Q. If the US becomes involved in a war with North Korea, should Australia commit military support to the US?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | ||
| Should commit military support | 35% | 34% | 45% | 18% | 39% | |
| Should not commit military support | 38% | 43% | 32% | 57% | 38% | |
| Don’t know | 26% | 23% | 23% | 25% | 23% |
35% think that Australia should commit military support if the US becomes involved in a war with North Korea, 38% think they should not and 26% don’t know.
Those most in favour of committing military support were Liberal/National voters (45%), men (43%) and aged 65+ (50%).
Q. Should the decision about whether or not to declare war be made by the Prime Minister or should it be debated and voted on by Parliament?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | ||
| Should be made by Prime Minister | 22% | 17% | 33% | 13% | 21% | |
| Should be voted on by Parliament | 61% | 68% | 56% | 71% | 63% | |
| Don’t know | 17% | 16% | 11% | 16% | 17% |
61% believe that the decision about whether or not to declare war should it be debated and voted on by Parliament and 22% think it should be made by the Prime Minister.
Those most likely to favour a vote in Parliament were aged 65+ (72%), Greens voters (71%) and Labor voters (68%).
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? If don’t know – Well which party are you currently leaning to?
| Total | Last week 8/8/17 | 2 weeks ago 1/8/17 | 4 weeks ago 18/7/17 | Election 2 Jul 16 | |||
| Liberal | 34% | 34% | 36% | 33% | |||
| National | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | |||
| Total Liberal/National | 37% | 37% | 38% | 36% | 42.0% | ||
| Labor | 39% | 39% | 36% | 38% | 34.7% | ||
| Greens | 9% | 9% | 10% | 10% | 10.2% | ||
| Nick Xenophon Team | 2% | 3% | 4% | 3% | |||
| Pauline Hanson’s One Nation | 8% | 8% | 8% | 7% | |||
| Other/Independent | 6% | 5% | 4% | 6% | 13.1% | ||
| 2 party preferred | |||||||
| Liberal National | 46% | 46% | 48% | 46% | 50.4% | ||
| Labor | 54% | 54% | 52% | 54% | 49.6% |
Q. How would you rate the performance of the Turnbull Coalition Government in their handling of the following issues?
| Total good | Total poor | Very good | Good | Average | Poor | Very poor | Don’t know | ||
| Protecting Australia from terrorism | 46% | 16% | 13% | 33% | 32% | 7% | 9% | 5% | |
| Managing the economy | 30% | 27% | 7% | 23% | 38% | 13% | 14% | 5% | |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 30% | 32% | 11% | 19% | 33% | 13% | 19% | 6% | |
| Reducing the budget deficit | 24% | 34% | 5% | 19% | 36% | 18% | 16% | 6% | |
| Funding health services and hospitals | 22% | 40% | 4% | 18% | 33% | 22% | 18% | 5% | |
| Funding schools | 21% | 34% | 4% | 17% | 37% | 20% | 14% | 7% | |
| Funding universities | 20% | 40% | 5% | 15% | 32% | 21% | 19% | 8% | |
| Protecting the natural environment | 19% | 39% | 5% | 14% | 36% | 21% | 18% | 7% | |
| Addressing climate change | 19% | 40% | 6% | 13% | 35% | 19% | 21% | 7% | |
| A fair tax system | 19% | 38% | 4% | 15% | 36% | 19% | 19% | 6% | |
| Implementing the NBN | 18% | 46% | 3% | 15% | 31% | 22% | 24% | 5% | |
| Ensuring reliable and affordable energy | 17% | 51% | 4% | 13% | 27% | 22% | 29% | 5% |
Overall, respondents think the Government is doing a poor job of handling key issues. On all items but two, respondents were more likely to think the Government’s handling of issues was poor.
The only positive issues were protecting Australia from terrorism (46% good/16% poor) and managing the economy (30% good/27% poor).
They believed the Government was doing a particularly poor job of ensuring reliable and affordable energy (17% good/51% poor) and implementing the NBN (18% good/46% poor).
Only 19% think the Government is doing a good job of handling a fair tax system (38% poor).
Q. Which of the following statement best describe your view of the Federal Government?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | ||
| I don’t like their policies or the decisions they have been making | 41% | 64% | 10% | 69% | 54% | |
| I like their policies and am satisfied with the progress they are making | 15% | 8% | 31% | 9% | 2% | |
| I like their policies but they are not making enough progress in implementing them | 28% | 16% | 49% | 11% | 31% | |
| Don’t know | 16% | 13% | 11% | 11% | 13% |
Respondents were divided strongly according to party preferences on the Government’s policies. 41% said they don’t like the Government’s policies while 43% like their policies. However, for those who like their policies a majority (28%) believed they were not making enough progress in implementing them and while only 15% were satisfied with the progress they are making.
