Action on climate change, climate change
Q. As far as you know, do you think Australia is doing enough, not enough or too much to address climate change?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote Other | ||
| Doing enough | 24% | 16% | 42% | 4% | 16% | |
| Not doing enough | 53% | 69% | 35% | 91% | 61% | |
| Doing too much | 7% | 4% | 8% | 3% | 13% | |
| Don’t know | 16% | 11% | 16% | 3% | 10% |
53% think Australia is not doing enough to address climate change and 24% think Australia is doing enough.
Those most likely to think Australia is not dong enough were aged 18-34 (63%) and university educated (62%).
Q. How likely do you think it is that Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party would try to bring back industrial laws similar to WorkChoices?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote Other | Work full time | Work part time | May 2013 | ||||
| Total likely | 44% | 65% | 30% | 60% | 54% | 46% | 41% | 51% | |||
| Total unlikely | 26% | 16% | 41% | 21% | 25% | 29% | 21% | 27% | |||
| Very likely | 20% | 36% | 7% | 42% | 19% | 18% | 17% | 26% | |||
| Quite likely | 24% | 29% | 23% | 18% | 35% | 28% | 24% | 25% | |||
| Not very likely | 17% | 10% | 28% | 13% | 14% | 18% | 17% | 16% | |||
| Not at all likely | 9% | 6% | 13% | 8% | 11% | 11% | 4% | 11% | |||
| Don’t know | 29% | 19% | 29% | 19% | 21% | 25% | 37% | 23% |
44% think it likely that Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party would try to bring back industrial laws similar to WorkChoices and 26% think it unlikely.
Since this question was asked in May 2013 (before the election of the Abbott Government), those thinking it likely has dropped from 51% to 44% – mostly due to an increase in “don’t know” from 23% to 29%.
Q. If the Liberal Government reintroduced WorkChoices or similar laws, how concerned would you be?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote Other | Work full time | Work part time | May 2013 | ||||
| Total very/quite concerned | 41% | 64% | 22% | 67% | 47% | 43% | 44% | 41% | |||
| Very concerned | 24% | 44% | 7% | 46% | 27% | 24% | 22% | 26% | |||
| Quite concerned | 17% | 20% | 15% | 21% | 20% | 19% | 22% | 15% | |||
| A little concerned | 18% | 15% | 24% | 7% | 26% | 22% | 17% | 17% | |||
| Not concerned | 19% | 5% | 40% | 7% | 17% | 20% | 13% | 27% | |||
| Don’t know | 21% | 16% | 15% | 19% | 11% | 14% | 26% | 14% |
41% said they would be very or quite concerned if the Liberal Government reintroduced WorkChoices or similar laws and 37% said they would be only a little or not concerned. These results are almost identical to those from when the question was asked in May 2013.
Q. For each of the following Australian industries and organisations, please indicate how affected by corruption you think they are:
| Widespread corruption | Some corruption | Very little corruption | Don’t know | |
| Government | 39% | 39% | 10% | 12% |
| Building and construction | 34% | 38% | 11% | 17% |
| Media | 27% | 44% | 12% | 16% |
| Finance sector (banks and insurance) | 27% | 42% | 14% | 17% |
| Mining | 25% | 43% | 15% | 18% |
| Law enforcement (police) | 17% | 49% | 19% | 15% |
| Health | 10% | 32% | 38% | 20% |
| Agriculture | 7% | 28% | 41% | 24% |
| Education | 6% | 29% | 43% | 21% |
| Science and technology | 6% | 22% | 47% | 24% |
The most corrupt industries and organisations were thought to be Government (39% widespread corruption), building and construction (34%), media (27%), finance (27%) and mining (25%).
The least corrupt were thought to be science and technology (47% very little corruption), education (43%) and agriculture (41%).
Q. Which of the following political expenses should politicians be reimbursed for?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote Other | Oct 2013 | |||
| Travel for events directly related to their electoral or parliamentary work (unlimited if work related) | 64% | 65% | 70% | 78% | 61% | 70% | ||
| Printing of materials to inform their electorate | 62% | 62% | 68% | 69% | 59% | 53% | ||
| Publications allowance (for books and magazines) | 38% | 37% | 42% | 52% | 33% | 31% | ||
| Overseas study trips (a limited number per year) | 34% | 34% | 38% | 46% | 29% | 36% | ||
| Free use of a taxpayer funded car | 29% | 27% | 35% | 29% | 22% | 29% | ||
| An allowance for nights spent in Canberra, regardless of where the MP stays | 26% | 24% | 31% | 23% | 23% | 19% | ||
| An electorate allowance that covers the cost of serving the electorate, which MP’s can keep if it is not spent | 21% | 20% | 22% | 26% | 20% | 16% | ||
| Social events for networking purposes | 17% | 12% | 26% | 11% | 12% | 19% | ||
| Travel for politicians families to visit them in Canberra or interstate when they are on Government business | 16% | 16% | 16% | 26% | 12% | 18% | ||
| Travel for politicians spouses to accompany them on overseas trips | 15% | 14% | 16% | 21% | 15% | 15% |
More than half approve of reimbursing politicians for travel for events directly related to their electoral or parliamentary work (64%) and printing of materials to inform their electorate (62%). A substantial minority also approve a publications allowance (38%) and limited overseas study trips (34%).
