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  • May, 2012

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    Approval of Budget Items

    Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the following parts of the Federal budget?

     

    Total approve

    Total disapprove

    Strongly approve

    Approve

    Disapprove

    Strongly disapprove

    Don’t know

    Reduced spending on defence

    48%

    43%

    14%

    34%

    28%

    15%

    10%

    Increased spending on dental health

    87%

    8%

    30%

    57%

    7%

    1%

    6%

    Bonus payments to low-income families with children at school

    60%

    33%

    16%

    44%

    20%

    13%

    7%

    Returning the budget to surplus

    61%

    26%

    15%

    46%

    19%

    7%

    14%

    Tightening eligibility for parenting payments for single mothers

    65%

    25%

    26%

    39%

    17%

    8%

    10%

    Increasing tax on super contributions for people on high incomes

    60%

    31%

    28%

    32%

    20%

    11%

    9%

    Respondents were divided on reduced defence spending – 48% approved and 43% disapproved. Support for reduced defence spending was highest among those aged 18-34 (57%).

    On all other items measured there was quite strong approval – in particular on increased spending on dental health (87%). Other items received at least 60% support – including 61% approval of returning the budget to surplus. 71% of Labor voters and 58% of Liberal/National voters approved the return to surplus.

    Increasing tax on super contributions for people on high incomes was approved by 52% of those on incomes of $1,600+ pw and disapproved by 40%.

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  • May, 2012

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    Trust Most to Handle Economy

    Q. Who would you trust most to handle Australia’s economy – the Treasurer Wayne Swan or the Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Wayne Swan

    34%

    77%

    6%

    51%

    Joe Hockey

    33%

    5%

    65%

    6%

    Don’t know

    33%

    18%

    29%

    43%

    34% would trust Wayne Swan most to handle the economy and 33% would trust Joe Hockey most. 33% could not give an opinion.

    Those aged under 35 trust Wayne Swan more (32%/21%) and those aged 55+ trust Joe Hockey more (47%/31%).

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  • May, 2012

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    TRENDS: Who loves a nanny state?


    Peter Lewis talks us through our love for a nanny state — as long as it doesn’t overstep the mark

    The metaphorical nannies are out to control us; to mollycoddle and corrupt us; to intervene and suppress the free spirit in those of us who just want to puff on a ciggie or punt on a pokie or jump off a cliff because the other kids are doing it.

    But while collectively we denounce a controlling nanny state, EMC polling shows that most of us actually like a designated grown up. Peter Lewis talks us through the details on 3Q.

    http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/3982400.html

  • May, 2012

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    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 = 1,909 respondents

    First preference/leaning to

    Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago

    10/4/12

    2 weeks ago

    23/4/12

    Last week

    30/4/12

    This week

    7/5/12

    Liberal

    47%

    45%

    46%

    47%

    National

    3%

    3%

    3%

    3%

    Total Lib/Nat

    43.6%

    50%

    49%

    50%

    50%

    Labor

    38.0%

    31%

    31%

    31%

    29%

    Greens

    11.8%

    11%

    11%

    11%

    11%

    Other/Independent

    6.6%

    9%

    9%

    9%

    9%

     

    2PP

    Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago

    2 weeks ago

    Last week

    This week

    Total Lib/Nat

    49.9%

    57%

    56%

    57%

    58%

    Labor

    50.1%

    43%

    44%

    43%

    42%

     

    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 2010 election. These estimates have a confidence interval of approx. + or – 2%.

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  • May, 2012

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    The Australian Economy

    Q. Thinking about the state of the world economy, how do you think the Australian economy has performed over the last few years compared to other countries?

     

    15 Aug 11

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Total better

    70%

    66%

    80%

    60%

    73%

    Total worse

    10%

    15%

    8%

    19%

    10%

    A lot better

    31%

    29%

    49%

    19%

    38%

    A little better

    39%

    37%

    31%

    41%

    35%

    About the same

    16%

    16%

    12%

    20%

    17%

    A little worse

    7%

    9%

    6%

    10%

    8%

    A lot worse

    3%

    6%

    2%

    9%

    2%

    Don’t know

    3%

    3%

    1%

    1%

    1%

    66% think that Australia’s economy has performed better than other countries over the last few years, 16% say about the same and 15% think it has been worse. This represents a shift from net +60 to net +51 since this question was previous asked in August last year.