Among Liberal/National voters about half (49%) liked their policies but were dissatisfied with the progress they are making.
Q. Australia’s current top income tax rate is 47% on earnings over $180,000. Do you think this rate is too high, too low or about right?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Income less than $600 pw | Income $600-$1,000pw | Income $1,000-$1,500 pw | Income $1,500- $2,000 pw | Income $2,000+ pw | |||
| Too high | 33% | 32% | 38% | 24% | 29% | 21% | 26% | 36% | 36% | 46% | ||
| Too low | 12% | 14% | 12% | 9% | 20% | 11% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 12% | ||
| About right | 39% | 40% | 41% | 48% | 37% | 44% | 45% | 33% | 43% | 35% | ||
| Don’t know | 16% | 14% | 9% | 18% | 15% | 25% | 16% | 17% | 7% | 7% |
33% think that the top income rate is too high, 12% think it is too low and 39% think it is about right.
38% of Liberal/National voters think it is too high while 40% of Labor voters and 48% of Greens voters think it is about right.
Opinions were related to personal income. Those on higher incomes were more likely to think the tax rate is too high – although even those on $2,000+ pw were divided (46% too high and 47% too low or about right).
Q. The Coalition Government has decided to make a second attempt to hold a plebiscite on same-sex marriage. If it does not pass the Senate, they will hold a voluntary postal vote (which does not need legislation). Do you approve or disapprove of this approach to resolving the issue of same-sex marriage?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Men | Women | Aged 18-34 | Aged 35-54 | Aged 55+ | |||
| Total approve | 39% | 31% | 49% | 25% | 37% | 41% | 37% | 43% | 38% | 35% | ||
| Total disapprove | 47% | 55% | 37% | 69% | 52% | 47% | 48% | 42% | 45% | 56% | ||
| Strongly approve | 14% | 13% | 15% | 8% | 15% | 16% | 12% | 13% | 14% | 14% | ||
| Approve | 25% | 18% | 34% | 17% | 22% | 25% | 25% | 30% | 24% | 21% | ||
| Disapprove | 17% | 16% | 18% | 20% | 20% | 14% | 20% | 19% | 16% | 16% | ||
| Strongly disapprove | 30% | 39% | 19% | 49% | 32% | 33% | 28% | 23% | 29% | 40% | ||
| Don’t know | 14% | 13% | 13% | 6% | 11% | 13% | 15% | 15% | 16% | 8% |
Respondents were more likely to disapprove of the Government’s plan for addressing the issue of same-sex marriage. 39% approved but 47% disapproved.
Those most likely disapprove were Greens voters (69%) and Labor voters (55%) while 49% of Liberal/National voters approved.
Younger voters were more likely to approve of the Government’s decision – 43% of those aged 18-34 approved compared to 35% of those aged 55+.
Q. In the last two years, do you think your and your household’s income has gone up more than the cost of living, fallen behind or stayed even with the cost of living?
| Total | Work full time | Work part time | Income less than $600 pw | Income $600-$1,000
pw |
Income $1,000-$1,500 pw | Income $1,500 – $2,000 pw | Income $2,000+ pw | Oct 2014 | Mar 2015 | Nov 2015 | Feb 2016 | |||
| Gone up more | 15% | 22% | 15% | 11% | 11% | 13% | 21% | 21% | 13% | 15% | 14% | 13% | ||
| Fallen behind | 53% | 47% | 54% | 69% | 58% | 54% | 50% | 42% | 48% | 50% | 54% | 51% | ||
| Stayed even | 25% | 24% | 27% | 14% | 25% | 25% | 26% | 34% | 31% | 27% | 26% | 29% | ||
| Don’t know | 6% | 7% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 8% | 3% | 3% | 8% | 7% | 5% | 7% |
53% (up 2% since February 2016) believe that, in the last two years, their income has fallen behind the cost of living. 25% (down 4%) think it has stayed even with the cost of living and 15% (up 2%) think it has gone up more.
69% of those earning under $600 pw and 58% of those earning $600-1,000 pw think their income has fallen behind while 55% of those earning over $2,000 pw think it has stayed the same or gone up.