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  • Sep, 2011

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    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 =  1874 respondents

    First preference/leaning to Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week This week
    Liberal 46% 46% 46% 46%
    National 4% 3% 3% 3%
    Total Lib/Nat 43.6 50% 49% 49% 49%
    Labor 38.0 32% 30% 32% 32%
    Greens 11.8 10% 11% 10% 10%
    Other/Independent 6.6 8% 10% 10% 9%
    2PP Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week This week
    Total Lib/Nat 49.9% 56% 57% 56% 56%
    Labor 50.1% 44% 43% 44% 44%

    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.

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  • Sep, 2011

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    World Safer Place Post 9/11

    Q. Thinking about the September 11 attack on the World Trade Centre 10 years ago – do you think the world is a safer or less safe place than it was 10 years ago?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total safer 23% 25% 26% 16%
    Total less safe 31% 26% 32% 29%
    A lot safer 5% 7% 5% 2%
    A little safer 18% 18% 21% 14%
    About the same 42% 44% 39% 52%
    A little less safe 18% 16% 19% 21%
    A lot less safe 13% 10% 13% 8%
    Don’t know 4% 5% 3% 3%

    In total, more respondents feel that the world is now less safe (31% total less safe) than 10 years ago, with 23% feeling that it is safer.

    Those aged between 18-24 years old are more likely to regard the world as safer, with 29% stating that it is either a lot safer or a little safer (total safer).  Twenty five per cent (25%) of 18-24 year olds stated that the world is either a little less safe or a lot less safe than 10 years ago (total less safe).

    Greens voters are the least likely to regard the world as a safer place (16% total safer) in the 10 years post 9-11.  Lib/Nat voters are the most likely to regard the world as less safe (32% total less safe) than 10 years ago.

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  • Sep, 2011

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    Australia Safer Place Post 9/11

    Q. Do you think Australia is a safer or less safe place than it was 10 years ago?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total safer 19% 28% 18% 12%
    Total less safe 36% 28% 40% 28%
    A lot safer 5% 9% 5% 3%
    A little safer 14% 19% 13% 9%
    About the same 42% 43% 40% 59%
    A little less safe 26% 21% 30% 24%
    A lot less safe 10% 7% 10% 4%
    Don’t know 3% 2% 3% 2%

    More respondents think that Australia is now less safe than it was 10 years ago (36% total less safe), compared to those that think it is safer (19% total safe).  Most respondents think it is about the same (42%).

    Those aged 25-34 years old are more likely to regard Australia as a lot safer (10%) than the general sample (5%).  Those aged 65+ are significantly more likely to regard Australia as less safe, with 57% of these respondents stating that they felt it was total less safe overall, compared with 36% of the general sample.

    Labor voters are the most likely to regard Australia as a safer place than it was 10 years ago (28% total safer) and Greens voters are the least likely to do so (12% total safer).

    Lib/Nat voters are the most likely to regard Australia as less safe than 10 years ago (40%), compared with 28% of Labor and 28% of Greens voters.

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  • Sep, 2011

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    Support for Carbon Pricing Scheme

    Q. Do you support or oppose the Government’s proposal to introduce a carbon pricing scheme from 1 July 2012, which will require industries to pay a tax based on the amount of carbon pollution they emit?

    7 March 14 March 28 March 18 April 23 May 30 May 14 June 11 July 18 July 1 Aug Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total support 35% 38% 34% 39% 41% 38% 38% 35% 39% 39% 37% 67% 13% 76%
    Total oppose 48% 49% 51% 49% 44% 48% 49% 53% 49% 51% 52% 22% 80% 14%
    Strongly support 9% 12% 12% 13% 14% 14% 13% 11% 15% 15% 14% 31% 2% 34%
    Support 26% 26% 22% 26% 27% 24% 25% 24% 24% 24% 23% 36% 11% 42%
    Oppose 19% 17% 19% 15% 15% 19% 19% 19% 16% 19% 17% 13% 23% 8%
    Strongly oppose 29% 32% 32% 34% 29% 29% 30% 34% 33% 32% 35% 9% 57% 6%
    Don’t know 18% 13% 15% 12% 15% 15% 13% 12% 12% 10% 12% 12% 7% 10%

    The majority of respondents are opposed to the Government’s carbon pricing scheme, with 52% either opposed or strongly opposed to its introduction.   Opposition to the scheme has moved up 1% since the last time the question was polled on 1 August 2011.   Total opposition has moved up by 4% since the Government announced the scheme six months ago, from 48% total oppose to 52% total opposed.

    Total support for the scheme is 37%, down 2% from 39% since the last time the question was asked on 1 August 2011.  However, overall, support has risen by 2% in the six months since the Government’s announcement, from 35% to 37% total support.

