Q. Which of the following describe your opinion of the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull?
| Total | Sep 2016 | Difference | |||
| Intelligent | 72% | 75% | -3 | ||
| Out of touch with ordinary people | 65% | 65% | – | ||
| Hard-working | 61% | 61% | – | ||
| Arrogant | 56% | 56% | – | ||
| Superficial | 52% | 50% | +2 | ||
| A capable leader | 50% | 51% | -1 | ||
| Narrow-minded | 48% | 45% | +3 | ||
| Good in a crisis | 44% | 47% | -3 | ||
| Understands the problems facing Australia | 44% | 46% | -2 | ||
| Intolerant | 39% | 37% | +2 | ||
| Trustworthy | 36% | 39% | -3 | ||
| More honest than most politicians | 34% | 37% | -3 | ||
| Erratic | 34% | 36% | -2 | ||
| Aggressive | 31% | 31% | – | ||
| Visionary | 30% | 35% | -5 |
Malcolm Turnbull’s key attributes were intelligent (72%), out of touch with ordinary people (65%), hard working (61%) and arrogant (56%).
There have only been small changes in perceptions since September. The main changes have been for visionary (down 5%), narrow-minded (up 3%) and intelligent, good in a crisis, trustworthy and more honest than most politicians (all down 3%).
Q. Which of the following describe your opinion of the Opposition Leader, Bill Shorten?
| Total | Sep 2016 | Change | |||
| Hard working | 61% | 61% | – | ||
| Intelligent | 60% | 59% | +1 | ||
| Understands the problems facing Australia | 48% | 49% | -1 | ||
| Out of touch with ordinary people | 47% | 46% | +1 | ||
| Superficial | 46% | 45% | +1 | ||
| Arrogant | 44% | 44% | – | ||
| A capable leader | 43% | 45% | -2 | ||
| Narrow-minded | 42% | 42% | – | ||
| Erratic | 38% | 39% | -1 | ||
| Good in a crisis | 37% | 39% | -2 | ||
| Intolerant | 36% | 33% | +3 | ||
| Aggressive | 35% | 36% | -1 | ||
| Trustworthy | 32% | 32% | – | ||
| Visionary | 29% | 32% | -3 | ||
| More honest than most politicians | 29% | 29% | – |
Bill Shorten’s key attributes were hard working (61%), intelligent (60%) and understands the problems facing Australia (48%).
There have only been small changes in perceptions since September. The main changes have been for intolerant (up 3%) and visionary (down 3%).
| Malcolm Turnbull | Bill Shorten | Difference | ||
| Out of touch with ordinary people | 65% | 47% | +18 | |
| Intelligent | 72% | 60% | +12 | |
| Arrogant | 56% | 44% | +12 | |
| A capable leader | 50% | 43% | +7 | |
| Good in a crisis | 44% | 37% | +7 | |
| Superficial | 52% | 46% | +6 | |
| Narrow-minded | 48% | 42% | +6 | |
| More honest than most politicians | 34% | 29% | +5 | |
| Trustworthy | 36% | 32% | +4 | |
| Intolerant | 39% | 36% | +3 | |
| Visionary | 30% | 29% | +1 | |
| Hard-working | 61% | 61% | – | |
| Understands the problems facing Australia | 44% | 48% | -4 | |
| Erratic | 34% | 38% | -4 | |
| Aggressive | 31% | 35% | -4 |
Compared to Bill Shorten, Malcolm Turnbull is more likely to be considered out of touch with ordinary people (+18), intelligent (+12%), arrogant (+12), a capable leader (+7) and good in a crisis (+7).
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of property investors receiving tax deductions if the cost of buying and maintaining their investment properties is more than the revenue they receive from them (called negative gearing)?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | March 2016 | May 2016 | |||
| Total approve | 44% | 34% | 62% | 30% | 41% | 41% | 43% | ||
| Total disapprove | 35% | 45% | 23% | 57% | 39% | 37% | 36% | ||
| Strongly approve | 16% | 10% | 23% | 8% | 20% | 13% | 14% | ||
| Approve | 28% | 24% | 39% | 22% | 21% | 28% | 29% | ||
| Disapprove | 18% | 21% | 14% | 23% | 23% | 23% | 22% | ||
| Strongly disapprove | 17% | 24% | 9% | 34% | 16% | 14% | 14% | ||
| Don’t know | 21% | 21% | 15% | 13% | 20% | 22% | 21% |
44% approve of negative gearing and 35% disapprove. This is much the same result as when this question was asked in May last year.
