Q. It has been proposed that the states and territories be allowed to charge some form of income tax to be used to fund services like health and education. It would mean Federal income tax rates would be reduced. Would you support or oppose this proposal?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | ||
| Total support | 34% | 33% | 44% | 32% | 21% | |
| Total oppose | 34% | 40% | 31% | 38% | 51% | |
| Strongly support | 11% | 13% | 14% | 7% | 5% | |
| Support | 23% | 20% | 30% | 25% | 16% | |
| Oppose | 16% | 16% | 16% | 14% | 26% | |
| Strongly oppose | 18% | 24% | 15% | 24% | 25% | |
| Don’t know | 31% | 27% | 24% | 31% | 28% |
34% support allowing the states and territories to charge some form of income tax and 34% oppose. 31% could not give an opinion.
Strongest support came from Liberal/National voters (44%) and those aged under 35 (42%). All other voter groups were more likely to oppose.
Those most likely to oppose were men (42%) and aged 55+ (47%).
Q. In Australia, religious organisations are not required to pay taxes. Do you approve or disapprove of religious organisations having tax-exempt status?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | ||
| Total approve | 24% | 23% | 29% | 16% | 18% | |
| Total disapprove | 64% | 67% | 63% | 79% | 69% | |
| Strongly approve | 7% | 9% | 7% | 1% | 8% | |
| Approve | 17% | 14% | 22% | 15% | 10% | |
| Disapprove | 25% | 28% | 27% | 21% | 16% | |
| Strongly Disapprove | 39% | 39% | 36% | 58% | 53% | |
| Don’t know | 13% | 10% | 9% | 5% | 13% |
24% approve of religious organisations having tax-exempt status and 64% disapprove.
Those most likely to disapprove were Greens voters (79%) and aged 55+ (73%).
Q. Do you think the following groups of people would be better off under a Liberal Government or a Labor Government?
| Better off under a Liberal Govern-ment | Better off under a Labor Govern-ment | Makes no differ-ence | Don’t know | Difference
(Liberal minus Labor) |
Difference
Sept 2015 |
||
| Large corporations | 50% | 11% | 22% | 17% | +39 | +45 | |
| People and families on high incomes | 49% | 12% | 23% | 16% | +37 | +45 | |
| Banks and other financial institutions | 47% | 11% | 24% | 18% | +36 | +36 | |
| Families with children at private school | 40% | 16% | 26% | 18% | +24 | +36 | |
| Small businesses | 29% | 24% | 27% | 19% | +5 | +12 | |
| Farmers and other agricultural producers | 22% | 23% | 32% | 23% | -1 | +5 | |
| People and families on middle incomes | 24% | 30% | 30% | 16% | -6 | -6 | |
| Pensioners | 16% | 36% | 30% | 17% | -20 | -23 | |
| Recent immigrants to Australia | 12% | 33% | 32% | 23% | -21 | -16 | |
| People with disabilities | 15% | 36% | 32% | 17% | -21 | -24 | |
| Average working people | 17% | 38% | 28% | 17% | -21 | -20 | |
| Unemployed people | 12% | 38% | 31% | 18% | -26 | -32 | |
| Single parents | 12% | 39% | 30% | 19% | -27 | -31 | |
| Families with children at public school | 14% | 41% | 28% | 17% | -27 | -23 | |
| People and families on low incomes | 13% | 42% | 28% | 16% | -29 | -33 |
Respondents were substantially more likely to think the following groups would be better off under a Labor Government – low income families, families with children at public school, single parents, the unemployed, average working people, people with disabilities, recent migrants to Australia and pensioners.
They were substantially more likely to think the following groups would be better off under a Liberal Government – large corporations, high income families, banks and financial institutions and families with children at private schools.
Since this question was asked in September 2015 the Liberal Party is a little less likely to be perceived as better for families with children at private schools (down 12 points), those on high incomes (down 8), small businesses (down 7) and large corporations (down 6).
The Labor Party is perceived to be a little better for recent immigrants (up 5) and families with children at public schools (up 4).
