Q. Recently, a number of suggestions have been made for making a decision about same sex marriage. Do you approve or disapprove of each of the following suggestions?
| Total approve | Total dis-approve | Strongly approve | Approve | Dis-approve | Strongly dis-approve | Don’t know | ||
| Hold a voluntary postal plebiscite followed by a vote in Parliament. | 43% | 38% | 15% | 28% | 18% | 20% | 19% | |
| Hold a vote in Parliament and try to persuade Liberal Party members to cross the floor and vote against their party policy | 43% | 31% | 20% | 23% | 16% | 15% | 25% | |
| Hold a plebiscite in conjunction with the next election | 46% | 34% | 17% | 29% | 18% | 16% | 20% | |
| Wait until after the next election before trying to reach a decision | 22% | 55% | 6% | 16% | 24% | 31% | 23% |
| Total approve | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | ||
| Hold a voluntary postal plebiscite followed by a vote in Parliament. | 43% | 45% | 53% | 40% | 35% | |
| Hold a vote in Parliament and try to persuade Liberal Party members to cross the floor and vote against their party policy | 43% | 59% | 37% | 54% | 26% | |
| Hold a plebiscite in conjunction with the next election | 46% | 44% | 57% | 33% | 52% | |
| Wait until after the next election before trying to reach a decision | 22% | 23% | 27% | 9% | 19% |
Three options for addressing the issue of same sex marriage received moderate support. 46% approved holding a plebiscite with the next election, 43% approved holding a vote in Parliament and 43% supported a postal plebiscite (although 38% disapproved of this option).
A majority (55%) disapproved of waiting until after the next election before trying to reach a decision.
A majority of Labor (59%) and Greens (54%) voters approved of holding a vote in Parliament while Liberal/National voters were more likely to approve holding a plebiscite with the next election (57%) and holding a voluntary postal plebiscite (53%).
Waiting until after the next election was disapproved by 61% of Labor voters, 48% of Liberal/National voters and 70% of Greens voters.
Q. Do you think Australia’s industrial relations and work laws favour the interests of employers or employees or do they balance the interests of both?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Work full time | Work part time | |||
| Favour employers | 39% | 49% | 26% | 44% | 51% | 40% | 33% | ||
| Favour employees | 12% | 10% | 17% | 5% | 10% | 14% | 14% | ||
| Balance interests of both employers and employees | 29% | 27% | 38% | 21% | 21% | 30% | 29% | ||
| Don’t know | 21% | 14% | 19% | 30% | 18% | 17% | 24% |
39% believe that Australia’s industrial relations and work laws favour the interests of employers, 12% think they favour employees and 29% think they balance the interests of both.
Labor (49%) and Greens (44%) voters were more likely to think they favour employers while Liberal/National voters were more likely to think they were balanced (38%).
49% of those earning $600-$1,000 pw thought they favoured employers.
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 25/7/17 | 2 weeks ago 18/7/17 | 4 weeks ago 4/7/17 | Election 2 Jul 16 | |||
| Liberal | 36% | 35% | 33% | 35% | |||
| National | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | |||
| Total Liberal/National | 38% | 38% | 36% | 38% | 42.0% | ||
| Labor | 36% | 37% | 38% | 36% | 34.7% | ||
| Greens | 10% | 10% | 10% | 11% | 10.2% | ||
| Nick Xenophon Team | 4% | 4% | 3% | 3% | |||
| Pauline Hanson’s One Nation | 8% | 7% | 7% | 7% | |||
| Other/Independent | 4% | 5% | 6% | 5% | 13.1% | ||
| 2 party preferred | |||||||
| Liberal National | 48% | 47% | 46% | 47% | 50.4% | ||
| Labor | 52% | 53% | 54% | 53% | 49.6% |
Sample = 1,805. 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 2016 election.
Q. Which of the following issues are the 3 most important for the Federal Government to address over the next 12 months?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote Other | Nov 2016 | Change | |||
| Improving our health system | 42% | 48% | 42% | 32% | 33% | 44% | -2 | ||
| Housing affordability | 36% | 36% | 31% | 36% | 36% | 31% | +5 | ||
| Reducing unemployment | 32% | 33% | 31% | 31% | 38% | 31% | -1 | ||
| National security and terrorism | 32% | 25% | 42% | 8% | 42% | 30% | +2 | ||
| Tax avoidance by big companies | 26% | 27% | 22% | 25% | 30% | 26% | – | ||
| Protecting workers wages and conditions | 22% | 28% | 12% | 25% | 25% | 20% | +2 | ||
| More funds for education | 19% | 22% | 19% | 16% | 13% | 17% | +2 | ||
| Reducing the budget deficit | 19% | 10% | 30% | 9% | 21% | 24% | -5 | ||
| Addressing climate change | 18% | 23% | 12% | 48% | 10% | 16% | +2 | ||
| Protecting our borders | 16% | 9% | 24% | 7% | 25% | 21% | -5 | ||
| Protecting the environment | 16% | 17% | 11% | 38% | 11% | 16% | – | ||
| Investing in public transport | 11% | 12% | 10% | 15% | 6% | 12% | -1 | ||
| Investing in roads | 9% | 9% | 11% | 5% | 7% | 7% | +2 | ||
| Free trade agreements | 3% | 2% | 4% | 6% | 2% | 6% | -3 |
The most important issues for the Federal Government to address over the next 12 months were improving our health system (42%), housing affordability (36%), reducing unemployment (32%) and national security and terrorism (32%).