    Twelve per cent (12%) of respondents ‘don’t know’, up 2% from 1 August 2011, but down 6% since the announcement six months ago.

    Those aged 18-24 years old are the most likely to support the scheme (46% total support).  Those aged 55-64% are the most likely to oppose it (59% total oppose).

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  • Sep, 2011

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    Support for Carbon Pricing Scheme with compensation and investment in renewables

    Q. Would you support or oppose this carbon pricing scheme if the money paid by big polluting industries was used to compensate low and middle income earners for increased prices and to invest in renewable energy?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total support 50% 77% 27% 84%
    Total oppose 37% 12% 61% 9%
    Strongly support 20% 41% 4% 40%
    Support 30% 36% 23% 44%
    Oppose 15% 8% 23% 4%
    Strongly oppose 22% 4% 38% 5%
    Don’t know 13% 10% 11% 7%

    Total support for the carbon pricing scheme rose sharply by 13 points to 50% when respondents were asked whether they supported the scheme if the money paid by big polluting industries was used to compensate low and middle income earners and to invest in renewable energy.

    Conversely, total opposition for the scheme fell by 13% to 37% total opposed.

    The reference to compensation and investment in renewables has the effect of shifting total support up by 10% amongst Labor voters (77%), up 14% amongst Lib/Nat voters and up 8% amongst Green voters.

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  • Sep, 2011

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    Debate on the Carbon Pricing Scheme

    Q. Do you think the introduction of the carbon pricing scheme has been rushed and needs more time to consider or do you think it has been discussed enough and it is now time to make a decision?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Has been rushed and needs more time to consider 52% 28% 72% 20%
    Has been discussed enough and it is now time to make a decision 38% 60% 21% 73%
    Don’t know 10% 11% 6% 8%

    The majority of respondents think that the carbon pricing scheme had been rushed and more time is needed to consider it (52%).  Thirty eight per cent (38%) think that it has been discussed enough and it is now time to make a decision.  Ten percent (10%) of respondents don’t know.

    Lib/Nat voters are the most likely to think that the scheme has been rushed (72%) and Greens voters are the least likely to think so (20%).

    Greens voters (73%), followed by Labor voters (60%) are more likely to think that the scheme has been discussed enough and it is now time to make a decision.

    Respondents aged 65+ are far more likely to regard the scheme has having been rushed (62%).   Those aged 18-14 years old (43%) and 55-64 (44%) are the most likely to think that the scheme has been discussed enough and it is now time to make a decision.

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  • Sep, 2011

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    Composition of Parliament

    Q. Thinking about the Federal Government, which of the following scenarios would you prefer –

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Green
    One of the major parties having a majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate 36% 36% 49% 7%
    One of the major parties having a majority in the House of Representatives and the other having a majority in the Senate 21% 16% 27% 10%
    One of the major parties having a majority in the House of Representatives and the Greens having the balance of power in the Senate 16% 22% 4% 63%
    Don’t know 28% 26% 21% 19%

    Most respondents think that ‘one of the major parties having a majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate’ is preferable (36%).  Lib/Nat voters are the most likely to prefer this scenario (49%) and Greens voters the least likely to do so (7%).  Male respondents were also more likely to prefer this scenario (40%) than female respondents (32%).

    Respondents then selected ‘one of the major parties having a majority in the House of Representatives and the other having a majority in the Senate’ as their next preferred scenario (21%).  Lib/Nat voters are the most likely to regard this scenario as preferable (27%).

    The least favoured option amongst respondents is ‘one of the major parties having a majority in the House of Representatives and the Greens having the balance of power in the Senate’, with 16% selecting this option.  Greens voters are the most likely to regard this option as the most preferable (63%).

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  • Sep, 2011

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    Lib/Nat majority in the Senate

    Q. If the Liberal and National Parties win the next election, do you think it would be good or bad if they also won a majority in the Senate?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total Good 38% 10% 73% 6%
    Total Bad 31% 63% 3% 72%
    Very good 17% 3% 35% 0%
    Good 21% 7% 38% 6%
    Neither good nor bad 18% 18% 16% 15%
    Bad 12% 23% 3% 18%
    Very bad 19% 40% 0% 54%
    Don’t know 13% 8% 8% 7%

    Most respondents think that having the Liberal and National Parties holding a majority in the Senate is a good outcome (38%), than those that think it is a bad outcome (31%).

    Greens voters are the most likely to regard the outcome as bad (72%), followed by Labor voters (63%).

    Male respondents are more likely to regard this outcome as good (45% total good) compared to female respondents (33% total good).

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