Q. Overall, how would you describe the current state of the Australian economy?
| Total
|
Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Apr 2014 | Mar 2015 | Jan 2016 | ||
| Total good | 32% | 23% | 49% | 21% | 20% | 38% | 27% | 28% | |
| Total poor | 27% | 31% | 19% | 38% | 44% | 24% | 33% | 31% | |
| Very good | 3% | 3% | 6% | – | 1% | 3% | 3% | 4% | |
| Good | 29% | 20% | 43% | 21% | 19% | 35% | 24% | 24% | |
| Neither good nor poor | 37% | 42% | 32% | 39% | 36% | 34% | 36% | 36% | |
| Poor | 21% | 24% | 16% | 29% | 30% | 19% | 24% | 24% | |
| Very poor | 6% | 7% | 3% | 9% | 14% | 5% | 9% | 7% | |
| Don’t know | 3% | 3% | <1% | 2% | – | 4% | 4% | 4% |
32% described the economy as good or very good and 27% poor/very poor – 37% said it was neither. This represents some improvement since January.
Liberal National voters were substantially more optimistic than other voters. Among Labor voters 23% (down 3%) thought it was good and 31% (down 7%) poor; for Liberal/National voters 49% (up 11%) said it was good and 19% (down 4%) poor.
Q. From what you have read and heard, do you think the Australian economy is heading in the right direction or the wrong direction?
| Total
|
Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Apr 2013 | Apr 2014 | May 2015 | Jan 2016 | |||
| The right direction | 32% | 22% | 56% | 13% | 13% | 36% | 39% | 35% | 30% | ||
| The wrong direction | 37% | 46% | 20% | 57% | 64% | 39% | 34% | 40% | 38% | ||
| Don’t know | 31% | 32% | 24% | 29% | 23% | 25% | 26% | 25% | 31% |
32% of respondents think that Australia’s economy is heading in the right direction and 37% think it is heading in the wrong direction. This represents a slightly more positive view than when this question was asked in January.
22% (down 2%) of Labor voters, 56% (up 2%) of Liberal/National voters and 13% (up 1%) of Greens voters think the economy is heading in the right direction. 46% (down 1%) of Labor voters, 20% (down 6%) of Liberal/National voters and 57% (down 2%) of Greens voters think it is heading in the wrong direction.
Q. Who would you trust most to handle Australia’s economy – the Treasurer Scott Morrison or the Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen?
| Total
|
Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Nov 2015 | Jan 2016 | |||
| Scott Morrison | 26% | 10% | 55% | 9% | 11% | 27% | 26% | ||
| Chris Bowen | 23% | 45% | 8% | 34% | 19% | 18% | 19% | ||
| Don’t know | 51% | 44% | 37% | 57% | 70% | 56% | 55% |
26% have more trust in Scott Morrison to handle Australia’s economy and 23% have more trust in Chris Bowen. 51% don’t know who they would trust more. This represents a small improvement for Chris Bowen since January.
Q. In the next two years, do you expect your job to be more secure, less secure or about the same?
| Total
|
Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Work full time | Work part time | Oct 2014 | Sep 2015 | ||
| More Secure | 14% | 14% | 15% | 10% | 10% | 13% | 14% | 14% | 7% | |
| Less secure | 27% | 40% | 20% | 40% | 35% | 28% | 29% | 31% | 28% | |
| Much more secure | 5% | 5% | 5% | 4% | 2% | 5% | 3% | 5% | 2% | |
| Somewhat more secure | 9% | 9% | 10% | 6% | 8% | 8% | 11% | 9% | 5% | |
| About the same | 49% | 40% | 63% | 45% | 45% | 51% | 52% | 50% | 50% | |
| Somewhat less secure | 19% | 24% | 15% | 23% | 17% | 17% | 18% | 17% | 16% | |
| Much less secure | 12% | 16% | 5% | 17% | 18% | 11% | 11% | 14% | 12% | |
| Don’t know | 7% | 6% | 2% | 5% | 9% | 7% | 5% | 4% | 15% |
14% of respondents (up 7% since September) feel that their job will become more secure over the next two years. 27% (down 1%) feel it will become less secure while the largest proportion (49%) feel it will stay about the same. Liberal/National voters were more likely to say their job security would be about the same (63%).
If a State 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?
| Election
Mar 2015 |
Oct-Dec 2015 | Jan-Mar
2016 |
January | February | March | |||
| Sample | 3,205 | 3,220 | 904 | 1,165 | 1,151 | |||
| First preference vote | ||||||||
| Liberal/National | 45.6% | 48% | 47% | 47% | 46% | 49% | ||
| Labor | 34.1% | 33% | 34% | 34% | 34% | 33% | ||
| Greens | 10.3% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 9% | 10% | ||
| Other/Independent | 10.0% | 10% | 10% | 9% | 11% | 9% | ||
| 2PP | ||||||||
| Liberal/National | 54.3% | 56% | 56% | 55% | 55% | 57% | ||
| Labor | 45.7% | 44% | 44% | 45% | 45% | 43% |