The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Jul, 2014

    Coal seam gas mining

    Q. There is currently debate over the exploration and extraction of coal seam gas in Australia. Which of the following statements is closest to your view? 

     

    Total

     

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Vote Other

    Coal seam gas mining should be banned completely

    22%

    26%

    15%

    39%

    25%

    Coal seam gas mining on farming land should be restricted

    32%

    34%

    29%

    38%

    36%

    There is sufficient current regulation of coal seam gas mining

    12%

    5%

    22%

    2%

    11%

    Don’t know

    34%

    34%

    34%

    22%

    27%

    Only 12% agree that there is sufficient current regulation of coal seam gas mining – 32% think coal seam gas mining on farming land should be restricted and 22% think it should be banned completely.

    39% of Greens voters and 30% of those aged 55+ think it should be banned completely.

  • Jul, 2014

    ,

    Renewable Energy Target

    Q. The Renewable Energy Target scheme encourages investment in renewable energy by requiring electricity retail companies to purchase a certain amount of renewable energy each year. By the year 2020, at least 20% of electricity must come from renewable resources.

    Do you think this target of 20% renewable energy by 2020 is too high, too low or about right?

     

    Total

     

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Vote

    other

     

    Feb 14

    Too high

    13%

    9%

    20%

    5%

    15%

    13%

    Too low

    29%

    33%

    18%

    64%

    35%

    25%

    About right

    36%

    38%

    42%

    18%

    30%

    39%

    Don’t know

    22%

    20%

    19%

    14%

    20%

    23%

    36% think the current renewable energy target is about right, 29% think it is too low and 13% think it is too high. Since this question was asked in February, those thinking it is too low increased 4 points and those thinking it is about right declined 3 points.

    64% of Greens voters, 33% of Labor voters and 38% of those with university education think it is too low.

  • Jul, 2014

    ,

    Defence links with Japan

    Q. Do you approve or disapprove of Australia having closer defence links with Japan?

     

    Total

     

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Vote Other

    Total approve

    52%

    52%

    64%

    40%

    41%

    Total disapprove

    18%

    20%

    14%

    19%

    25%

    Strongly approve

    9%

    8%

    14%

    9%

    6%

    Approve

    43%

    44%

    50%

    31%

    35%

    Disapprove

    13%

    14%

    11%

    13%

    15%

    Strongly disapprove

    5%

    6%

    3%

    6%

    10%

    Don’t know

    30%

    28%

    22%

    42%

    35%

    52% approve and 18% disapprove of Australia having closer defence links with Japan.

    Highest approval came from Liberal/National voters (64%), men (64%) and aged 55+ (64%).

    Highest disapproval came from other party voters (25%) and those on incomes under $600pw (26%).

  • Jul, 2014

    ,

    Relationships with Japan and China

    Q. Is it more important for Australia to have a close relationship with Japan or China?

     

    Total

     

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Vote Other

    Relationship with Japan more important

    5%

    5%

    8%

    2%

    2%

    Relationship with China more important

    15%

    18%

    15%

    12%

    13%

    Both equally important

    62%

    61%

    65%

    72%

    63%

    Neither are important

    5%

    5%

    3%

    2%

    12%

    Don’t know

    12%

    11%

    10%

    12%

    10%

    62% think it is equally important to have close relationships with China and Japan. 15% think the relationship with China is more important and 5% think the relationship with Japan is more important.

    21% of respondents aged under 35 and 20% of those with university education think the relationship with China is more important.

  • Jul, 2014

    Federal politics – voting intention

    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 = 1,804 respondents

    First preference/leaning to

    Election

    7 Sep 13

     

    4 weeks ago 11/6/14

    2 weeks ago

    24/6/14

    Last week

    1/7/14

    This week

    8/7/14

    Liberal

     

    35%

    37%

    37%

    36%

    National

    3%

    3%

    3%

    3%

    Total Lib/Nat

    45.6%

    37%

    40%

    40%

    39%

    Labor

    33.4%

    40%

    38%

    38%

    40%

    Greens

    8.6%

    9%

    9%

    9%

    9%

    Palmer United Party

    5.5%

    6%

    5%

    6%

    6%

    Other/Independent

    6.9%

    8%

    7%

    7%

    7%

     

    2 Party Preferred

    Election

    7 Sep 13

     

    4 weeks ago 11/6/14

    2 weeks ago

    24/6/14

    Last week

    1/7/14

    This week

    8/7/14

    Liberal National

    53.5%

    46%

    48%

    48%

    47%

    Labor

    46.5%

    54%

    52%

    52%

    53%

    NB. 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.

