02 April 2012, 020412, active Government, Federal Government, financial groups, government, industrial groups, market, policies, Polling, polls, public services, Type of Government, unfair policies
Q. Which of the following statements is closest to your view?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| An active Government is necessary to provide important public services, and to protect ordinary Australians from unfair policies and practices on the part of large financial and/or industrial groups. |
67% |
82% |
59% |
82% |
| We don’t need big government and extensive regulation of business and finance to take care of these matters: the market itself can deal with many of these issues on their own. |
20% |
10% |
28% |
11% |
| Don’t know |
13% |
8% |
13% |
8% |
67% agree more that an active Government is necessary and 20% agree more with the view that the market can deal with many issues.
Strongest support for an active Government came from Labor and Greens voters (82%), women (70%) and aged under 25 (77%).
02 April 2012, 020412, crime, education system, financial institutions, financial services, government, health care services, industrial pollution, infrastructure, Polling, polls, Pollution, public transport, Role of Government, Terrorism
Q. For each of the following issues, do you think the Government does too much, too little or just about the right amount:
|
Too much |
Too little |
About right |
Don’t know |
|
| Providing quality health care services |
2% |
74% |
19% |
5% |
| Protecting citizens from industrial and other kinds of pollution. |
10% |
43% |
36% |
11% |
| Making sure the banks and other large financial institutions operate honestly and treat their clients fairly |
3% |
62% |
28% |
6% |
| Making sure that the roads, bridges and other public transportation facilities are in good repair and safe. |
1% |
63% |
30% |
5% |
| Ensuring that there is adequate, affordable and accessible public transport. |
2% |
67% |
25% |
6% |
| Ensuring that our population is protected from crime, terrorism and other threats. |
5% |
47% |
41% |
7% |
| Providing a quality education system |
2% |
54% |
37% |
7% |
Respondents were more likely to think the Government does too little on each of the issues measured.
In particular, they think the Government does too little in terms of health care services (74%), adequate, affordable and accessible public transport (67%), roads, bridges and other public transportation (63%) and making sure the banks and other large financial institutions operate honestly and treat their clients fairly (62%).
Issues over which they were more divided were protecting citizens from industrial and other kinds of pollution (46% about right/too much) and ensuring that our population is protected from crime, terrorism and other threats (46% about right/too much).
02 April 2012, 020412, drug or alcohol, firearm, gang or mob, mentally ill, Police, police work, policing, Polling, polls
Q. There is a debate in many parts of Australia on the appropriate response of police to a range of situations.
In your opinion which of the following are appropriate responses for police in the following situations? (Version A – asked of half the sample)
|
Appropriate police responses |
|||||||
|
Situation |
Firearm |
Taser |
Capsicum spray |
Baton |
Physical restraint |
Verbal response |
Don’t know |
| Police confronted with an armed individual |
67% |
42% |
30% |
20% |
26% |
23% |
6% |
| Police confronted with a drug (eg ice amphetamines) or alcohol affected individual |
10% |
44% |
47% |
22% |
43% |
26% |
5% |
| Police confronted with a mentally ill individual (eg schizophrenic episode) |
6% |
31% |
39% |
15% |
48% |
34% |
7% |
| Police confronted with a gang or mob |
47% |
44% |
43% |
33% |
32% |
26% |
9% |
A substantial proportion of respondents think that firearms are an appropriate police response when confronted with an armed individual (67%) or confronted with a gang or mob (47%).
Tasers are more likely to be considered appropriate when confronted with a drug or alcohol affected individual (44%), a gang or mob (44%) or an armed individual (42%).
Capsicum spray is more likely to be considered appropriate when confronted with a drug or alcohol affected individual (47%) or a gang or mob (43%).
Physical restraint is thought to be more appropriate to situations where police are confronted with a mentally ill individual (48%) or a drug or alcohol affected individual (43%).
