Important election issues
Q. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election?
|
First |
Second |
Third |
Total 30 Jul 12 |
5 Dec 11 |
6 June 11 |
25 Jan 10 |
|
| Management of the economy |
38% |
16% |
10% |
64% |
62% |
61% |
63% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children |
5% |
10% |
11% |
26% |
22% |
26% |
23% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system |
10% |
19% |
18% |
47% |
47% |
49% |
48% |
| Protecting the environment |
3% |
4% |
4% |
11% |
13% |
15% |
16% |
| A fair industrial relations system |
4% |
3% |
5% |
12% |
11% |
8% |
* |
| Political leadership |
11% |
7% |
7% |
25% |
18% |
17% |
23% |
| Addressing climate change |
3% |
3% |
3% |
9% |
10% |
15% |
16% |
| Controlling interest rates |
2% |
2% |
5% |
9% |
11% |
13% |
15% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries |
13% |
15% |
13% |
41% |
36% |
32% |
33% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply |
* |
1% |
2% |
3% |
4% |
5% |
12% |
| Housing affordability |
3% |
5% |
5% |
13% |
13% |
16% |
14% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system |
4% |
7% |
7% |
18% |
16% |
17% |
14% |
| Security and the war on terrorism |
1% |
1% |
3% |
5% |
4% |
8% |
9% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers |
3% |
4% |
3% |
10% |
8% |
5% |
* |
| Managing population growth |
2% |
3% |
3% |
8% |
8% |
12% |
* |
*Not asked
64% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 47% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system and 41% Australian jobs and protection of local industries.
Since December, there has been an increase in the importance of political leadership (+7%), Australian jobs and protection of local industries (+5%) and ensuring a quality education for all children (+4%).
Important election issues
Q. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election?
| Total | Labor | Liberal/ National | Green | |
| Management of the economy | 61% | 60% | 76% | 28% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 26% | 29% | 24% | 27% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 49% | 50% | 50% | 51% |
| Protecting the environment | 15% | 17% | 10% | 52% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 8% | 12% | 4% | 4% |
| Political leadership | 17% | 16% | 20% | 16% |
| Addressing climate change | 15% | 23% | 6% | 45% |
| Controlling interest rates | 13% | 15% | 13% | 6% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 32% | 28% | 36% | 12% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 5% | 5% | 3% | 7% |
| Housing affordability | 16% | 16% | 13% | 16% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 17% | 14% | 19% | 16% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 8% | 4% | 13% | 1% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 5% | 3% | 5% | 12% |
| Managing population growth | 12% | 12% | 12% | 9% |
There were few substantial differences between voters on issues they considered important. Compared to the average, Labor voters are more likely to rate addressing climate change (23%) as important.
Liberal/National voters attach more importance to management of the economy (76%) and security and the war on terrorism (13%) while Greens voters are more likely to nominate protecting the environment (52%), addressing climate change (45%) and treatment of asylum seekers (12%).
Concern Regarding National Economic Issues
Q. How concerned are you personally about each of the following economic issues facing Australia today?
The issues that most people are very concerned about include food prices and inflation generally (55%), jobs going overseas (49%) and executive salaries (48%). A significant number of people are very concerned about petrol and energy prices (45%) and affordability of housing (41%).
Coalition voters were more likely to be very concerned about food prices and inflation generally (60%), jobs going overseas (57%) and Government debt (54%). Labor voters were more likely to be very concerned about executive wages (54%) and improving wages for low income earners (32%).
Females were more likely than males to be very concerned on most issues, in particular food prices and inflation generally (66% v 45%), improving wages for low income earners (34% v 22%) and unemployment (33% v 25%).
Essential Report
Two Party Preferred: 20 May 2013
In this week's report:
3Q: Latest episodes
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Essential Report with EMC’s Peter Lewis and Jackie Woods
Comments19 Sep 2012Lewis and Woods talk through this week’s polling numbers: voting intention, leader attributes, drug laws in Australia, and more…
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Are we ready for the grey revolution?
Comments12 Sep 2012Ken Morrison says our cities need to be transformed for our ageing population – and it’s not solely about nursing homes.
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Ships, trains and submarines — can we build them here?
Comments11 Sep 2012Tim Ayres wishes Clive Palmer and other mining giants would give local manufacturers a go instead of heading overseas.
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Do we undervalue our public sector innovations?
Comments11 Sep 2012Nadine Flood questions whether governments take our science and other publicly funded breakthroughs for granted.
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