Q. Do you think Australia’s economy is heading in the right or wrong direction?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote other |
|
|
Jun 2012 |
Apr 2013 |
Apr 2014 |
Aug 2014 |
May 2015 |
Sep 2015 |
|||
|
The right direction |
34% |
24% |
54% |
12% |
27% |
|
|
43% |
36% |
39% |
35% |
35% |
35% |
||
|
The wrong direction |
39% |
47% |
26% |
59% |
55% |
|
|
32% |
39% |
34% |
41% |
40% |
41% |
||
|
Don’t know |
27% |
30% |
20% |
28% |
19% |
|
|
25% |
25% |
26% |
24% |
25% |
24% |
34% of respondents think that Australia’s economy is heading in the right direction and 39% think it is heading in the wrong direction. This represents no significant change since this question was asked two weeks ago.
24% (up 2%) of Labor voters, 54% (down 8%) of Liberal/National voters and 12% (down 9%) of Greens voters think the economy is heading in the right direction. 47% (down 5%) of Labor voters, 26% (up 5%) of Liberal/National voters and 59% (down 2%) of Greens voters think it is heading in the wring direction.
Q. Do you think the following groups of people would be better off under a Labor Government or a Liberal Government?
|
Better off under a Liberal Government |
Better off under a Labor Government |
Makes no difference |
Don’t know |
Difference (Liberal minus Labor) |
Difference July 2013 |
||
|
Large corporations |
55% |
10% |
18% |
17% |
+45 |
+43 |
|
|
People and families on high incomes |
54% |
9% |
20% |
16% |
+45 |
+41 |
|
|
Families with children at private school |
47% |
11% |
23% |
20% |
+36 |
+27 |
|
|
Banks and other financial institutions |
46% |
10% |
27% |
18% |
+36 |
+35 |
|
|
Small businesses |
36% |
24% |
23% |
18% |
+12 |
+18 |
|
|
Farmers and other agricultural producers |
29% |
24% |
26% |
21% |
+5 |
+15 |
|
|
People and families on middle incomes |
26% |
32% |
26% |
17% |
-6 |
+5 |
|
|
Recent immigrants to Australia |
16% |
32% |
33% |
19% |
-16 |
-13 |
|
|
Average working people |
20% |
40% |
24% |
16% |
-20 |
-2 |
|
|
Families with children at public school |
18% |
41% |
24% |
17% |
-23 |
-14 |
|
|
Pensioners |
17% |
40% |
27% |
17% |
-23 |
-11 |
|
|
People with disabilities |
15% |
39% |
29% |
18% |
-24 |
-21 |
|
|
Single parents |
13% |
44% |
26% |
17% |
-31 |
-15 |
|
|
Unemployed people |
12% |
44% |
27% |
16% |
-32 |
-14 |
|
|
People and families on low incomes |
14% |
47% |
23% |
16% |
-33 |
-21 |
Respondents were substantially more likely to think the following groups would be better off under a Labor Government – low income families, the unemployed, single parents, people with disabilities, pensioners and families with children at public school.
They were substantially more likely to think the following groups would be better off under a Liberal Government – large corporations, high income families, families with children at private schools and banks and financial institutions.
Since this question was asked in June 2013 Labor has substantially improved its position in terms of being better for the unemployed (net up 18 points), average working people (up 18), single parents (up 16), pensioners (up 12) and low income families (up 12).
For the Liberal Party, the net score for being better for families with children at private school has gone up 9 points.