Those most likely to approve were Liberal/National voters (62%) and those earning more than $2,000 per week (60%).
45% of Labor voters, 57% of Greens voters, 44% of those aged 55+ and 50% of those earing $600-1,000 per week disapproved.
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of property investors receiving a reduction in Capital Gains Tax on the profits made selling investment properties?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | ||
| Total approve | 37% | 32% | 52% | 20% | 35% | |
| Total disapprove | 41% | 50% | 31% | 63% | 46% | |
| Strongly approve | 13% | 8% | 16% | 7% | 24% | |
| Approve | 24% | 24% | 36% | 13% | 11% | |
| Disapprove | 23% | 25% | 22% | 22% | 29% | |
| Strongly disapprove | 18% | 25% | 9% | 41% | 17% | |
| Don’t know | 22% | 18% | 17% | 18% | 19% |
37% approve of property investors receiving a reduction in Capital Gains Tax and 41% disapprove.
Those most likely to approve were Liberal/National voters (52%) and those earning more than $2,000 per week (55%).
50% of Labor voters, 63% of Greens voters, 55% of those aged 55+ and 58% of those earing $600-1,000 per week disapproved.
Q. What do you think would be the impact on house prices of limiting negative gearing and reducing the concession on Capital Gains Tax?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | ||
| House prices would fall | 19% | 22% | 17% | 17% | 21% | |
| House prices would continue to rise but at a slower rate | 32% | 34% | 34% | 40% | 27% | |
| House prices would continue to rise at the same rate | 17% | 14% | 22% | 16% | 21% | |
| Don’t know | 32% | 30% | 27% | 26% | 31% |
51% think that limiting negative gearing and reducing the concession on Capital Gains Tax would have an impact on house prices. 19% think house prices would fall and 32% think they would rise at a slower rate. Only 17% think house prices would continue to rise at the same rate.
There were not major differences across demographic and voter groups.
Q. Which issue do you think is more important for the Federal government to address – rising energy prices or housing affordability?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Aged 18-34 | Aged 35-54 | Aged 55+ | |||
| Rising energy prices | 44% | 39% | 51% | 27% | 56% | 29% | 46% | 59% | ||
| Housing affordability | 46% | 51% | 43% | 65% | 39% | 57% | 44% | 36% | ||
| Don’t know | 10% | 10% | 6% | 8% | 5% | 14% | 10% | 5% |
46% think housing affordability is a more important issue and 44% think rising energy prices are a more important issue.
Those most likely to think housing affordability is more important were Greens voters (65%), aged 18-34 (58%) and those with university education (54%)
Those most likely to think energy prices are more important were Liberal/National voters (51%) and those aged 55+ (59%).
Q. Would you support or oppose holding a Royal Commission into the banking and financial services industry?
| Total
|
Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | April 2016 | Aug 2016 | |||
| Total support | 64% | 74% | 56% | 76% | 62% | 59% | 64% | ||
| Total oppose | 16% | 6% | 26% | 10% | 20% | 15% | 13% | ||
| Strongly support | 33% | 40% | 22% | 54% | 38% | 27% | 28% | ||
| Support | 31% | 34% | 34% | 22% | 24% | 32% | 36% | ||
| Oppose | 11% | 5% | 17% | 9% | 14% | 11% | 9% | ||
| Strongly oppose | 5% | 1% | 9% | 1% | 6% | 4% | 4% | ||
| Don’t know | 21% | 19% | 17% | 13% | 18% | 25% | 23% |
There was majority support for holding a Royal Commission into the banking and financial services sector – 64% supported a Royal Commission and 16% opposed. This is no significant change since August last year.
Those most likely to support a Royal Commission into the banking and financial services sector were Labor voters (74%) and Greens voters 76%).