Approval of Tony Abbott, Tony abbot
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 Oth. | June 2014 | Sep 2014 | Dec 2014 | Jan 2015 | Feb 2015 | Mar 2015 | Apr 2015 | |||
| Total approve | 36% | 7% | 78% | 1% | 35% | 35% | 35% | 32% | 37% | 29% | 31% | 33% | ||
| Total disapprove | 54% | 87% | 14% | 83% | 58% | 58% | 52% | 55% | 53% | 62% | 56% | 58% | ||
| Strongly approve | 10% | 1% | 25% | 3% | 5% | 10% | 9% | 8% | 9% | 7% | 7% | 7% | ||
| Approve | 26% | 6% | 53% | 8% | 30% | 25% | 26% | 24% | 28% | 22% | 24% | 26% | ||
| Disapprove | 25% | 32% | 12% | 43% | 23% | 18% | 22% | 22% | 23% | 26% | 22% | 28% | ||
| Strongly disapprove | 29% | 55% | 2% | 40% | 25% | 40% | 30% | 33% | 30% | 36% | 34% | 30% | ||
| Don’t know | 11% | 6% | 8% | 6% | 17% | 7% | 13% | 12% | 10% | 9% | 12% | 9% |
36% of respondents approve of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Prime Minister – up 3% since the last time this question was asked in April – and 54% disapprove of the job Tony Abbott is doing (down 4%). This represents a 7-point change in his net rating from -25 to -18.
78% (up 3%) of Liberal/National voters approve of Tony Abbott’s performance, with 14% (down 4%) disapproving. 87% of Labor voters and 83% of Greens voters disapprove of Tony Abbott’s performance.
By gender men were 40% approve/54% disapprove and women 32% approve/53% disapprove.
approval of bill shorten, Bill Shorten
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Bill Shorten is doing as Opposition Leader?
| Total | Vote Lab | Vote Lib/ Nat |
Vote Grn | Vote Oth. | June 2014 | Sep 2014 | Dec 2014 | Jan 2015 | Feb 2015 | Mar 2015 | Apr 2015 | |||
| Total approve | 32% | 56% | 18% | 29% | 17% | 38% | 35% | 35% | 39% | 33% | 34% | 33% | ||
| Total disapprove | 41% | 21% | 63% | 43% | 47% | 40% | 36% | 39% | 33% | 38% | 39% | 42% | ||
| Strongly approve | 4% | 8% | 1% | 5% | – | 7% | 5% | 7% | 7% | 8% | 5% | 6% | ||
| Approve | 28% | 48% | 17% | 24% | 17% | 31% | 30% | 28% | 32% | 25% | 29% | 27% | ||
| Disapprove | 23% | 18% | 27% | 35% | 20% | 22% | 22% | 23% | 19% | 21% | 21% | 25% | ||
| Strongly disapprove | 18% | 3% | 36% | 8% | 27% | 18% | 14% | 16% | 14% | 17% | 18% | 17% | ||
| Don’t know | 27% | 23% | 18% | 27% | 36% | 22% | 29% | 26% | 28% | 29% | 27% | 25% |
32% (down 1% since April) of respondents approve of the job Bill Shorten is doing as opposition leader and 41% (down 1%) disapprove – for no change in his net rating of -9.
56% (down 5%) of Labor voters approve of the job Bill Shorten is doing and 21% (up 3%) disapprove.
32% of men and 33% of women approve of Bill Shorten. 49% of men and 34% of women disapprove.
approval of bill shorten, Approval of Tony Abbott, Better Prime Minister
Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Tony Abbott and Bill Shorten?
| Total | Vote Lab | Vote Lib/ Nat |
Vote Grn | Vote Other | Oct 2013 | June 2014 | Dec 2104 | Jan 2015 | Feb 2015 | Mar 2015 | Apr 2015 | |||
| Tony Abbott | 35% | 4% | 78% | 11% | 32% | 41% | 36% | 31% | 35% | 31% | 33% | 32% | ||
| Bill Shorten | 32% | 70% | 4% | 43% | 15% | 22% | 40% | 36% | 37% | 39% | 37% | 35% | ||
| Don’t know | 33% | 26% | 18% | 46% | 53% | 37% | 24% | 33% | 28% | 30% | 30% | 33% |
35% (up 3% since April) of respondents think Tony Abbott would make the better Prime Minister and 32% (down 3%) think Bill Shorten would make the better Prime Minister.
This is the first month Tony Abbott has been preferred over Bill Shorten since November last year.
41% of men prefer Tony Abbott and 31% prefer Bill Shorten – and women prefer Bill Shorten 34% to 29%.
eligibility for age pension, pension
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the Government’s proposal to remove access to the pension for retirees with substantial assets? Under the new proposal, couples with cash and investments of $820,000 or more and singles with $550,000 will not receive a part pension.