Note that this question was previously asked during the week Julia Gillard was replaced by Kevin Rudd as leader of the Labor Party
Q. Thinking about news and information services, do you currently purchase or pay a subscription for any of the following?
|
Yes, pay for |
Read/view but do not pay for |
Do not read/view |
Pay – men |
Pay – women |
Pay – aged 18-34 |
Pay – aged 35-54 |
Pay – aged 55+ |
||
|
Printed newspapers |
28% |
35% |
37% |
30% |
27% |
13% |
29% |
46% |
|
|
Online access to newspapers |
7% |
58% |
35% |
8% |
7% |
6% |
7% |
10% |
|
|
Printed magazines |
23% |
30% |
47% |
18% |
27% |
16% |
22% |
29% |
|
|
Online access to magazines |
3% |
33% |
64% |
3% |
3% |
4% |
2% |
2% |
|
|
TV programs |
25% |
59% |
16% |
25% |
24% |
23% |
26% |
24% |
|
|
Access to other news and information websites |
4% |
69% |
27% |
4% |
4% |
4% |
3% |
5% |
28% say they purchase printed newspapers and 23% purchase printed magazines.
7% say they pay for online access to newspapers and 3% pay for online access to magazines.
Those aged under 35 are less likely to pay for printed newspapers (13%) and magazines (16%). Respondents aged 55+ were a little more likely to pay for access to online newspapers (10%).
Q. Which of the following statements is closest to your view?
|
Total |
Men |
Women |
Aged 18-34 |
Aged 35-54 |
Aged 55+ |
|
|
I would pay for online news and information even it was available for free elsewhere |
4% |
5% |
3% |
5% |
3% |
3% |
|
I would only pay for online news and information if it wasn’t available elsewhere |
23% |
24% |
22% |
27% |
21% |
22% |
|
I would never pay for online news and information |
67% |
64% |
69% |
61% |
70% |
68% |
|
Don’t know |
6% |
7% |
6% |
7% |
7% |
6% |
27% say they would pay for online news and information – 23% only if it was not available elsewhere. 67% say they would never pay for online news and information.
Younger respondents were a little more likely to pay for online news and information – 32% of those aged under 35 compared to 24% of those aged 35-54 and 25% of those aged 55+.
Q. If a Federal Election was held today to which party will you probably give your first preference vote? If not sure, which party are you currently leaning toward?
Q. If don’t know -Well which party are you currently leaning to?
Sample size = 1,754 respondents
|
First preference/leaning to |
Election 7 Sep 13 |
4 weeks ago 25/08/15 |
2 weeks ago 08/09/15 |
Last week 15/9/15 |
This week 22/9/15 |
One week total 22/9/15 |
||
|
Liberal |
38% |
36% |
36% |
37% |
38% |
|||
|
National |
3% |
4% |
4% |
4% |
4% |
|||
|
Total Liberal/National |
45.6% |
41% |
40% |
40% |
41% |
43% |
||
|
Labor |
33.4% |
37% |
38% |
38% |
37% |
37% |
||
|
Greens |
8.6% |
10% |
11% |
11% |
11% |
11% |
||
|
Palmer United Party |
5.5% |
1% |
2% |
2% |
2% |
1% |
||
|
Other/Independent |
6.9% |
10% |
9% |
10% |
9% |
8% |
|
2 Party Preferred |
Election 7 Sep 13 |
4 weeks ago 25/08/15 |
2 weeks ago 08/09/15 |
Last week 15/9/15 |
This week 22/9/15 |
One week total 22/9/15 |
||
|
Liberal National |
53.5% |
49% |
48% |
48% |
49% |
50% |
||
|
Labor |
46.5% |
51% |
52% |
52% |
51% |
50% |
NB. Except for the last column (which shows the results for the last week’s interviewing only) the data in the above tables comprise 2-week averages derived from the first preference/leaning to voting questions. Respondents who select ‘don’t know’ are not included in the results. The two-party preferred estimate is calculated by distributing the votes of the other parties according to their preferences at the 2013 election.
Q. Are you in favour or against Australia becoming a republic?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote other |
Jan 2010 |
March 2011 |
Jun 2012 |
Apr 2014 |
Oct 2014 |
Feb 2015 |
Shift since Feb 2015 |
||||
|
In favour |
39% |
52% |
36% |
48% |
24% |
41% |
39% |
39% |
33% |
31% |
34% |
+5 |
|||
|
Against |
29% |
21% |
39% |
18% |
35% |
32% |
34% |
35% |
42% |
31% |
34% |
-5 |
|||
|
No opinion |
32% |
26% |
25% |
34% |
41% |
27% |
27% |
27% |
25% |
38% |
32% |
– |
39% (up 5% since February) of respondents were in favour of Australian becoming a republic and 29% (down 5%) were against. 32% could not give an opinion.
