2PP, federal politics, Greens, Labor Party, Liberal Party, two party preferred, 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 = 1,867 respondents
| First preference/leaning to |
Election 7 Sep 13 |
|
4 weeks ago 4/3/14 |
2 weeks ago 18/3/14 |
Last week 25/3/14 |
This week 1/4/14 |
| Liberal |
|
41% |
40% |
41% |
40% |
|
| National |
3% |
3% |
3% |
2% |
||
| Total Lib/Nat |
45.6% |
44% |
43% |
44% |
42% |
|
| Labor |
33.4% |
38% |
36% |
37% |
39% |
|
| Greens |
8.6% |
8% |
9% |
9% |
9% |
|
| Palmer United Party |
5.5% |
3% |
4% |
4% |
3% |
|
| Other/Independent |
6.9% |
7% |
8% |
7% |
7% |
| 2 Party Preferred |
Election 7 Sep 13 |
|
4 weeks ago 4/3/14 |
2 weeks ago 18/3/14 |
Last week 25/3/14 |
This week 1/4/14 |
| Liberal National |
53.5% |
51% |
51% |
51% |
49% |
|
| Labor |
46.5% |
49% |
49% |
49% |
51% |
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.
Australian economy, State of the Economy
Q. Overall, how would you describe the current state of the Australian economy?
|
|
28 May 12 |
8 Apr 13 |
16 Sep 13 |
21 Jan 14 |
|
Total
|
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote other |
| Total good |
35% |
45% |
40% |
34% |
38% |
38% |
47% |
36% |
21% |
||
| Total poor |
29% |
26% |
25% |
26% |
24% |
24% |
18% |
24% |
46% |
||
| Very good |
6% |
8% |
6% |
4% |
3% |
3% |
5% |
5% |
– |
||
| Good |
29% |
37% |
34% |
30% |
35% |
35% |
42% |
31% |
21% |
||
| Neither good nor poor |
33% |
28% |
32% |
36% |
34% |
34% |
33% |
37% |
33% |
||
| Poor |
20% |
17% |
20% |
21% |
19% |
18% |
16% |
20% |
31% |
||
| Very poor |
9% |
9% |
5% |
5% |
5% |
6% |
2% |
4% |
15% |
||
| Don’t know |
2% |
2% |
3% |
4% |
4% |
4% |
2% |
4% |
– |
38% described the economy as good or very good and 24% poor/very poor – 34% said it was neither. This represents a net improvement from +8 to +14 since January. The main shift since January was an increase of 7% for “good” and a decrease of 6% for “poor” among Liberal/National voters.
Those most likely to think the economy was good/very good were people with incomes over $1,600pw (42%). Liberal/National voters (47%) were more likely that Labor voters (38%) to think the economy was good.
Q. From what you have read and heard, do you think the Australian economy is heading in the right direction or the wrong direction?
|
|
17 May 10 |
9 May 11 |
18 Jun 12 |
29 Apr 13 |
16 Sep 13 |
21 Jan 14 |
|
Total
|
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote other |
| The right direction |
51% |
45% |
43% |
36% |
44% |
38% |
39% |
25% |
67% |
22% |
21% |
||
| The wrong direction |
25% |
29% |
32% |
39% |
26% |
33% |
34% |
43% |
15% |
50% |
61% |
||
| Don’t know |
24% |
25% |
25% |
25% |
30% |
29% |
26% |
32% |
19% |
29% |
18% |
39% of respondents think that Australia’s economy is heading in the right direction – 34% think it is heading in the wrong direction. These figures are almost unchanged since this question was asked in January.
25% (up 2%) of Labor voters, 67% (up 4%) of Liberal/National voters and 22% (up 1%) of Greens voters think the economy is heading in the right direction. 45% of men think the economy is heading in the right direction compared to 33% of women.
Changes to Racial Discrimination Act
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the Government’s plan to change the Racial Discrimination Act so that it is no longer unlawful to “offend, insult or humiliate” someone because of their race or ethnicity? It will still be unlawful to “intimidate or vilify” someone because of their race or ethnicity.
|
|
Total
|
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote other |
| Total approve |
38% |
30% |
56% |
16% |
38% |
|
| Total disapprove |
44% |
53% |
25% |
81% |
46% |
|
| Strongly approve |
13% |
8% |
21% |
4% |
14% |
|
| Approve |
25% |
22% |
35% |
12% |
24% |
|
| Disapprove |
18% |
17% |
14% |
25% |
26% |
|
| Strongly disapprove |
26% |
36% |
11% |
56% |
20% |
|
| Don’t know |
18% |
17% |
19% |
3% |
16% |
38% approve the Government’s proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act and 44% disapprove.
A majority of Labor voters (53%) and Greens voters (81%) disapprove while 56% of Liberal/National voters approve.
