Page 982 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 19 April 1994
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Mr Moore and Mr Humphries mentioned selection bias. I would not disagree that in any poll there is going to be some selection bias. Let me mention a couple of points. When you ring someone on the phone, you immediately have selection bias. First, they have to have a telephone; secondly, they have to be home when you phone; thirdly, they have to be the person who answers the phone. Some people hate phones. They have a phobia about phones. When you approach someone in the street or in a house there are selection biases. There is other bias as well. I do not think this is picked up in the survey analysis, but when you approach someone you have a tendency to approach people like yourself. There is a tendency to do that. We handle that by training people to deliberately select the people they survey in order to make sure that they get a cross-section, as best they can, not just go out and grab people. We tend to grab people we have an affinity with; people we tend to agree with; people who look like us or who look like people we like. We have done our best to handle that.
When you speak to somebody at the door or in the street you have a vocal bias. This is a very important thing. As every member here would know, you can influence people greatly with the tone of your voice. Not only that; if you are interviewing someone at their door or in the street, you have a body language bias. The way you stand and the way you use your body can also bias questions. We have eliminated all those things because we give someone a clipboard with the survey sheet on it, we give them a pen, and they go at it. We ask them whether they are from Canberra and whether they would be good enough to give us their opinion.
Mr Berry: Madam Speaker! Madam Speaker - - -
MR STEVENSON: Quite often it will be on matters coming before the Assembly or on important matters - - -
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Stevenson, there is a point of order.
Mr Berry: I am in an entirely flexible mood this evening, but I cannot work out how that is related to what is going on in the Assembly. Mr Moore was really being quite friendly. He just put on that impression to upset you, I think. I would not worry about it. You will get back together again.
MR STEVENSON: I thought it was an excellent opportunity to explain a few points. I am always happy to do that. You know that.
Mr Cornwell: I did not think there was anything wrong with the body language.
Mr Berry: I do not know what the clipboard has to do with - - -
MR STEVENSON: Was it the body language or was it the vocal sounds?
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Stevenson, I think the point of order is about relevance. Perhaps you could focus on the amendment that we are dealing with.
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