Greens (48%) and Labor (52%) voters were more likely to be in favour of a republic. Liberal/National voters (36%) were less likely – but up 14% since February.
Q. Which of the following describe your opinion of the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull?
|
Total |
Feb 2015 |
Difference |
|||
|
Intelligent |
81% |
74% |
+7 |
||
|
Hard-working |
71% |
66% |
+5 |
||
|
A capable leader |
70% |
60% |
+10 |
||
|
Understands the problems facing Australia |
63% |
55% |
+8 |
||
|
Good in a crisis |
59% |
56% |
+3 |
||
|
Visionary |
51% |
44% |
+7 |
||
|
Arrogant |
47% |
48% |
-1 |
||
|
Out of touch with ordinary people |
46% |
48% |
-2 |
||
|
Trustworthy |
44% |
44% |
– |
||
|
More honest than most politicians |
39% |
40% |
-1 |
||
|
Aggressive |
38% |
35% |
+3 |
||
|
Superficial |
37% |
41% |
-4 |
||
|
Narrow-minded |
30% |
36% |
-6 |
||
|
Intolerant |
28% |
31% |
-3 |
||
|
Erratic |
23% |
24% |
-1 |
Malcolm Turnbull’s key attributes were intelligent (81%), hard working (71%), a capable leader (70%) and understands the problems facing Australia (63%).
Since February, there have been major increases for a capable leader (+10%), understands the problems facing Australia (+8%), intelligent (+7%) and visionary (+7%).
Q. Which of the following describe your opinion of the Opposition Leader, Bill Shorten?
|
Oct 2013 |
May 2014 |
Dec 2014 |
Feb 2015 |
Jun 2015 |
Total 22 Sep 2015 |
Change |
|||
|
Hard working |
65% |
66% |
64% |
61% |
60% |
61% |
+1 |
||
|
Intelligent |
69% |
66% |
66% |
62% |
61% |
58% |
-3 |
||
|
Understands the problems facing Australia |
50% |
53% |
53% |
52% |
49% |
48% |
-1 |
||
|
Out of touch with ordinary people |
42% |
39% |
40% |
45% |
42% |
46% |
+4 |
||
|
Superficial |
37% |
42% |
41% |
41% |
44% |
43% |
-1 |
||
|
Arrogant |
35% |
36% |
35% |
39% |
39% |
41% |
+2 |
||
|
Narrow-minded |
31% |
35% |
36% |
38% |
34% |
41% |
+7 |
||
|
Erratic |
30% |
32% |
30% |
31% |
33% |
39% |
+6 |
||
|
A capable leader |
49% |
51% |
46% |
47% |
43% |
36% |
-7 |
||
|
Aggressive |
31% |
32% |
29% |
28% |
28% |
36% |
+8 |
||
|
Intolerant |
30% |
29% |
27% |
30% |
27% |
33% |
+6 |
||
|
Good in a crisis |
40% |
40% |
38% |
37% |
38% |
33% |
-5 |
||
|
Trustworthy |
34% |
36% |
34% |
33% |
33% |
30% |
-3 |
||
|
Visionary |
33% |
30% |
30% |
30% |
29% |
26% |
-3 |
||
|
More honest than most politicians |
27% |
32% |
29% |
29% |
29% |
23% |
-6 |
Bill Shorten’s key attributes were hard working (61%), intelligent (58%), understands the problems facing Australia (48%) and out of touch with ordinary people (46%).
Since June, the major changes have been for aggressive (+8%), narrow minded (+7%), a capable leader (-7%), erratic (+6%), more honest than most politicians (-6%) and intolerant (+6%).