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Approval of the Opposition Leader

18 Jan 2010

Q. Do you strongly approve, approve, disapprove or strongly disapprove of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader?

  Malcolm Turnbull Tony Abbott
  12 Jan 09 9 Feb 09 30 Mar 09 18 May 09 29 Jun 09 10 Aug 09 28 Sept 09 9 Nov 09 30 Nov 09 14 Dec 09 18 Jan 10
Strongly approve 4% 3% 3% 2% 4% 2% 3% 3% 2% 7% 5%
Approve 37% 29% 25% 28% 20% 20% 24% 26% 23% 27% 32%
Disapprove 21% 26% 31% 28% 31% 30% 35% 30% 33% 18% 20%
Strongly disapprove 9% 17% 17% 21% 26% 28% 18% 20% 22% 18% 17%
Don’t know 29% 24% 24% 21% 19% 20% 21% 20% 19% 31% 26%
Total approve 41% 32% 28% 30% 24% 22% 27% 29% 25% 34% 37%
Total disapprove 30% 43% 48% 49% 57% 58% 53% 50% 55% 36% 37%

 37% of people approve of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader and a further 37% disapprove.  Abbott’s approval rating has increased slightly since we last asked this question in December (+3%) and his disapproval rating has increased by one percent. 

Perception of the job Abbott is doing as Leader of the Opposition followed party lines – Coalition voters were more likely to approve (70%), while Labor voters were more likely to disapprove (50%), as were Green voters (70%).  26% of Labor voters approve of the job Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader.

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