Men approve 43% to 40% while women disapprove 47% to 34%. 51% of those with university education disapprove.
Q. Do you think that there is currently too much or not enough regulation of businesses in Australia?
|
|
Total
|
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote other |
| Too much |
24% |
17% |
38% |
6% |
23% |
|
| Not enough |
26% |
33% |
18% |
37% |
28% |
|
| About right amount |
24% |
25% |
22% |
26% |
30% |
|
| Don’t know |
25% |
25% |
22% |
31% |
18% |
Respondents were evenly divided over whether there is too much or not enough regulation of businesses in Australia. 26% think there is not enough, 24% think there is too much and 24% think there is about the right amount.
Those most likely to think there is too much were Liberal/National voters (38%), men (30%) and aged 55+ (38%).
Those most likely to think there is not enough were Labor voters (33%) and Greens voters (37%).
company profits, consumer rights, growth and jobs, prices, products and services, removing regulations
Q. Do you think removing regulations on businesses would have a positive or negative impact on the following –
|
|
Total positive |
Total |
|
Very positive |
Positive |
Make no difference |
Negative |
Very negative |
Don’t know |
| Company profits |
57% |
8% |
13% |
44% |
17% |
6% |
2% |
18% |
|
| Growth and jobs |
41% |
17% |
10% |
31% |
20% |
12% |
5% |
21% |
|
| Prices |
29% |
28% |
5% |
24% |
25% |
20% |
8% |
18% |
|
| Quality of products and services |
23% |
30% |
6% |
17% |
28% |
22% |
8% |
19% |
|
| Workers pay and conditions |
23% |
39% |
5% |
18% |
20% |
24% |
15% |
17% |
|
| Consumer rights |
20% |
37% |
6% |
14% |
26% |
26% |
11% |
18% |
|
| Personal privacy |
17% |
33% |
5% |
12% |
30% |
22% |
11% |
20% |
|
| The natural environment |
17% |
36% |
5% |
12% |
28% |
21% |
15% |
19% |
|
| Ethical behaviour |
17% |
40% |
5% |
12% |
25% |
25% |
15% |
18% |
Respondents were more likely to believe that removing regulations on businesses would have a positive effect on company profits (57%) and growth and jobs (41%).
However, they were more likely to think it would have a negative effect on ethical behaviour (40%), workers pay and conditions (39%), consumer rights (37%) and the natural environment (36%).
Actions taken on privacy, aged care providers, banking, building and construction, financial planning, mining, planning and development, regulation of industries
Q. Do you think there needs to be more or less regulation of the following, or is the current regulation about right?
|
|
More regulation |
Less regulation |
Current regulation about right |
Don’t know |
| Aged care providers |
47% |
13% |
18% |
22% |
| Banking |
42% |
10% |
30% |
18% |
| Financial planning |
40% |
10% |
26% |
24% |
| Mining |
39% |
14% |
25% |
22% |
| Building and construction |
38% |
15% |
26% |
21% |
| Planning and development |
34% |
19% |
24% |
23% |
| Private education services |
32% |
19% |
26% |
24% |
Overall, respondents were more likely to think there should be more rather than less regulation of the industries listed.
In particular, they wanted more regulation of aged care providers (47%), banking (42%) and financial planning (40%).
While respondents aged 55+ were more likely to think there was too much regulation of businesses overall, they were more likely to want more regulation of financial planning (48%), building and construction (49%) and aged care providers (55%).
48% of those on income over $1,600pw wanted more regulation of financial planning.
ban on advertising food and drinks, better labelling of food and drink
Q. In considering how to control food and drink with potential health consequences, such as junk food, soft drink, sugar and salt, do you support or oppose the following?
|
|
Total support |
Total oppose |
|
Strongly support |
Support |
Oppose |
Strongly oppose |
Don’t know |
| Better labelling to inform consumers |
85% |
6% |
44% |
41% |
5% |
1% |
9% |
|
| Personal responsibility – it‘s not up to governments |
67% |
19% |
32% |
35% |
13% |
6% |
13% |
|
| Ban some products exceeding recommended levels altogether |
60% |
25% |
24% |
36% |
18% |
7% |
15% |
|
| Bans on advertising |
54% |
33% |
19% |
35% |
26% |
7% |
13% |
|
| Industry self-regulation |
45% |
35% |
11% |
34% |
22% |
13% |
20% |
|
| Tax increases to make them more expensive |
40% |
48% |
16% |
24% |
30% |
18% |
11% |
While two-thirds (67%) of respondents support the position that, in terms of controlling food and drink with potential health consequences, it is a “personal responsibility – it’s not up to governments”, a majority also support “better labelling to inform consumers” (85%), “ban some products exceeding recommended levels altogether” (60%) and “bans on advertising” (54%).
Women are a little more likely to support bans on advertising (58%) and better labelling (88%).