The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Nov, 2011

    , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    Liberal Party and WorkChoices

    Q. If they won the next election, how likely do you think it would be that Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party would try to bring back industrial laws similar to WorkChoices?

    31 May 10 12 July 10 Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total likely 58% 56% 51% 75% 33% 78%
    Total unlikely 21% 24% 27% 13% 44% 11%
    Very likely 28% 26% 22% 45% 4% 41%
    Quite likely 30% 30% 29% 30% 29% 37%
    Not very likely 18% 18% 19% 9% 31% 8%
    Not at all likely 3% 6% 8% 4% 13% 3%
    Don’t know 20% 20% 22% 11% 23% 11%

    Respondents were less likely to think that Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party would try to bring back industrial laws similar to WorkChoices than when a similar question was asked last year. 51% (down 5%) think it is likely that Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party would try to bring back industrial laws similar to WorkChoices if they won the next election and 27% (up 3%) think it is unlikely.

    75% of Labor voters and 78% of Greens voters think it is likely, while Liberal/National voters are split 33% likely to 44% unlikely.

    Comments »

  • Nov, 2011

    , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    Concern about Liberals Bringing Back WorkChoices

    Q. If the Liberals won the election and reintroduced WorkChoices or similar laws, how concerned would you be?

    31 May 10 12 July 10 Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Very concerned 28% 29% 26% 53% 4% 54%
    Quite concerned 17% 19% 15% 22% 11% 15%
    A little concerned 20% 16% 20% 12% 24% 21%
    Not concerned 24% 25% 27% 6% 52% 6%
    Don’t know 11% 11% 11% 7% 9% 4%

    Respondents were also less concerned about the re-introduction of WorkChoices than last year. 41% (down 7%) would be quite or very concerned if WorkChoices or similar laws were re-introduced and 47% (up 6%) were only a little or not concerned.

    75% of Labor voters and 69% of Greens voters would be concerned. 76% of Liberal/National voters would be a little/not concerned and 15% concerned. Those most concerned were aged 25-34 (47%) and aged 45-54 (48%).

    Comments »

  • Nov, 2011

    , , , , , , , , , , ,

    Workplace Issues

    Q. How much say should employees have in the following issues in their workplace?

    Total a lot/

    some say

    A lot of say Some say A little say No say at all Don’t know
    Health and safety 90% 63% 27% 7% 2% 1%
    Working conditions 88% 55% 33% 8% 2% 1%
    When they can take annual leave 86% 42% 44% 11% 2% 2%
    Hours of work and rostering 77% 26% 51% 19% 3% 2%
    Wages 76% 24% 52% 18% 4% 2%
    Offshoring jobs (i.e. transferring jobs to another country) 66% 37% 29% 18% 12% 4%
    Redundancies 65% 24% 41% 21% 11% 3%
    CEO salary and bonuses 59% 29% 30% 18% 20% 3%
    Board decisions 44% 16% 28% 29% 22% 4%

    A majority of respondents think employees should have a lot or some say in all workplace issues listed except for board decisions.

    63% think employees should have a lot of say in health and safety, 55% in working conditions, 42% in annual leave and 37% in offshoring jobs.

    Those on lower incomes (under $1,000pw) were more likely to think employees should have a lot of say in off-shoring jobs (45%) and CEO salary and bonuses (35%).

    Comments »

  • Nov, 2011

    , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    Exporting Uranium to India

    Q. Do you support or oppose the proposal for Australia to export uranium to India?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total support 30% 31% 35% 17%
    Total oppose 45% 40% 47% 66%
    Strongly support 7% 6% 10% 1%
    Support 23% 25% 25% 16%
    Oppose 24% 25% 25% 30%
    Strongly oppose 21% 15% 22% 36%
    Don’t know 25% 28% 17% 17%

    30% support the proposal for Australia to export uranium to India and 45% oppose – 25% had no opinion. All voter groups were more likely to oppose the sale of uranium to India.

    All age groups were more likely to oppose the proposal – and men were split 43% support to 41% oppose, compared to women 18% support/49% oppose.

