I validate a tripartite typology of racial attitudes in the Australian electorate previously used in the United States by predicting policy preferences towards asylum seekers. Overt racism, deficit character racism (internal attribution) and perceived racial discrimination (external attribution) beliefs are the three pillars of this typology. I improved on previous measurement strategies of overt and deficient character racism to avoid triggering social desirability bias in respondents.

This joint work with Professor Simon Jackman estimates pollster bias at the 2019 federal election, compares the bias estimated to previous years and tests for herding by pollsters. This presentation was given a the University of Sydney for the 2019 National Social Science Week roundtable entitled "What Can the Social Sciences Tell Us about the 2019 Federal Election?" The book chapter that this presentation is based on will soon be published by ANU Press.