02 April 2012, 020412, drug or alcohol, firearm, gang or mob, mentally ill, Police, police work, policing, Polling, polls
Q. There is a debate in many parts of Australia on the appropriate response of police to a range of situations.
In your opinion which of the following is the most appropriate response for police in the following situations? (Version B – asked of half the sample).
|
Most appropriate police response |
|||||||
|
Situation |
Firearm |
Taser |
Capsicum spray |
Baton |
Physical restraint |
Verbal response |
Don’t know |
| Police confronted with an armed individual |
55% |
25% |
7% |
2% |
2% |
1% |
8% |
| Police confronted with a drug (eg ice amphetamines) or alcohol affected individual |
5% |
37% |
28% |
3% |
18% |
2% |
7% |
| Police confronted with a mentally ill individual (eg schizophrenic episode) |
2% |
24% |
24% |
1% |
31% |
10% |
7% |
| Police confronted with a gang or mob |
39% |
19% |
19% |
8% |
3% |
2% |
9% |
A firearm was considered to be the most appropriate police response when confronted with an armed individual (55%) or a gang or mob (39%).
When confronted with a drug or alcohol affected individual the most appropriate responses were thought to be taser (37%) and capsicum spray (28%).
When confronted with a mentally ill individual the most appropriate responses were thought to be physical restraint (31%), taser (24%) and capsicum spray (24%).
In flagging a tilt for the Senate, Australia’s most famous global subversive Julian Assange joins the ranks of one of our most exotic political specimens – the celebrity candidate.
In an era when the professional political hack is roundly derided as part of the problem, the famous individual acts as both an antidote of the perils and a reinforcement of the virtues of politics as usual.
26 March 2012, 260312, 2PP, ER, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, two party preferred, voting, 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 = 1,923 respondents
| First preference/leaning to |
Election 21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago 27/2/12 |
2 weeks ago 12/3/12 |
Last week 19/3/12 |
This week 26/3/12 |
| Liberal |
46% |
46% |
45% |
45% |
|
| National |
3% |
3% |
3% |
3% |
|
| Total Lib/Nat |
43.6% |
49% |
49% |
48% |
47% |
| Labor |
38.0% |
32% |
31% |
32% |
34% |
| Greens |
11.8% |
11% |
10% |
11% |
10% |
| Other/Independent |
6.6% |
8% |
10% |
9% |
9% |
| 2PP |
Election 21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago |
2 weeks ago |
Last week |
This week |
| Total Lib/Nat |
49.9% |
56% |
57% |
56% |
54% |
| Labor |
50.1% |
44% |
43% |
44% |
46% |
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 2010 election.
26 March 2012, 260312, Australian economy, economic future, economic outlook, economy, Finance, money, Polling, polls
Q. Overall, 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 (Post 2010 budget) |
9 May 11 (Post 2011 budget) |
4 Jul 11 |
26 Mar 12 |
Vote Labor |
Vote Liberal/ National |
Vote Greens |
|
| The right direction |
51% |
45% |
37% |
36% |
65% |
19% |
47% |
| The wrong direction |
25% |
29% |
43% |
41% |
15% |
64% |
23% |
| Don’t know |
24% |
25% |
20% |
22% |
21% |
17% |
30% |
36% of respondents think that Australia’s economy is heading in the right direction – 41% think it is heading in the wrong direction. Opinions have changed little since this question was asked in July last year – “right direction” has dropped 1% and “wrong direction” dropped 2%.
65% of Labor voters, 19% of Liberal/National voters and 47% of Greens voters think the economy is heading in the right direction.
26 March 2012, 260312, Australian economy, economy, Finance, Labor Party, Liberal Party, money, Polling, polls
Q. Which party do you think would be best at handling the Australian economy in the interests of you and people like you?
|
|
4 Jul 11 |
26 Mar 12 |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
| The Labor Party |
26% |
29% |
76% |
1% |
39% |
| The Liberal Party |
43% |
41% |
2% |
89% |
7% |
| No difference |
23% |
20% |
14% |
7% |
45% |
| Don’t know |
8% |
10% |
7% |
4% |
9% |
41% (down 2% since July last year) think the Liberal Party would be best at handling the Australian economy in their interests and 29% (up 3%) nominated the Labor Party. 20% think there is no difference.
There were significant differences by income – those earning under $600pw split 38% Labor/30% Liberal while those earning over $1,600pw favoured the Liberal Party 49% to 23% Labor.