    Comments »

  • Nov, 2011

    , , , , , , , , ,

    Nuclear Power Plants

    Q. Do you support or oppose Australia developing nuclear power plants for the generation of electricity?

    27 Jan 2009 20 Dec 2010 21 Mar 2011 Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total support 43% 43% 35% 39% 31% 50% 27%
    Total oppose 35% 37% 53% 45% 53% 37% 68%
    Strongly support 14% 16% 12% 13% 7% 20% 9%
    Support 29% 27% 23% 26% 24% 30% 18%
    Oppose 21% 21% 21% 22% 27% 18% 25%
    Strongly oppose 14% 16% 32% 23% 26% 19% 43%
    Don’t know 22% 19% 13% 16% 16% 13% 6%

    45% oppose Australia developing nuclear power plants for the generation of electricity and 39% support. This is a considerable shift in opinion since this question was last asked in March following the problems with the nuclear power plants in Japan after the tsunami. However, there remains net opposition to nuclear power plants – compared to net support in surveys conducted in 2009 and 2010.

    Those that intend to vote Lib/Nat were more likely to support (50%) than oppose (37%) Australia developing nuclear power plants for the generation of electricity.

    There was majority opposition from Labor (53% oppose or strongly oppose) and the Greens (68% oppose or strongly oppose).

    There is a considerable difference between the attitudes of males and females towards nuclear power plants – 56% of males, compared to just 24% of females support or strongly support Australia developing nuclear power plants for the generation of electricity.

    Comments »

  • Nov, 2011

    , , , , , , , ,

    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 = 1,898 respondents

    First preference/leaning to Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week This week
    Liberal 45% 44% 43% 44%
    National 3% 3% 3% 3%
    Total Lib/Nat 43.6% 48% 47% 46% 47%
    Labor 38.0% 33% 34% 35% 35%
    Greens 11.8% 11% 10% 9% 10%
    Other/Independent 6.6% 8% 9% 9% 8%
    2PP Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week This week
    Total Lib/Nat 49.9% 55% 55% 54% 54%
    Labor 50.1% 45% 45% 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.

    Comments »

  • Nov, 2011

    , , , ,

    Approval of Julia Gillard

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

    19 Jul 2010 20 Dec 2010 14 Mar 14 June 12 Sept 17 Oct 14 Nov
    Total approve 52% 43% 41% 34% 28% 34% 37%
    Total disapprove 30% 40% 46% 54% 64% 59% 55%
    Strongly approve 11% 10% 7% 6% 5% 7% 8%
    Approve 41% 33% 34% 28% 23% 27% 29%
    Disapprove 17% 24% 22% 29% 28% 27% 25%
    Strongly disapprove 13% 16% 24% 25% 36% 32% 30%
    Don’t know 18% 17% 13% 13% 8% 7% 9%

    Julia Gillard’s approval rating has continued the improvement shown last month. 37% (up 3%) approve of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister and 55% (down 4%) disapprove – a change in net rating from -25 to -18 over the last 4 weeks. This represents Julia Gillard’s best ratings since May.

    81% of Labor voters approve (up 7%) and 16% disapprove (down 5%).

    By gender – men 37% approve/57% disapprove, women 36% approve/52% disapprove.

    Comments »

  • Nov, 2011

    , , , ,

    Approval of 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 14 June 12 Sept 17 Oct 14 Nov
    Total approve 37% 37% 39% 38% 38% 39% 40% 36%
    Total disapprove 37% 47% 39% 47% 48% 50% 51% 52%
    Strongly approve 5% 8% 9% 7% 6% 8% 8% 6%
    Approve 32% 29% 30% 31% 32% 31% 32% 30%
    Disapprove 20% 23% 21% 24% 25% 23% 23% 26%
    Strongly disapprove 17% 24% 18% 23% 23% 27% 28% 26%
    Don’t know 26% 16% 22% 16% 15% 11% 9% 12%

    Tony Abbott’s approval rating has fallen over the last month. 36% (down 4%) approve of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader and 52% (up 1%) disapprove – a change in net rating from -11 to -16 over the last 4 weeks. This is the lowest rating recorded for Tony Abbott since he became opposition leader.

    73% (down 5%) of Coalition voters approve and 19% (up 3%) disapprove.

    By gender – men 39% approve/52% disapprove, women 33% approve/51% disapprove.

    Comments »

Error: