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  • Jan, 2012

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    Most Important Roles of Government

    Q. From the following list, what do you think are the three most important roles of the Federal Government? (Number from 1 to 3 where 1 is the most important, 2 the second most important, etc)

    Most important Second Third Total
    Delivering basic services like health and education 18% 27% 20% 65%
    Managing the economy in uncertain economic times 20% 15% 14% 49%
    Making the big decisions for the nations future 20% 12% 12% 44%
    Ensuring that all Australians benefit from Australia’s wealth 13% 10% 11% 34%
    Supporting Australian industries to provide jobs 8% 12% 12% 32%
    Reducing government spending so money can be returned back to taxpayers 9% 8% 8% 25%
    Investing in infrastructure including road rail and broadband 3% 7% 10% 20%
    Providing support to the most disadvantaged 4% 4% 8% 16%
    Don’t know 5% 5% 5% 5%

    Respondents considered that the most important roles of the Federal Government were delivering basic services like health and hospitals (65%), managing the economy in uncertain economic times (49%) and making the big decisions for the nations future (44%).

    The least important roles were providing support for the most disadvantaged (16%), investing in infrastructure including road rail and broadband (20%) and reducing government spending so money can be returned to taxpayers (25%).

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  • Jan, 2012

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    Party best to handle Issues

    Q. Which party do you think is best to handle each of the following issues?

    Labor Liberal Greens Don’t know
    Making the big decisions for the nations future 28% 41% 5% 26%
    Managing the economy in uncertain economic times 30% 44% 2% 24%
    Delivering basic services like health and education 34% 36% 5% 25%
    Investing in infrastructure including road rail and broadband 34% 36% 2% 28%
    Supporting Australian industries to provide jobs 33% 39% 3% 25%
    Reducing government spending so money can be returned back to taxpayers 21% 46% 3% 29%
    Ensuring that all Australians benefit from Australia’s wealth 31% 34% 6% 29%
    Providing support to the most disadvantaged 34% 27% 9% 29%

    The Liberal Party was considered substantially better than Labor at making the big decisions for the nations future (41% to 28%), managing the economy in uncertain economic times (44%/30% ) and reducing Government spending so money can be retuned back to taxpayers (46%/21%).

    They were also considered a little better at supporting Australian industries to provide jobs (39%/33%). The Labor Party was considered a little better at providing support to the most disadvantaged (34%/27%) and the two parties scored similarly on delivering basic services like health and education, investing in infrastructure including road rail and broadband and ensuring that all Australians benefit from Australia’s wealth.

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  • Jan, 2012

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    Support for Other Manufacturing Sectors

    Q. Do you think other manufacturing sectors that are under pressure from the high Australian dollar should receive similar assistance from Governments, or do you think the car industry needs special assistance?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Other manufacturing industries should receive similar assistance 62% 61% 66% 68%
    The car industry needs special assistance 12% 15% 15% 9%
    Don’t know 26% 24% 19% 23%

    62% thought that other manufacturing industries should receive similar assistance and only 12% thought the car industry needs special assistance. There were no major differences across demographic and voter groups – although strongest support for similar assistance for other industries came from Greens voters (68%), aged 45+ (69%) and Victorian residents (68%).

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  • Jan, 2012

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    Should Australia be a Country that “Makes things”

    Q. A number of politicians have said about the manufacturing industry that Australia should be an economy that “makes things.” Do you agree or disagree?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total agree 79% 84% 84% 76%
    Total disagree 6% 6% 7% 6%
    Strongly agree 25% 27% 27% 16%
    Agree 54% 57% 57% 60%
    Disagree 6% 5% 7% 5%
    Strongly disagree * * 1%
    Don’t know 14% 10% 9% 18%

    There was strong agreement with the idea that Australia should be an economy that “makes things”. 79% agreed and only 6% of respondents disagreed.

    84% of both Labor and Liberal/National voters agreed – but generally results were similar across demographic groups.

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  • Dec, 2011

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    2012 Outlook – Economy and Family

    Q. Thinking about the next 12 months, do you think 2012 will be a good or bad year for each of the following?

    Total good

    Dec 10

    Total bad

    Dec10

    Total good Total bad Very good Good Neither good nor bad Bad Very bad Don’t know/Not applicable
    The Australian economy 48% 16% 29% 35% 3% 26% 32% 28% 7% 3%
    Your personal financial situation 39% 20% 33% 27% 4% 29% 38% 20% 7% 2%
    Your workplace * 47% 16% 45% 20% 6% 39% 36% 15% 5% 2%
    You and your family overall 51% 14% 52% 16% 10% 42% 30% 12% 4% 2%

    * based on working people

    Overall, respondents were optimistic that 2012 would be a good year for themselves overall (52%) and their workplace (45%). They tended to be less optimistic about their financial situation (33% good/27% bad) and somewhat pessimistic about the Australian economy (29%/35%).

    Compared to expectations 12 months ago, respondents were much less optimistic about the Australian economy (48% good last year compared to 29% good this year) and also rather less optimistic about their own financial situation (39%/20% last year compared to 33%/27% this year).

    When compared with last week’s questions on perceptions of 2011, these figures suggest that respondents expect 2012 to be better than 2011 for themselves and their family (net +36% for next year compared to net +24% for this year), a little better for their workplace (+25% next year, +20% last year) and their own financial situation (+6% next year, -2% this year). The Australian economy is expected to be a little worse in 2012 (-6% next year compared to +2% last year).

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  • Dec, 2011

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    Performance of Australian Economy

    Q. How do you think the Australian economy is performing in comparison to other developed countries?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total better 73% 84% 72% 80%
    Total worse 7% 3% 8% 1%
    A lot better 27% 44% 19% 32%
    A little better 46% 40% 53% 48%
    About the same 16% 13% 16% 12%
    A little worse 5% 2% 5% 1%
    A lot worse 2% 1% 3%
    Don’t know 4% 1% 3% 6%

    If ‘a lot better’ or ‘a little better’ –

    Q. How much credit do the following deserve for the current performance of Australia’s economy?

    A lot Some A little None Don’t know
    The Federal Labor Government 18% 31% 23% 21% 6%
    The previous Coalition Government 21% 31% 26% 15% 6%
    The booming resources sector 47% 31% 12% 3% 7%
    The Reserve Bank 6% 42% 29% 13% 9%

    73% think that the Australian economy is performing better than other developed countries and only 7% think it is performing worse.

    Respondents give most credit for the performance of the economy to the booming resources sector (78% a lot or some credit). They give similar credit to the Labor Government (49%) and the previous Coalition Government (52%).

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  • Dec, 2011

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    The Past Year – The Economy and Industries

    Q. Thinking about the last 12 months, has it been a good or bad year for each of the following?

    Total good

    (Dec 10

    Total bad

    (Dec 10)

    Total good Total bad Very good Good Neither good nor bad Bad Very bad Don’t know
    The banks 69% 13% 71% 8% 35% 36% 16% 6% 2% 4%
    The mining industry 57% 14% 68% 11% 34% 34% 15% 8% 3% 6%
    Large companies and corporations 44% 15% 40% 22% 8% 32% 32% 18% 4% 6%
    The Australian economy 41% 20% 33% 31% 4% 29% 32% 24% 7% 3%
    The media 30% 14% 25% 27% 6% 19% 37% 19% 8% 10%
    Farming and agriculture 14% 50% 23% 40% 2% 21% 30% 28% 12% 7%
    The environment 14% 37% 20% 33% 3% 17% 41% 24% 9% 6%
    Small business 14% 45% 10% 61% 1% 9% 24% 42% 19% 6%

    A majority of respondents think it has been a good year for the banks (71%) and the mining industry (68%). They are also more likely to think it has been a good year for large companies and corporations (40% good/22% bad) and the economy (33%/31%). However, they are more likely to think the year has been bad for small business (61%), farming and agriculture (40%) and the environment (33%).

    In terms of the economy, Labor voters (50% good/18% bad) and Greens voters (47%/15%) were more likely to think it has been a good year – while 45% of Liberal/National voters considered it poor and 23% good.

    Compared to last years’ results, respondents considered 2011 a better year than 2010 for the mining industry (up 11% to 68% good), farming and agriculture (up 9% to 23%) and the environment (up 6% to 20%). Perceptions of the economy dropped from a net +21% to +2%.

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  • Oct, 2011

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    Economic Prosperity

    Q. Which one of the following do you believe will be the most important factor in Australia’s economic prosperity over the next 20 years?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    A strong resources sector 29% 29% 35% 18%
    Continued growth in China and India 21% 23% 22% 24%
    Investment in skills 20% 22% 16% 23%
    Prioritising innovation and technology 18% 18% 13% 31%
    A strong banking and finance sector 12% 9% 13% 5%

    29% believe that a strong resources sector will be the most important factor in Australia’s economic prosperity over the next 20 years and 21% nominate the continued growth in China and India. Labor and Coalition voters were more likely to niominate “a strong resources sector” while 31% of Greens voters nominated “prioritising innovation and technology”.

    Those on higher incomes were more likely to nominate “a strong resources sector “  – 36% of those on income $1,600+ pw.

    There were no major differences by age group.

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