Main changes since November were an increase in importance of housing affordability (up 5%) and declines in the importance of reducing the budget deficit (down 5%) and protecting our borders (down 5%).
For Labor voters the most important issues were improving our health system (48%), housing affordability (36%) and reducing unemployment (33%).
For Liberal/National voters the most important issues were improving our health system (42%), national security and terrorism (42%), housing affordability (31%) and reducing unemployment (31%).
For Greens voters the most important issues were addressing climate change (48%), protecting the environment (38%) and housing affordability (36%).
Q. In Australia, Federal elections are currently held every 3 years, although the Government can decide to hold an election earlier. Would you support or oppose changing to 4-year fixed terms so that elections are held every 4 years on the same date?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote Other | Aged 18-34 | Aged 35-54 | Aged 55+ | |||
| Total support | 58% | 60% | 64% | 56% | 50% | 52% | 56% | 68% | ||
| Total oppose | 24% | 24% | 22% | 24% | 37% | 25% | 25% | 20% | ||
| Strongly support | 18% | 20% | 19% | 19% | 17% | 13% | 16% | 27% | ||
| Support | 40% | 40% | 45% | 37% | 33% | 39% | 40% | 41% | ||
| Oppose | 15% | 17% | 16% | 14% | 15% | 17% | 15% | 12% | ||
| Strongly oppose | 9% | 7% | 6% | 10% | 22% | 8% | 10% | 8% | ||
| Don’t know | 18% | 16% | 14% | 20% | 13% | 23% | 19% | 12% |
58% support 4-year fixed terms for Federal Parliament and 24% oppose.
Those most likely to support 4-year fixed terms were Liberal/National voters (64%), men (65%) and aged 55+ (68%).
Those most likely to oppose 4-year fixed terms were other party voters (37%) and aged 18-24 (41%).
Q. Do you think social and economic inequality in Australia is increasing, decreasing or staying about the same?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote Other | Aged 18-34 | Aged 35-54 | Aged 55+ | |||
| Total increasing | 52% | 58% | 43% | 67% | 55% | 46% | 55% | 56% | ||
| Total decreasing | 12% | 12% | 15% | 8% | 13% | 11% | 11% | 16% | ||
| Increasing a lot | 24% | 28% | 14% | 41% | 30% | 17% | 27% | 28% | ||
| Increasing a little | 28% | 30% | 29% | 26% | 25% | 29% | 28% | 28% | ||
| Staying about the same | 26% | 23% | 36% | 21% | 22% | 31% | 24% | 24% | ||
| Decreasing a little | 8% | 8% | 13% | 5% | 6% | 8% | 7% | 12% | ||
| Decreasing a lot | 4% | 4% | 2% | 3% | 7% | 3% | 4% | 4% | ||
| Don’t know | 10% | 8% | 6% | 5% | 10% | 12% | 11% | 4% |
52% believe that social and economic inequality in Australia is increasing, 12% think it is decreasing and 26% think it is staying much the same.
Those most likely to think inequality is increasing were Greens voters (67%) and Labor voters (58%).
Q. Would you support or oppose the following tax reforms to pay off debt and raise more funds for Government services and infrastructure?
| Total support | Total oppose | Strongly support | Support | Oppose | Strongly oppose | Don’t know | ||
| Stop companies and wealthy people using legal loopholes in minimise tax payments by sending funds offshore | 86% | 8% | 58% | 28% | 5% | 3% | 7% | |
| Force multinational companies to pay a minimum tax rate on Australian earnings | 82% | 9% | 48% | 34% | 6% | 3% | 9% | |
| Introduce the “Buffett Rule” – which means that very high earners cannot reduce their income tax rate below 30%. | 71% | 12% | 34% | 37% | 8% | 4% | 17% | |
| Increase the income tax rate for high earners | 61% | 27% | 26% | 35% | 21% | 6% | 11% | |
| Remove superannuation tax concessions for high earners | 54% | 30% | 22% | 32% | 18% | 12% | 15% | |
| Cap deductions for tax accounting fees to $3000 | 52% | 18% | 21% | 31% | 13% | 5% | 30% | |
| Stop people using Family Trusts to split income among family members | 51% | 25% | 23% | 28% | 18% | 7% | 24% | |
| Limit negative gearing and capital gains property investments | 50% | 27% | 19% | 31% | 17% | 10% | 22% | |
| Increase the GST | 25% | 65% | 4% | 21% | 30% | 35% | 10% | |
| Introduce an inheritance tax on deceased estates | 15% | 69% | 4% | 11% | 29% | 40% | 16% |
All tax reforms were supported by a majority of respondents, except for introducing an inheritance tax (69% oppose) and increasing the GST (65% oppose). The most supported reforms were stopping minimizing tax by sending funds offshore (86% support), forcing multinational companies to pay a minimum tax rate (82%) and introducing the “Buffet Rule” (71%).
