Australian manufacturing, economy, Greens, Labor, Liberal, manufacturing, manufacturing industry, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. A number of politicians have said about the manufacturing industry that Australia should be an economy that “makes things.” Do you agree or disagree?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total agree | 79% | 84% | 84% | 76% |
| Total disagree | 6% | 6% | 7% | 6% |
| Strongly agree | 25% | 27% | 27% | 16% |
| Agree | 54% | 57% | 57% | 60% |
| Disagree | 6% | 5% | 7% | 5% |
| Strongly disagree | * | * | – | 1% |
| Don’t know | 14% | 10% | 9% | 18% |
There was strong agreement with the idea that Australia should be an economy that “makes things”. 79% agreed and only 6% of respondents disagreed.
84% of both Labor and Liberal/National voters agreed – but generally results were similar across demographic groups.
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 = 1,899 respondents
| First preference/leaning to | Election
21 Aug 10 |
Last poll
(19.12.11) |
This week |
| Liberal | 45% | 45% | |
| National | 3% | 3% | |
| Total Lib/Nat | 43.6% | 47% | 48% |
| Labor | 38.0% | 35% | 35% |
| Greens | 11.8% | 9% | 9% |
| Other/Independent | 6.6% | 8% | 8% |
| 2PP | Election
21 Aug 10 |
Last poll | This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 49.9% | 54% | 54% |
| Labor | 50.1% | 46% | 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.
Approval of Julia Gillard, Approval rating, Julia Gillard, PM, Polling, polls, Prime Minister
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister?
| 19 Jul 2010 | 20 Dec 2010 | 14 Mar
2011 |
14 June | 12 Sept | 17 Oct | 14 Nov | 12 Dec | 16 Jan 2012 | |
| Total approve | 52% | 43% | 41% | 34% | 28% | 34% | 37% | 34% | 37% |
| Total disapprove | 30% | 40% | 46% | 54% | 64% | 59% | 55% | 54% | 52% |
| Strongly approve | 11% | 10% | 7% | 6% | 5% | 7% | 8% | 6% | 6% |
| Approve | 41% | 33% | 34% | 28% | 23% | 27% | 29% | 28% | 31% |
| Disapprove | 17% | 24% | 22% | 29% | 28% | 27% | 25% | 25% | 27% |
| Strongly disapprove | 13% | 16% | 24% | 25% | 36% | 32% | 30% | 29% | 25% |
| Don’t know | 18% | 17% | 13% | 13% | 8% | 7% | 9% | 11% | 12% |
Julia Gillard’s approval rating has improved a little since last month. 37% (up 3%) approve of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister and 52% (down 2%) disapprove – a change in net rating from -20 to -15 over the last 5 weeks. This is the best net rating for the Prime Minister since May last year.
76% of Labor voters approve (up 3%) and 15% disapprove (down 4%).
By gender – men 34% approve/57% disapprove, women 37% approve/47% disapprove.
Approval of Tony Abbott, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Opposition leader, Polling, polls, tony abbott
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader?
| 18 Jan
2010 |
5 Jul
2010 |
20 Dec 2010 | 14 Mar
2011 |
14 June | 12 Sept | 17 Oct | 14 Nov | 12 Dec | 16 Jan 2012 | |
| Total approve | 37% | 37% | 39% | 38% | 38% | 39% | 40% | 36% | 32% | 35% |
| Total disapprove | 37% | 47% | 39% | 47% | 48% | 50% | 51% | 52% | 53% | 51% |
| Strongly approve | 5% | 8% | 9% | 7% | 6% | 8% | 8% | 6% | 6% | 7% |
| Approve | 32% | 29% | 30% | 31% | 32% | 31% | 32% | 30% | 26% | 28% |
| Disapprove | 20% | 23% | 21% | 24% | 25% | 23% | 23% | 26% | 25% | 25% |
| Strongly disapprove | 17% | 24% | 18% | 23% | 23% | 27% | 28% | 26% | 28% | 26% |
| Don’t know | 26% | 16% | 22% | 16% | 15% | 11% | 9% | 12% | 14% | 13% |
Tony Abbott’s approval rating has also improved a little over the last month. 35% (up 3%) approve of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader and 51% (down 2%) disapprove – a change in net rating from -21 to -16 over the last 5 weeks.
68% (up 3%) of Coalition voters approve and 21% (down 1%) disapprove.
By gender – men 41% approve/49% disapprove, women 29% approve/53% disapprove.