    There were no substantial differences across demographic groups although those on higher incomes are a little more likely to believe it has performed better – 71% of those on incomes over $1,600pw compared to 61% of those earning under $1,000pw.

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  • May, 2012

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    Trust to deal with GFC

    Q. If there was another Global Financial Crisis, which party would you trust most to deal with it?

     

    15 Aug 11

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    The Labor Party

    31%

    25%

    68%

    2%

    42%

    The Liberal Party

    40%

    42%

    5%

    83%

    5%

    No difference

    20%

    23%

    19%

    11%

    39%

    Don’t know

    9%

    10%

    8%

    4%

    14%

    If there was another GFC, 42% would trust the Liberal Party more to handle it and 25% would trust the Labor Party more. This represents a shift to the Liberal Party from net +9% to net +17%

    The Liberal Party was rated higher than Labor with all demographic groups. Those most likely to trust the Liberal Party more were men (47%), aged 55+ (48%), full-time workers (50%) and income over $1,600 pw (50%).

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  • May, 2012

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    The Economy

    Q. Over the next 12 months do you think economic conditions in Australia will get better, get worse or stay much the same?  

     

    1 Dec

    08

    15 Jun 09

    5 Oct

    09

    28 Jun

    10

    18 Oct

    10

    4 April

    11

    4 Jul

    11

    3 Oct

    11

    26 Mar 12

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Total better

    21%

    43%

    66%

    33%

    40%

    27%

    22%

    16%

    25%

    23%

    39%

    18%

    22%

    Total worse

    61%

    37%

    15%

    31%

    30%

    37%

    49%

    58%

    46%

    46%

    31%

    59%

    30%

    Get a lot better

    2%

    5%

    8%

    5%

    6%

    4%

    3%

    2%

    3%

    2%

    7%

    1%

    1%

    Get a little better

    19%

    38%

    58%

    28%

    34%

    23%

    19%

    14%

    22%

    21%

    32%

    17%

    21%

    Get a little worse

    45%

    28%

    11%

    23%

    20%

    27%

    31%

    41%

    31%

    31%

    27%

    37%

    22%

    Get a lot worse

    16%

    9%

    4%

    8%

    10%

    10%

    18%

    17%

    15%

    15%

    4%

    22%

    8%

    Stay much the same

    13%

    17%

    15%

    30%

    24%

    27%

    25%

    22%

    21%

    25%

    28%

    19%

    41%

    No opinion

    5%

    3%

    4%

    7%

    6%

    8%

    4%

    4%

    7%

    6%

    2%

    3%

    8%

    Confidence in the economic outlook has shown little change since March.  The percentage of respondents believing conditions to be getting better declined 2 points to 23%, while those believing that economic conditions will get worse over the next 12 months remained at 46%.

    Labor voters are optimistic overall – 39% better/31% worse.  Coalition voters are the most pessimistic, with 59% believing that thing will get worse over the next 12 months and only 18% better.

    There was little difference across demographic groups.

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  • May, 2012

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    Politicians Accused of an Offence

    Q. In general, if a politician is accused of an offence, do you think they should stand down from the positions they hold or should they be allowed to continue in their positions until a decision is made about their guilt or innocence?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Should stand down from their positions

    62%

    50%

    73%

    46%

    Should be allowed to continue in their positions

    27%

    41%

    20%

    39%

    Don’t know

    10%

    9%

    8%

    15%

    62% think that if a politician is accused of an offence, they should stand down from the positions they hold and 27% think should they be allowed to continue in their positions until a decision is made about their guilt or innocence.

    All demographic and voter groups were more likely to think they should stand down – although Labor (41%) and Greens (39%) voters recorded the highest support for allowing them to continue. Older respondents were more likely to think they should stand down – those aged 55+ split 72% stand down/23% continue and those aged 18-34 split 51% stand down/36% continue.

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