| Total support | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote Other | ||
| Stop companies and wealthy people using legal loopholes in minimise tax payments by sending funds offshore | 86% | 87% | 86% | 86% | 89% | |
| Force multinational companies to pay a minimum tax rate on Australian earnings | 82% | 84% | 85% | 80% | 83% | |
| Introduce the “Buffett Rule” – which means that very high earners cannot reduce their income tax rate below 30%. | 71% | 71% | 71% | 79% | 77% | |
| Increase the income tax rate for high earners | 61% | 70% | 53% | 68% | 65% | |
| Remove superannuation tax concessions for high earners | 54% | 56% | 57% | 54% | 58% | |
| Cap deductions for tax accounting fees to $3000 | 52% | 52% | 58% | 61% | 50% | |
| Stop people using Family Trusts to split income among family members | 51% | 55% | 53% | 50% | 46% | |
| Limit negative gearing and capital gains property investments | 50% | 54% | 50% | 61% | 47% | |
| Increase the GST | 25% | 18% | 37% | 13% | 27% | |
| Introduce an inheritance tax on deceased estates | 15% | 17% | 14% | 15% | 11% |
Q. Which of the following do you think would make the best leader of the Liberal Party?
| Total | Jun 2014 | Feb 2015 | Aug 2015 | Sep 2015 | Dec 2015 | Mar 2016 | Jul 2016 | Nov 2016 | Mar 2017 | ||
| Malcolm Turnbull | 25% | 31% | 24% | 24% | 37% | 42% | 39% | 30% | 21% | 20% | |
| Tony Abbott | 10% | 18% | 11% | 18% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 11% | 10% | |
| Julie Bishop | 20% | 4% | 21% | 17% | 14% | 13% | 12% | 16% | 20% | 17% | |
| Christopher Pyne | 3% | <1% | <1% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 1% | 3% | 2% | 2% | |
| Scott Morrison | 2% | 1% | 2% | 3% | 4% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 3% | 2% | |
| Peter Dutton | 3% | 2% | |||||||||
| Someone else | 13% | 19% | 13% | 13% | 10% | 9% | 15% | 19% | 18% | 18% | |
| Don’t know | 25% | 21% | 24% | 22% | 21% | 22% | 21% | 21% | 25% | 28% |
| Total | Jun 2014 | Feb 2015 | Aug 2015 | Sep 2015 | Dec 2015 | Mar 2016 | Jul 2016 | Nov 2016 | Mar 2017 | ||
| Malcolm Turnbull | 25% | 31% | 24% | 24% | 37% | 42% | 39% | 30% | 21% | 20% | |
| Tony Abbott | 10% | 18% | 11% | 18% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 11% | 10% | |
| Julie Bishop | 20% | 4% | 21% | 17% | 14% | 13% | 12% | 16% | 20% | 17% | |
| Christopher Pyne | 3% | <1% | <1% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 1% | 3% | 2% | 2% | |
| Scott Morrison | 2% | 1% | 2% | 3% | 4% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 3% | 2% | |
| Peter Dutton | 3% | 2% | |||||||||
| Someone else | 13% | 19% | 13% | 13% | 10% | 9% | 15% | 19% | 18% | 18% | |
| Don’t know | 25% | 21% | 24% | 22% | 21% | 22% | 21% | 21% | 25% | 28% |
25% (up 5% since March) think Malcolm Turnbull would make the best leader of the Liberal Party, 20% prefer Julie Bishop (up 3%) and 10% prefer Tony Abbott (no change). 13% (down 5%) prefer someone else.
Among Liberal/National voters, 40% (up 4%) prefer Malcolm Turnbull, 19% (no change) Julie Bishop and 13% (down 2%) prefer Tony Abbott.
Preferences of men were Malcolm Turnbull 29% (+7%), Julie Bishop 18% (+2%) and Tony Abbott 12% (-1%).
Preferences of women were Julie Bishop 21% (+2%), Malcolm Turnbull 20% (+1%) and Tony Abbott 8% (+1%).