Q. How concerned or unconcerned are you about the current costs of each specific expense for your household?
| Total concern-ed | Total not concern-ed | Very concern-ed | Not at all concern-ed | Don’t know | House-hold does not have this expense | Total concern-ed July 2014 | Very concern-ed July 2014 | |||
| Electricity | 72% | 25% | 34% | 7% | 2% | 1% | 80% | 49% | ||
| Health or medical (includes health insurance) | 67% | 24% | 31% | 6% | 3% | 5% | 76% | 42% | ||
| Food and groceries | 65% | 33% | 25% | 8% | 2% | * | 70% | 29% | ||
| Transport (petrol, car, public transport) | 60% | 36% | 22% | 8% | 2% | 1% | 74% | 35% | ||
| Water | 52% | 40% | 18% | 10% | 3% | 6% | 63% | 29% | ||
| Mortgage or rent | 48% | 32% | 21% | 12% | 3% | 17% | 53% | 26% | ||
| Home insurance | 48% | 37% | 18% | 8% | 4% | 10% | 61% | 27% | ||
| Gas | 43% | 32% | 16% | 9% | 2% | 22% | 54% | 27% | ||
| Internet | 42% | 54% | 12% | 14% | 2% | 1% | 47% | 19% | ||
| Telephone | 39% | 56% | 12% | 16% | 3% | 2% | 51% | 20% | ||
| Education | 38% | 35% | 17% | 12% | 2% | 25% | 51% | 26% |
The household expenses of most concern were electricity (72% concerned), health or medical (67%), food and groceries (65%) and transport (60%).
Since this question was asked in July last year, levels of concern about household expenses has dropped for all items. However, there has been little change in the ranking of issues of concern.
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the Federal Governments plan to subsidise nannies for families who cannot access mainstream childcare services.
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Men | Women | Aged 18-34 | Aged 35-54 | Aged 55+ | |||
| Total approve | 43% | 42% | 52% | 37% | 37% | 39% | 47% | 47% | 46% | 35% | ||
| Total disapprove | 31% | 34% | 29% | 33% | 38% | 37% | 25% | 24% | 28% | 44% | ||
| Strongly approve | 7% | 8% | 8% | 11% | 4% | 7% | 8% | 10% | 8% | 4% | ||
| Approve | 36% | 34% | 44% | 26% | 33% | 32% | 39% | 37% | 38% | 31% | ||
| Disapprove | 18% | 18% | 19% | 16% | 21% | 21% | 15% | 14% | 16% | 26% | ||
| Strongly disapprove | 13% | 16% | 10% | 17% | 17% | 16% | 10% | 10% | 12% | 18% | ||
| Don’t know | 26% | 23% | 20% | 30% | 24% | 24% | 28% | 30% | 26% | 21% |
43% approve of respondents the Federal Governments plan to subsidise nannies for families who cannot access mainstream childcare services and 31% disapprove.
Approval was highest for Liberal/National voters (52%), women (47%) and aged 18-34 (47%). Those aged 55+ were the only group more likely to disapprove (35% approve/44% disapprove).
Q. How important is it for Australia to have a close relationship with the following nations?
| Very import-ant | Quite import-ant | Not very import-ant | Don’t know | Very impor-tant
Mar 11 |
Very import-ant
Nov 13 |
Very import-ant
Oct 14 |
Very import-ant
Feb 15 |
Change | ||
| United States | 44% | 41% | 8% | 8% | 60% | 59% | 53% | 44% | – | |
| China | 39% | 44% | 6% | 10% | 48% | 54% | 44% | 41% | -2 | |
| United Kingdom | 39% | 43% | 9% | 10% | 56% | 48% | 48% | 38% | +1 | |
| Japan | 31% | 52% | 6% | 11% | 39% | 35% | 31% | 30% | +1 | |
| Canada | 24% | 45% | 18% | 13% | na | na | 26% | 22% | +2 | |
| India | 22% | 47% | 17% | 14% | 26% | 26% | 22% | 20% | +2 | |
| Indonesia | 21% | 40% | 27% | 12% | 31% | 40% | 32% | 22% | -1 | |
| Germany | 20% | 47% | 19% | 14% | 23% | 20% | 22% | 18% | +2 | |
| Saudi Arabia | 14% | 40% | 30% | 16% | na | na | 17% | 12% | +2 | |
| Russia | 13% | 38% | 33% | 16% | na | na | 16% | 11% | +2 |
44% of respondents think it is very important to have a close relationship with the United States and 39% think it is very important to have a close relationship with China and the United Kingdom. Relations with Russia (13%) and Saudi Arabia (14%) were thought to be the least important.
A close relationship with the United States is considered very important by 51% of Liberal/National voters, 48% of Labor voters and 29% of Greens voters.
Since this question was asked in February, there has been little change in importance of relations for all countries.
Q. How much trust do you have in Tony Abbott and the Liberal Government to handle Australia’s international relations?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Nov 2013 | Jun 2014 | Oct 2014 | Feb 2015 | |||
| Total a lot/some | 35% | 11% | 77% | 5% | 23% | 41% | 35% | 40% | 33% | ||
| Total little/no trust | 58% | 77% | 17% | 94% | 74% | 53% | 59% | 53% | 62% | ||
| A lot of trust | 13% | 1% | 32% | – | 8% | 20% | 17% | 17% | 12% | ||
| Some trust | 22% | 10% | 45% | 5% | 17% | 21% | 18% | 23% | 21% | ||
| A little trust | 20% | 25% | 13% | 23% | 31% | 18% | 16% | 18% | 22% | ||
| No trust | 38% | 62% | 4% | 71% | 43% | 35% | 43% | 35% | 40% | ||
| Don’t know | 7% | 2% | 6% | 2% | 2% | 7% | 5% | 6% | 5% |
Overall, 33% (up 2% since February) have a lot or some trust in Tony Abbott and the Liberal Government to handle Australia’s international relations and 58% (down 4%) have a little or no trust. Only 13% (up 1%) have “a lot of trust” and 38% (down 2%) have no trust.