  • Jul, 2014

    , ,

    Approval of Tony Abbott

    Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Prime Minister? 

     

    Total

     

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/
    Nat

    Vote Greens

    Vote Other

     

    Tony Abbott as Opp. Leader

    2 Sep 13

    Tony Abbott as PM

    24 Sep

    14 Jan 2014

    11 Mar

    13 May

    11 June

    Total approve

    34%

    6%

    77%

    4%

    26%

     

    40%

    41%

    47%

    40%

    35%

    35%

    Total disapprove

    58%

    89%

    16%

    90%

    69%

     

    49%

    36%

    43%

    47%

    55%

    58%

    Strongly approve

    8%

    2%

    20%

    4%

    2%

    13%

    14%

    13%

    11%

    12%

    10%

    Approve

    26%

    4%

    57%

    24%

    27%

    27%

    34%

    29%

    23%

    25%

    Disapprove

    22%

    25%

    12%

    23%

    35%

    19%

    13%

    18%

    20%

    18%

    18%

    Strongly disapprove

    36%

    64%

    4%

    67%

    34%

    30%

    23%

    25%

    27%

    37%

    40%

    Don’t know

    7%

    4%

    7%

    5%

    5%

    10%

    23%

    11%

    12%

    10%

    7%

    58% of respondents disapprove of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Prime Minister – no change since the last time this question was asked in June – and 34% approve of the job Tony Abbott is doing (down 1%).

    77% (down 5%) of Liberal/National voters approve of Tony Abbott’s performance, with 16% (up 4%) disapproving. 89% of Labor voters and 90% of Greens voters disapprove of Tony Abbott’s performance.

    By gender men were 36% approve/59% disapprove and women 32% approve/58% disapprove.

  • Jul, 2014

    ,

    Approval of Bill Shorten

    Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Bill Shorten is doing as Opposition Leader?

     

    Total

     

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/
    Nat

    Vote Greens

    Vote Other

     

    12 Nov 2013

    14 Jan 2014

    11 Feb

    11 Mar

    8 Apr

    13 May

    11 Jun

    Total
    approve

    36%

    64%

    19%

    44%

    21%

    31%

    35%

    30%

    32%

    34%

    35%

    38%

    Total disapprove

    39%

    16%

    64%

    16%

    55%

    27%

    32%

    34%

    39%

    38%

    37%

    40%

    Strongly approve

    6%

    13%

    1%

    4%

    4%

    5%

    5%

    4%

    4%

    6%

    6%

    7%

    Approve

    30%

    51%

    18%

    40%

    17%

    26%

    30%

    26%

    28%

    28%

    29%

    31%

    Disapprove

    22%

    12%

    30%

    14%

    32%

    17%

    20%

    21%

    24%

    22%

    19%

    22%

    Strongly disapprove

    17%

    4%

    34%

    2%

    23%

    10%

    12%

    13%

    15%

    16%

    18%

    18%

    Don’t know

    25%

    20%

    16%

    39%

    24%

    43%

    32%

    35%

    29%

    28%

    28%

    22%

    36% (down 2% since June) of respondents approve of the job Bill Shorten is doing as opposition leader and 39% (down 1%) disapprove.

    64% (down 1%) of Labor voters approve of the job Bill Shorten is doing and 16% (no change) disapprove. 39% of Greens voters did not know.

    39% of men and 33% of women approve of Bill Shorten. 45% of men and 33% of women disapprove.

  • Jul, 2014

    Better Prime Minister

    Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Tony Abbott and Bill Shorten? 

     

    Total

     

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Vote Other

     

    22 Oct 2013

    14 Jan 2014

    11 Feb

    11 Mar

    8 April

    13 May

    11 June

    Tony Abbott

    34%

    4%

    79%

    2%

    31%

    41%

    42%

    40%

    39%

    42%

    36%

    36%

    Bill Shorten

    37%

    73%

    5%

    66%

    17%

    22%

    31%

    30%

    33%

    32%

    37%

    40%

    Don’t know

    29%

    23%

    16%

    32%

    52%

    37%

    27%

    31%

    28%

    26%

    28%

    24%

    37% (down 3% since June) of respondents think Bill Shorten would make the better Prime Minister and 34% (down 2%) think Tony Abbott would make the better Prime Minister.

    Men prefer Bill Shorten 38% to 37% and women prefer Bill Shorten 35% to 31%.

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