Rangiora poll on reform bill

Press, 8 July 1985, Page 20

Rangiora poll on reform bill

Sir,-We read with interest your report of the results of Mr Gerard’s poll of the Rangiora electorate indicating that 81 per cent of those surveyed opposed homosexual law reform. It is commendable that Mr Gerard has conducted the poll and supplied this detailed coverage of the results. However, the reliability of a poll accurately to reflect attitudes of the population sampled is dependent upon the response rate of those surveyed. Mr Gerard has omitted this important detail. We feel it would be of interest to his electorate also to see a copy of the questionnaire. Would Mr Gerard comment on the response rate to his poll and the questionnaire he used? — Yours etc., VIRGINIA PAWSEY, HARRY PAWSEY. Hawarden, July 11, 1985

[Mr Jim Gerard, M.P. for Rangiora, replies: “The Pawseys have written to me, and I have replied. They have an appointment to see me on Monday to further discuss the matter. I accept that any poll of this nature is only an indication and consequently somewhat suspect. A poll of this nature

usually attracts a reply of between 10 and 20 per cent. This poll had a reply of 40 per cent, which would probably mean its accuracy was about 6 per cent plus or minus 6 per cent. With a substantial 81 per cent NO, this would still reflect a large percentage were opposed.”]

[Mr Gerard enclosed a copy of the questionnaire which asked for the sex of the person answering and his or her age grouping - 1830, 31-40, 41-50, and 51 plus. It asked: “Do you support this bill—- — no, don’t know,” and “do you support the age of consent being 16, 18, 20, don’t know.”]