Labor (62%) and Greens (71%) voters were far more likely to have ‘no trust’. 32% Liberal/National voters have “a lot of trust”- up 4% since February.
Q. How would you rate the performance of Tony Abbott and the Coalition Government in handling relations with Indonesia?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Nov 2013 | May 2014 | Oct 2014 | Feb 2015 | |||
| Total good | 26% | 8% | 58% | 3% | 14% | 29% | 25% | 32% | 24% | ||
| Total poor | 42% | 65% | 12% | 76% | 53% | 42% | 43% | 39% | 42% | ||
| Very good | 10% | 1% | 23% | 1% | 7% | 11% | 8% | 12% | 8% | ||
| Good | 16% | 7% | 35% | 2% | 7% | 18% | 17% | 20% | 16% | ||
| Neither good nor poor | 24% | 23% | 26% | 14% | 27% | 21% | 19% | 22% | 27% | ||
| Poor | 16% | 24% | 7% | 23% | 19% | 16% | 19% | 18% | 16% | ||
| Very poor | 26% | 41% | 5% | 53% | 34% | 26% | 24% | 21% | 26% | ||
| Don’t know | 7% | 4% | 5% | 6% | 5% | 8% | 13% | 8% | 7% |
26% (down 2% since February) of respondents rate Tony Abbott and the Coalition Government handling of relations with Indonesia as good. 42% (no change) rate them as poor.
58% of Liberal/National voters rate the Government’s performance as “good” – compared to 47% in February.
Q.Because Indonesia rejected Australia’s calls for clemency for the Bali nine drug smugglers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, would you approve or disapprove of Australia responding by taking some form of action – such as suspending co-operation with Indonesia in certain areas?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Men | Women | Aged 18-34 | Aged 35-54 | Aged 55+ | |||
| Total approve | 40% | 44% | 43% | 38% | 41% | 41% | 39% | 37% | 43% | 42% | ||
| Total disapprove | 42% | 41% | 42% | 44% | 44% | 43% | 41% | 43% | 38% | 48% | ||
| Strongly approve | 17% | 20% | 17% | 15% | 22% | 19% | 15% | 14% | 19% | 19% | ||
| Approve | 23% | 24% | 26% | 23% | 19% | 22% | 24% | 23% | 24% | 23% | ||
| Disapprove | 24% | 22% | 27% | 26% | 19% | 22% | 26% | 26% | 21% | 27% | ||
| Strongly disapprove | 18% | 19% | 15% | 18% | 25% | 21% | 15% | 17% | 17% | 21% | ||
| Don’t know | 17% | 14% | 14% | 19% | 14% | 16% | 19% | 20% | 19% | 10% |
40% approve of taking some form of action against Indonesia over the executions of the Bali drug smugglers and 42% disapprove.
Most voter and demographic groups were relatively evenly split on this question. Those aged 55+ were a little more likely to disapprove.
Q. Do you believe that you will have adequate income from your superannuation and investments to live a comfortable lifestyle when you choose to stop working? (based on those who work full-time or part-time)
| Total | Men | Women | Aged 18-34 | Aged 35-54 | Aged 55+ | Income less than $1,000 pw | Income $1,000-1,600 pw | Income $1,600+ pw | |||
| Yes – I feel confident | 7% | 8% | 5% | 8% | 5% | 10% | 4% | 6% | 10% | ||
| Yes – I think so | 23% | 23% | 22% | 21% | 23% | 23% | 15% | 26% | 30% | ||
| Unsure | 32% | 37% | 27% | 29% | 34% | 24% | 34% | 24% | 30% | ||
| No – I have no idea what I need | 13% | 12% | 14% | 20% | 11% | 7% | 12% | 17% | 10% | ||
| No – it worries me | 26% | 20% | 32% | 21% | 27% | 35% | 35% | 28% | 19% |
Only 30% of workers believe they will have adequate income from superannuation and investments to live a comfortable lifestyle when they retire.
39% think they won’t have enough and 32% are unsure. Those most likely to think they won’t have enough were aged 55+ (42%) and those on incomes less than $1,000 pw (47%).
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?
Q. If don’t know -Well which party are you currently leaning to?
Sample size = 1,793 respondents
| First preference/leaning to | Election
7 Sep 13 |
4 weeks ago
31/3/15 |
2 weeks ago 14/4/15 | Last week
21/4/15 |
This week 28/4/15 | |
| Liberal | 36% | 37% | 37% | 36% | ||
| National | 4% | 3% | 3% | 4% | ||
| Total Liberal/National | 45.6% | 40% | 41% | 41% | 40% | |
| Labor | 33.4% | 40% | 39% | 39% | 39% | |
| Greens | 8.6% | 10% | 10% | 11% | 10% | |
| Palmer United Party | 5.5% | 1% | 2% | 1% | 2% | |
| Other/Independent | 6.9% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 9% |
| 2 Party Preferred | Election
7 Sep 13 |
4 weeks ago
31/3/15 |
2 weeks ago 14/4/15 | Last week
21/4/15 |
This week 28/4/15 | |
| Liberal National | 53.5% | 47% | 48% | 48% | 47% | |
| Labor | 46.5% | 52% | 52% | 52% | 53% |
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.