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  • Jun, 2010

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    Approval of Tony Abbott

    Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader?

    Malcolm Turnbull Tony Abbott
    30 Nov 09 14 Dec 09 18 Jan 10 22 Feb 10 29 Mar 10 3 May 10 31 May 10 28 Jun 10
    Total approve 25% 34% 37% 45% 33% 39% 35% 40%
    Total disapprove 55% 36% 37% 36% 50% 43% 50% 39%
    Strongly approve 2% 7% 5% 12% 8% 5% 5% 9%
    Approve 23% 27% 32% 33% 25% 34% 30% 31%
    Disapprove 33% 18% 20% 20% 28% 24% 28% 20%
    Strongly disapprove 22% 18% 17% 16% 22% 19% 22% 19%
    Don’t know 19% 31% 26% 18% 16% 18% 16% 20%

    Tony Abbott has achieved a net positive approval rating for the first time since February – 40% approve (up 5%) and 39% disapprove (down 11%).

    83% Liberal/National voters approved of Tony Abbott and 11% disapproved. Comments »

  • Jun, 2010

    Next Federal Election

    Q. The next Federal election can be held any time up to April next year. When do you think the next Federal election should be held?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    In the next 2 or 3 months 28% 18% 43% 16%
    Towards the end of the year 41% 45% 41% 42%
    Early next year 21% 26% 13% 39%
    Don’t know 11% 11% 3% 3%

    41% said their preferred timing for the next election was towards the end of the year and 28% preferred the election to be held in the next 2 or 3 months. Labor voters were more likely to prefer an election towards the end of the year (45%) but 43% of Liberal/National voters wanted it in the next 2 or 3 months. Comments »

  • Jun, 2010

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    Paid Parental Leave

    Q. The Federal Government has recently passed legislation for paid parental leave which provides parents with 18 weeks of paid leave at the minimum wage of $543 a week. Do you approve or disapprove of this decision?

    Total approve 55%
    Total disapprove 33%
    Strongly approve 21%
    Approve 34%
    Disapprove 18%
    Strongly disapprove 15%
    Don’t know 11%

    55% approved the Government’s paid parental leave scheme and 33% dispproved. Support was weaker among Liberal/National voters – 48% approve/43% disapprove. Labor voters split 64%/29% and Greens 68%/23%.

    Younger respondent were much more supportive than older respondents – among those aged under 35, 75% approved and 9% disapproved.

    41% of those aged 55+ approved and 53% disapproved. Women (58%/32%) were a little more supportive than men (53%/35%). Comments »

  • Jun, 2010

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    Resources Super Profits Tax

    Q. Which of the following approaches do you think the Government should take in their dispute with the mining companies over the proposed resources super profits tax?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Proceed with the tax as planned 11% 17% 4% 17%
    Compromise a little and make minor changes to the tax 35% 52% 18% 62%
    Compromise a lot and make major changes to the tax 26% 20% 41% 7%
    Not proceed with the tax in any form 14% 3% 30% 5%
    Don’t know 14% 8% 7% 8

    Nearly half the respondents (46%) believe that the Government should proceed with the resources super profits tax unchanged or with minor changes. Only 14% oppose that tax in any form and 26% think the Government should make major changes to the tax.

    69% of Labor voters want the tax to proceed unchanged or with minor changes as does 79% of Greens voters. 41% of Liberal/National voters want major changes and 30% do not want the tax in any form. Comments »

  • Jun, 2010

    Economic conditions in Australia over the next 12 months

    Q. Over the next 12 months do you think economic conditions in Australia will get better, get worse or stay much the same?

    1 Dec 08 15 Jun 09 5 Oct 09 18 Jan 10 29 Mar 10 28 Jun 10
    Total better 21% 43% 66% 53% 54% 33%
    Total worse 61% 37% 15% 19% 19% 31%
    Get a lot better 2% 5% 8% 9% 9% 5%
    Get a little better 19% 38% 58% 44% 45% 28%
    Get a little worse 45% 28% 11% 14% 13% 23%
    Get a lot worse 16% 9% 4% 5% 6% 8%
    Stay much the same 13% 17% 15% 24% 22% 30%
    No opinion 5% 3% 4% 4% 6% 7%

    Respondents were divided over whether the economy will get better or worse over the next 12 months – 33% (down 21%) think it will get better and 31% (up 12%) worse. 30% (up 8%) think it will stay much the same.

    This is a considerable negative shift from the results over the last 12 months.  Men (38% better/29% worse) were somewhat more optimistic than women (28%/32%) Comments »

  • Jun, 2010

    Personal financial situation

    Q. Over the next 12 months do you think your personal financial situation will get better, get worse or stay much the same?

    29 Mar 10 28 Jun 10
    Total better 40% 29%
    Total worse 23% 31%
    Get a lot better 8% 5%
    Get a little better 32% 24%
    Get a little worse 17% 21%
    Get a lot worse 6% 10%
    Stay much the same 33% 37%
    No opinion 4% 4%

    Respondents were similarly divided over whether their personal financial situation will get better or worse over the next 12 months – 29% (down 11%) think it will get better and 31% (up 8%) worse. 37% (up 4%) think it will stay much the same. Although this represents a significant negative shift, it is not as big a shift as the overall economic outlook from the previous question.

    Men (32% better/25% worse) were more optimistic than women (25%/35%). Optimism was also higher for upper income groups  – those earning over $1,600 pw split 42% better/23% worse while those earning under $1,000 pw split 18% better/36% worse. Comments »

  • Jun, 2010

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    Job security

    Q. How concerned are you that you or some member of your immediate family will lose their job in the next year or so: very concerned, somewhat concerned, or not at all concerned?

    16 Feb 09 27 Apr 09 8 Jun 09 5 Oct 09 18 Jan 10 29 Mar 10 28 Jun 10
    Total concerned 62% 67% 52% 49% 45% 39% 43%
    Very concerned 22% 24% 13% 14% 12% 10% 9%
    Somewhat concerned 40% 43% 39% 35% 33% 29% 34%
    Not at all concerned 29% 23% 35% 40% 40% 45% 38%
    Don’t know 4% 5% 6% 6% 8% 7% 12%
    No employees in the immediate family 5% 5% 8% 5% 8% 9% 7%

    43% were very or somewhat concerned that someone in their family might lose their job in the next year. This was 4% higher than the March result but lower than previous results over the last 12 months. There were no substantial differences by income. Comments »

  • Jun, 2010

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    Personally Better Off

    Q. Thinking about your personal financial situation, do you agree or disagree with the statement  “The economy may be doing well but I am not any better off”?

    Total agree 69%
    Total disagree 22%
    Strongly agree 24%
    Agree 45%
    Disagree 20%
    Strongly disagree 2%
    Don’t know 8%

    69% agreed with the statement “the economy may be doing well but I am not any better off” and 22% disagreed.

    Those most likely to agree were part-time workers (79%), aged 45+ (76%) and those earning less than $600 pw (77%). There were no substantial differences by voting intention. Comments »

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