Q. The Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and the Opposition leader Tony Abbott have both recently made statements about the handling of asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat.
Do you think Kevin Rudd’s approach to handling asylum seekers is too harsh, too soft or about right?
Do you think Tony Abbott’s approach to handling asylum seekers is too harsh, too soft or about right?
|
Kevin Rudd |
|
Tony Abbott |
|||||||
|
Total
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
Total
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Too harsh |
20% |
19% |
18% |
49% |
21% |
38% |
5% |
42% |
|
| Too soft |
24% |
12% |
35% |
13% |
20% |
21% |
16% |
21% |
|
| About right |
40% |
53% |
33% |
25% |
31% |
11% |
61% |
7% |
|
| Don’t know |
16% |
16% |
14% |
13% |
27% |
31% |
18% |
30% |
|
40% of respondents think Kevin Rudd’s approach to handling asylum seekers is about right and 31% think Tony Abbott’s approach is about right. Views are similar for both approaches in terms of whether they are too soft or too harsh – about one in five selected each option.
Kevin Rudd’s approach was more favoured by Labor voters (53%), aged 45-64 (45%) and tradespeople (51%). Tony Abbott’s approach was more favoured by Liberal/National voters (61%), men (37%), aged 65+ (46%) and tradespeople (40%).