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote Other | Men | Women | Aged 18-34 | Aged 35-54 | Aged 55+ | |||
| Total approve | 56% | 58% | 64% | 43% | 56% | 61% | 51% | 50% | 51% | 70% | ||
| Total disapprove | 30% | 31% | 24% | 40% | 36% | 29% | 32% | 32% | 34% | 22% | ||
| Strongly approve | 22% | 22% | 26% | 19% | 24% | 28% | 16% | 16% | 20% | 32% | ||
| Approve | 34% | 36% | 38% | 24% | 32% | 33% | 35% | 34% | 31% | 38% | ||
| Disapprove | 19% | 19% | 14% | 30% | 25% | 19% | 19% | 22% | 20% | 13% | ||
| Strongly disapprove | 11% | 12% | 10% | 10% | 11% | 10% | 13% | 10% | 14% | 9% | ||
| Don’t know | 14% | 10% | 11% | 18% | 9% | 10% | 17% | 19% | 14% | 8% |
56% approve of the Government’s proposal to remove access to the pension for retirees with substantial assets and 30% disapprove.
While all voter and demographic groups were more likely to approve than disapprove, those most likely to approve were aged 55+ (70%). Liberal/National voters (64%), men (61%) and incomes less than $1,000 pw (66%).
Approval of Joe Hockey, Joe Hockey
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Joe Hockey is doing as Treasurer?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other/ Indep-endent | Nov 2013 | Aug 2014 | Mar 2015 | |||
| Total approve | 30% | 10% | 63% | 14% | 18% | 45% | 35% | 27% | ||
| Total disapprove | 48% | 71% | 19% | 63% | 59% | 28% | 44% | 51% | ||
| Strongly approve | 6% | 1% | 13% | 3% | 1% | 13% | 11% | 6% | ||
| Approve | 24% | 9% | 50% | 11% | 17% | 32% | 24% | 21% | ||
| Disapprove | 25% | 33% | 15% | 33% | 30% | 15% | 20% | 25% | ||
| Strongly disapprove | 23% | 38% | 4% | 30% | 29% | 13% | 24% | 26% | ||
| Don’t know | 23% | 19% | 18% | 23% | 23% | 27% | 21% | 22% |
30% approve of the job Joe Hockey is doing as Treasurer and 48% disapprove. 23% could not give an opinion.
This represents a change in net rating from -24 to -18 since this question was asked in March.
By gender – 34% (+6) of men approve and 51% (-3) disapprove; 26% (-1) of women approve and 43% (-5) disapprove.
Joe Hockey, trust to handle economy
Q. Who would you trust most to handle Australia’s economy – The Treasurer Joe Hockey or the Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other/ Indep-endent | Aug 2014 | Mar 2015 | |||
| Joe Hockey | 30% | 7% | 66% | 16% | 21% | 34% | 26% | ||
| Chris Bowen | 22% | 44% | 5% | 26% | 19% | 23% | 25% | ||
| Don’t know | 48% | 49% | 29% | 57% | 61% | 43% | 49% |
30% have more trust in Joe Hockey to handle Australia’s economy and 22% have more trust in Chris Bowen. 48% don’t know who they would trust more.
This represents a 7-point shift in favour of Joe Hockey since this question was asked in March.
access to childcare, Childcare
Q. Which of the following statements is closest to your view?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote Other | Men | Women | Aged 18-34 | Aged 35-54 | Aged 55+ | |||
| All Australian children should have access to childcare and early learning | 55% | 59% | 50% | 77% | 48% | 51% | 60% | 66% | 53% | 46% | ||
| Childcare and early learning should be dependent on whether both parents meet government tests on being in work or actively looking for work | 34% | 31% | 43% | 20% | 36% | 38% | 31% | 24% | 35% | 45% | ||
| Don’t know | 11% | 10% | 8% | 3% | 16% | 11% | 10% | 10% | 12% | 9% |
55% are more likely to agree that all Australian children should have access to childcare and early learning and 34% are more likely to agree that child care and early learning should be dependent on whether both parents meet government tests on being in work or actively looking for work.
Those most likely to agree that all Australian children should have access to childcare and early learning were women (60%), aged 18-34 (66%) and with children in the household (62%).
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 = 1,774 respondents
| First preference/leaning to | Election
7 Sep 13 |
4 weeks ago
7/4/15 |
2 weeks ago 21/4/15 | Last week
28/4/15 |
This week 5/5/15 | |
| Liberal | 36% | 37% | 36% | 37% | ||
| National | 4% | 3% | 4% | 3% | ||
| Total Liberal/National | 45.6% | 40% | 41% | 40% | 40% | |
| Labor | 33.4% | 39% | 39% | 39% | 39% | |
| Greens | 8.6% | 10% | 11% | 10% | 10% | |
| Palmer United Party | 5.5% | 2% | 1% | 2% | 1% | |
| Other/Independent | 6.9% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 9% |
| 2 Party Preferred | Election
7 Sep 13 |
4 weeks ago
7/4/15 |
2 weeks ago 21/4/15 | Last week
28/4/15 |
This week 5/5/15 | |
| Liberal National | 53.5% | 47% | 48% | 47% | 47% | |
| Labor | 46.5% | 53% | 52% | 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.