Better Prime Minister, Greens, Julia Gillard, Labor, Liberal, Polling, polls, Prime Minister, tony abbott
Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott?
| 5 Jul 2010 | 14 Mar | 14 June | 12 Sept | 17 Oct | 14 Nov | 12 Dec | 16 Jan 2012 | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Julia Gillard | 53% | 44% | 41% | 36% | 38% | 41% | 39% | 39% | 83% | 5% | 69% |
| Tony Abbott | 26% | 33% | 36% | 40% | 39% | 36% | 35% | 36% | 5% | 76% | 4% |
| Don’t know | 21% | 23% | 24% | 24% | 23% | 24% | 26% | 25% | 12% | 20% | 27% |
39% believe Julia Gillard would make the better Prime Minister and 36% prefer Tony Abbott – no significant change from last month’s result.
Men prefer Tony Abbott 41%/37% and women favour Julia Gillard 41%/31%.
finances, mortgage, mortgage payments, personal finances, Saving, saving less, saving more
Q. Compared to 12 months ago, are you saving more, saving less or saving about the same? (note – saving includes paying off your mortgage)
| Total | Men | Women | Aged 18-34 | Aged 35-54 | Aged 55+ | Work full time | Work part time | Don’t work | |
| Total saving more | 28% | 26% | 29% | 41% | 26% | 19% | 35% | 27% | 21% |
| Total saving less | 33% | 34% | 31% | 27% | 31% | 40% | 30% | 28% | 40% |
| Saving a lot more | 7% | 6% | 7% | 13% | 5% | 4% | 10% | 4% | 5% |
| Saving a little more | 21% | 20% | 22% | 28% | 21% | 15% | 25% | 23% | 16% |
| About the same | 37% | 38% | 36% | 28% | 42% | 40% | 34% | 44% | 37% |
| Saving a little less | 17% | 18% | 16% | 17% | 14% | 20% | 17% | 12% | 20% |
| Saving a lot less | 16% | 16% | 17% | 10% | 17% | 20% | 13% | 16% | 20% |
| Don’t know | 2% | 2% | 1% | 3% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 2% |
28% of respondents say they are saving more than they were 12 months ago and 33% are saving less – 37% are saving about the same.
Those aged under 35 tend to be saving more (41% more/27% less) while those aged 55+ are saving less (19% more/40% less).
There is a strong relationship with work status. 35% of those in fulltime work are saving more, 44% of those in part-time work are saving about the same and 40% of those not working are saving less.
Entertainment, finances, Food and groceries, Gas and electricity, internet services, personal spending, Retail, Retail products, Spending, Telephone
Q. Compared to 12 months ago, are you spending more or less on the following –
| Total spending more | Total spending less | Spending a lot more | Spending a little more | Spending about the same | Spending a little less | Spending a lot less | Don’t know | |
| Food and groceries | 60% | 10% | 20% | 40% | 30% | 7% | 3% | 1% |
| Gas and electricity | 70% | 9% | 36% | 34% | 20% | 5% | 4% | 1% |
| Telephone and internet services | 38% | 11% | 11% | 27% | 49% | 9% | 2% | 1% |
| Entertainment such as cinemas and restaurants | 20% | 39% | 5% | 15% | 38% | 20% | 19% | 3% |
| Retail products such as clothing and electrical goods | 20% | 38% | 5% | 15% | 41% | 22% | 16% | 1% |
70% say they are spending more on gas and electricity and 60% say they are spending more on food and groceries. But they were more likely to be spending less on entertainment (20% more/39% less) and other retail products (20% more/38% less).
Perceptions of spending on food and groceries is similar across demographic groups. However, older respondents are more likely to say they are spending more on gas and electricity (80% of those aged 55+) and less on entertainment (46% of those aged 55+). For those aged under 35, 28% are spending more on entertainment and 34% less.
There is a similar pattern for spending on retail products – for those aged under 35, 27% are spending more and 32% less while for those aged 55+, 15% are spending more and 44% less.
internet shopping, Retail, retail shopping, retail stores, Shopping, shopping centres, shops
Q. Compared to 12 months ago are you shopping more or less at –
| Total shopping more | Total shopping less | Shopping a lot more | Shopping a little more | Shopping about the same | Shopping a little less | Shopping a lot less | Don’t know | |
| Major retail stores | 10% | 36% | 3% | 7% | 53% | 21% | 15% | 1% |
| Major shopping centres | 11% | 32% | 3% | 8% | 56% | 20% | 12% | 1% |
| Local shopping centres | 18% | 20% | 4% | 14% | 61% | 14% | 6% | 1% |
| On the internet | 42% | 18% | 10% | 32% | 37% | 8% | 10% | 3% |
Overall, respondents say they are shopping less at major retail stores and major shopping centres. Shopping at local centres remains about the same.
47% of those aged 55+ say they are shopping less at major retail stores. Among those aged under 35, 22% are shopping more at major retail stores and 29% less.
Although 42% say they are shopping more on the internet, 18% say they are shopping less. Among those aged under 35, 56% are shopping more on the internet and 11% less. Those on higher incomes are more likely to be increasing their internet shopping – 50% of those earning $1,000 pw are spending more and only 11% less.