Very few supported funding for travel for spouses to accompany them on overseas trips (15%) or family travel within Australia (16%).
Since this question was asked in October 2013, support has fallen for funding travel to directly-related events (down 6%), but increased for printing (up 9%), publications (up 7%) and an allowance for nights spent in Canberra (up 7%).
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job the following people are doing as Government Ministers?
| Total appr. | Total dis-appr | Net score | Strongly appr | Appr. | Dis-app | Strongly dis- appr |
Don’t know | Lib/ Nat voters app |
Lib/ Nat voters dis-app |
|
| Julie Bishop – Foreign Affairs | 56% | 22% | +34 | 23% | 33% | 11% | 11% | 22% | 76% | 8% |
| Malcolm Turnbull – Communications | 47% | 24% | +23 | 12% | 35% | 15% | 9% | 29% | 64% | 13% |
| George Brandis – Attorney General | 28% | 30% | -2 | 4% | 24% | 15% | 15% | 43% | 48% | 15% |
| Scott Morrison – Social Services | 30% | 35% | -5 | 9% | 21% | 18% | 17% | 36% | 55% | 14% |
| Christopher Pyne – Education | 30% | 39% | -9 | 6% | 24% | 19% | 20% | 31% | 55% | 16% |
| Greg Hunt – Environment | 27% | 36% | -9 | 5% | 22% | 18% | 18% | 38% | 47% | 18% |
| Joe Hockey – Treasurer | 31% | 48% | -17 | 7% | 24% | 21% | 27% | 21% | 61% | 24% |
Julie Bishop and Malcolm Turnbull were positively rated for the jobs they were doing as Government Ministers. 56% approved and 22% disapproved of the job Julie Bishop is doing and 47% approved and 24% disapproved of the job Malcolm Turnbull is doing.
Other ministers had net negative ratings – in particular Joe Hockey with 31% approving and 48% disapproving of the job he is doing.
Since this question was asked in July last year, ratings have improved for Julie Bishop (+31), Malcolm Turnbull (+10) and Christopher Pyne (+9) but declined for Joe Hockey (-5).
federal politics voting intention
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 = 1,845 respondents
| First preference/leaning to | Election 7 Sep 13 |
4 weeks ago 14/7/15 |
2 weeks ago 28/7/15 | Last week 4/8/15 |
This week 11/8/15 | |
| Liberal | 38% | 36% | 36% | 38% | ||
| National | 3% | 4% | 3% | 3% | ||
| Total Liberal/National | 45.6% | 41% | 40% | 39% | 40% | |
| Labor | 33.4% | 38% | 38% | 38% | 39% | |
| Greens | 8.6% | 11% | 11% | 12% | 11% | |
| Palmer United Party | 5.5% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% | |
| Other/Independent | 6.9% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 8% |
| 2 Party Preferred | Election 7 Sep 13 |
4 weeks ago 14/7/15 |
2 weeks ago 28/7/15 |
Last week 4/8/15 |
This week 11/8/15 | |
| Liberal National | 53.5% | 48% | 47% | 47% | 47% | |
| Labor | 46.5% | 52% | 53% | 53% | 53% |
NB. 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. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Prime Minister?
| Total | Vote Lab | Vote Lib/ Nat |
Vote Grn | Vote Other | Sep 2013 | June 2014 | Mar 2015 | Apr 2015 | May 2015 | Jun 2015 | Jul 2015 | |||
| Total approve | 38% | 12% | 82% | 6% | 23% | 41% | 35% | 31% | 33% | 36% | 39% | 37% | ||
| Total disapprove | 53% | 82% | 10% | 91% | 63% | 36% | 58% | 56% | 58% | 54% | 50% | 53% | ||
| Strongly approve | 9% | 2% | 22% | 1% | 2% | 14% | 10% | 7% | 7% | 10% | 11% | 11% | ||
| Approve | 29% | 10% | 60% | 5% | 21% | 27% | 25% | 24% | 26% | 26% | 28% | 26% | ||
| Disapprove | 22% | 30% | 9% | 19% | 33% | 13% | 18% | 22% | 28% | 25% | 23% | 24% | ||
| Strongly disapprove | 31% | 52% | 1% | 72% | 40% | 23% | 40% | 34% | 30% | 29% | 27% | 29% | ||
| Don’t know | 10% | 6% | 7% | 3% | 4% | 23% | 7% | 12% | 9% | 11% | 12% | 10% |
38% of respondents approve of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Prime Minister – up 1% since the last time this question was asked in July – and 53% disapprove of the job Tony Abbott is doing (no change). This represents a 1-point change in his net rating from -16 to -15.
82% (up 1%) of Liberal/National voters approve of Tony Abbott’s performance, with 10% (down 3%) disapproving. 82% of Labor voters and 91% of Greens voters disapprove of Tony Abbott’s performance.
By gender men were 41% approve/53% disapprove and women 34% approve/53% disapprove.