The Government plans to re-establish the Australian Building and Construction Commission to address claims of union militancy in the construction industry. The ABCC’s powers included preventing any person from revealing they had been forced to give testimony to the Commission, and overriding a person’s right to silence. Do you support or oppose re-establishing the ABCC?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Oct 2013 | |||
| Total support | 35% | 27% | 52% | 23% | 28% | 29% | ||
| Total oppose | 17% | 26% | 8% | 20% | 23% | 22% | ||
| Strongly support | 17% | 13% | 27% | 6% | 14% | 12% | ||
| Support | 18% | 14% | 25% | 17% | 14% | 17% | ||
| Neither support nor oppose | 27% | 25% | 23% | 37% | 33% | 23% | ||
| Oppose | 8% | 10% | 6% | 12% | 10% | 9% | ||
| Strongly oppose | 9% | 16% | 2% | 8% | 13% | 13% | ||
| Don’t know | 22% | 21% | 16% | 19% | 16% | 25% |
35% support re-establishing the ABCC and 17% oppose. 27% neither support nor oppose and 22% don’t have an opinion. This represents and increase in support for the ABCC since a similar question was asked in October 2013.
39% of full-time workers support and 15% oppose. 34% of part-time workers support and 11% oppose.
If the Senate rejects the bill to restore the ABCC, or the Senate fails to pass it, would you approve or disapprove the Government calling a double-dissolution election?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | ||
| Total approve | 34% | 34% | 43% | 33% | 33% | |
| Total disapprove | 22% | 28% | 18% | 29% | 24% | |
| Strongly approve | 13% | 15% | 16% | 5% | 17% | |
| Approve | 21% | 19% | 27% | 28% | 16% | |
| Disapprove | 15% | 16% | 15% | 22% | 14% | |
| Strongly disapprove | 7% | 12% | 3% | 7% | 10% | |
| Don’t know | 44% | 39% | 40% | 39% | 44% |
34% would approve of the Government calling a double dissolution election if the Senate fails to restore the ABCC and 22% oppose. 44% don’t have an opinion.
Supporters of all parties are more likely to approve than disapprove.
The Government intends to hold a plebiscite (a national vote) on the issue of same sex marriage. Do you think the following issues should be decided by a plebiscite or a vote in Parliament?
| Decided by Parliament | Decided by plebiscite | Don’t know | |
| Euthanasia | 22% | 61% | 17% |
| Retirement age | 40% | 43% | 17% |
| The size of defence force | 71% | 14% | 16% |
| Privatisations of major Government owned assets | 46% | 37% | 17% |
| Abortion | 23% | 58% | 19% |
| Major tax changes | 53% | 30% | 16% |
A majority think that the issues of euthanasia (61%) and abortion (58%) should be decided by a plebiscite.
A majority believe that the size of the defence force (71%) and major tax changes (53%) should be decided by Parliament.
Do you think Tony Abbott should –
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote Other | Dec 2015 | |||
| Stay in Parliament on the back bench | 15% | 16% | 20% | 7% | 12% | 14% | ||
| Stay in Parliament and be given a Ministry | 18% | 8% | 32% | 5% | 20% | 18% | ||
| Resign from Parliament now | 29% | 41% | 16% | 55% | 31% | 30% | ||
| Resign from Parliament at the next election | 18% | 21% | 16% | 23% | 19% | 19% | ||
| Don’t know | 19% | 14% | 16% | 10% | 18% | 19% |
33% think Tony Abbott should stay in Parliament and 47% think he should resign – now or at the next election.
Overall, views have not changed significantly since this question was asked in December.
Among Liberal/National voters, 52% (up 4%) think he should stay in Parliament and 32% (down 5%) think he should resign.
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
8/3/16 |
2 weeks ago
1/3/16 |
4 weeks ago
16/2/16 |
Election 7 Sep 13 | |||
| Liberal | 39% | 39% | 40% | 40% | |||
| National | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | |||
| Total Liberal/National | 42% | 43% | 43% | 43% | 45.6% | ||
| Labor | 36% | 37% | 38% | 33% | 33.4% | ||
| Greens | 11% | 10% | 10% | 11% | 8.6% | ||
| Palmer United Party | 1% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 5.5% | ||
| Other/Independent | 9% | 8% | 8% | 11% | 6.9% | ||
| 2 party preferred | |||||||
| Liberal National | 50% | 50% | 50% | 52% | 53.5% | ||
| Labor | 50% | 50% | 50% | 48% | 46.5% |
Sample = 1,754. 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 2013 election.
Do you think people of the same sex should or should not be allowed to marry?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Nov 2010 | Jul 2011 | Sep 2012 | Oct 2013 | Jun 2014 | Oct 2015 | |||
| Should be allowed to marry | 64% | 74% | 52% | 94% | 52% | 53% | 54% | 55% | 57% | 60% | 59% | ||
| Should not be allowed to marry | 26% | 18% | 39% | 2% | 33% | 36% | 35% | 36% | 31% | 28% | 30% | ||
| Don’t know | 10% | 8% | 9% | 4% | 14% | 11% | 11% | 9% | 12% | 12% | 11% |
64% agreed that people of the same sex should be allowed to marry and 26% think they should not. This is the highest level of support for same sex marriage recorded over the last 6 years.
Support for same sex marriage is 62% among men and 67% among women. 76% of under 35’s support same sex marriage – while those aged 65+ split 45% in favour/41% against.
Do you think the issue of same sex marriage should be decided by Parliament or should there be a national vote?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Aug 2015 | Sep 2015 | |||
| Should be decided by Parliament | 23% | 26% | 23% | 35% | 17% | 22% | 21% | ||
| Should have a national vote | 66% | 68% | 67% | 58% | 76% | 66% | 67% | ||
| Don’t know | 11% | 6% | 10% | 7% | 7% | 12% | 12% |
66% favour a national vote on same sex marriage and 23% think the issue should be decided by Parliament.
This represents little change since this question was asked in September.
Which of the following describe your opinion of the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull?
| Total | Sep 2015 | Difference | |||
| Intelligent | 79% | 81% | -2 | ||
| Hard-working | 68% | 71% | -3 | ||
| A capable leader | 64% | 70% | -6 | ||
| Understands the problems facing Australia | 53% | 63% | -10 | ||
| Out of touch with ordinary people | 53% | 46% | +7 | ||
| Good in a crisis | 52% | 59% | -7 | ||
| Arrogant | 45% | 47% | -2 | ||
| Visionary | 44% | 51% | -7 | ||
| Trustworthy | 44% | 44% | – | ||
| Superficial | 43% | 37% | +6 | ||
| More honest than most politicians | 41% | 39% | +2 | ||
| Narrow-minded | 33% | 30% | +3 | ||
| Erratic | 27% | 24% | +3 | ||
| Intolerant | 26% | 28% | -2 | ||
| Aggressive | 24% | 38% | -14 |
Malcolm Turnbull’s key attributes were intelligent (79%), hard working (68%), a capable leader (64%), understands the problems facing Australia (53%) and out of touch with ordinary people (53%).
Since September, the main changes have been for aggressive (down 14%), understands the problems facing Australia (down 10%), out of touch with ordinary people (up 7%), good in a crisis (down 7%) and visionary (down 7%).