to help maintain the majority government they secured.