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?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Liberal/ National | |
| The right direction | 51% | 83% | 30% |
| The wrong direction | 25% | 6% | 47% |
| Don’t know | 24% | 12% | 23% |
Half (51%) the respondents think that Australia’s economy is heading in the right direction – 25% think it is heading in the wrong direction.
83% of Labor voters, 30% of Liberal/National voters and 59% of Greens voters think the economy is heading in the right direction. Comments »
Q. Which party do you think would be best at handling the Australian economy in the interests of you and people like you?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Liberal/ National | |
| Labor Party | 33% | 81% | 2% |
| Liberal Party | 36% | 2% | 86% |
| No difference | 20% | 13% | 9% |
| Don’t know | 17% | 4% | 3% |
Respondents were split over party best to handle the economy (in the interests of you and people like you) – 33% nominated the Labor Party and 36% the Liberal Party. Opinion closely follows party preferences. 81% of Labor voters nominated Labor and 86% of Coalition voters nominated the Liberal party. 43% of Greens voters said there was no difference – 34% said Labor and 10% Liberal.
Respondents aged under 35 favoured Labor 31%/28% and those aged 55+ favoured the Liberals 44%/36%. Comments »
2PP, Election, Family First, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Voting intention
Q. If there was a Federal election held today, to which party would you probably give your first preference?
Q. If you ‘don’t know’ on the above question, which party are you currently leaning to?
1,762 sample size
| First preference/leaning to | 6 months ago | 4 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Liberal | 33% | 37% | 36% | 39% |
| National | 2% | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| Total Lib/Nat | 35% | 40% | 39% | 42% |
| Labor | 48% | 41% | 40% | 37% |
| Greens | 9% | 11% | 11% | 11% |
| Family First | 3% | 2% | 3% | 2% |
| Other/Independent | 5% | 6% | 7% | 8% |
| 2PP | 6 months ago | 4 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 41% | 46% | 47% | 50% |
| Labor | 59% | 54% | 53% | 50% |
NB. The data in the above tables comprise 2-week averages derived the first preference/leaning to voting questions. Respondents who select ‘don’t know’ are not included in the results.
* Sample is the aggregation of two weeks’ polling data. Comments »
economy, resources super profits tax, RSPT, superannuation, tax
Q4. The Federal Government recently announced changes to our tax system as a result of the Henry Report, which was a review of Australia’s taxation. Do you approve or disapprove of the following Government proposals?
| Total approve | Total disapprove | Strongly approve | Approve | Disapprove | Strongly disapprove | Don’t know | |
| Higher taxes on the profits of large mining companies | 52% | 34% | 14% | 38% | 19% | 15% | 14% |
| Increasing superannuation contributions from 9% to 12% | 74% | 17% | 25% | 49% | 12% | 5% | 10% |
| Cutting company tax rates | 54% | 29% | 10% | 44% | 23% | 6% | 18% |
| Increasing taxes on cigarettes and alcohol | 63% | 31% | 33% | 30% | 15% | 16% | 6% |
There was majority approval of all recent changes to Australia’s taxation.
The most popular proposal was to increase superannuation contributions from 9% to 12% – 74% approved and 17% disapproved.
63% approved increasing taxes on cigarettes and alcohol.
More than half approved cutting company tax rates (54%) and higher taxes on the profits of large mining companies (52%).
78% of Labor voters approved higher taxes on mining company profits (11% disapprove) and 56% of Liberal/National voters disapproved (35% approve).
Increasing superannuation contributions received high support from both Labor (85%) and Liberal/National voters (72%). 61% of both Labor and Liberal/National voters supported cutting company tax rates. 63% of Labor voters and 69% of Liberal/National voters approved increasing taxes on cigarettes and alcohol. Comments »
Q5. Overall, from what you have read and heard, do you think the Federal Government is heading in the right direction on taxation or the wrong direction on taxation?
| The right direction | 34% |
| The wrong direction | 38% |
| Don’t know | 28% |
Respondents were split over whether the Federal Government is heading in the right or wrong direction on taxation. 34% think they are heading in the right direction 38% in the wrong direction and 28% don’t know.
Opinions split very much along party lines – 65% of Labor voters said right direction (12% wrong direction) and 61% of Liberal/National voters said wrong direction (17% right direction). People on higher incomes ($1,600+ pw) were more likely to think the Government was headed in the right direction (40%/36%). Comments »
approval of PM, leader, leader attributes, leadership, Prime Minister, rudd
Q. Which of the following describe your opinion of the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd?
| 29 June 09 | 7 Dec 09 | 10 May 10 | Change | |
| Intelligent | 84% | 82% | 73% | -9% |
| Hard-working | 83% | 77% | 76% | -1% |
| A capable leader | 72% | 69% | 55% | -14% |
| Demanding | 67% | 60% | 69% | +9% |
| Arrogant | 46% | 49% | 57% | +8% |
| Out of touch with ordinary people | 41% | 45% | 55% | +10% |
| Understands the problems facing Australia | 67% | 59% | 53% | -6% |
| Visionary | 49% | 48% | 37% | -11% |
| Superficial | 40% | 41% | 52% | +11% |
| Good in a crisis | 60% | 58% | 44% | -14% |
| Narrow-minded | 32% | 36% | 43% | +7% |
| Down to earth | 56% | 55% | 47% | -8% |
| Too inflexible | 32% | 38% | 45% | +7% |
| Complacent | 28% | 38% | 38% | – |
| More honest than most politicians | 47% | 49% | 39% | -10% |
| Trustworthy | * | 51% | 41% | -10% |
*Not asked in June 2009
Most people consider Rudd hard working (76%), intelligent (73%) and demanding (69%).
Since this question was last asked in December 2009, Kevin Rudd has lost points on most positive qualities including being a capable leader
(-14%), good in a crisis (-14%), visionary (-11%) and trustworthy (-10%). His ratings have increased significantly in terms of being superficial (+11) and out of touch with ordinary people (+10%). Comments »
Abbott, Approval of opposition leader, leader, leader attributes, leadership
Q. Which of the following describe your opinion of the Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott?
| 7 Dec 09 | 10 May 10 | Change | |
| Intelligent | 71% | 72% | +1% |
| Hard-working | 69% | 71% | +2% |
| A capable leader | 46% | 50% | +4% |
| Demanding | 53% | 52% | -1% |
| Arrogant | 53% | 54% | +1% |
| Out of touch with ordinary people | 53% | 51% | -2% |
| Understands the problems facing Australia | 46% | 49% | +3% |
| Visionary | 34% | 35% | +1% |
| Superficial | 42% | 44% | +2% |
| Good in a crisis | 39% | 40% | +1% |
| Narrow-minded | 52% | 53% | +1% |
| Down to earth | 46% | 50% | +4% |
| Too inflexible | 45% | 47% | +2% |
| Complacent | 31% | 30% | -1% |
| More honest than most politicians | 31% | 33% | +2% |
| Trustworthy | 36% | 39% | +3% |
*Not asked in June 2009 poll
When it comes to rating Tony Abbott, most people think he is intelligent (72%) and hard-working (71%), yet arrogant (54%), narrow-minded (53%) and demanding (52%).
There were few substantial changes Tony Abbott’s ratings compared to the December 2009 results. His rating for being a capable leader improved 4% to 50%, as did his rating for being down to earth.
Abbott, leader attributes, preferred PM, Prime Minister, rudd
Q. Which of the following describe your opinion of the Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott?
| Kevin Rudd | Tony Abbott | Difference | |
| Intelligent | 73% | 72% | +1% |
| Hard-working | 76% | 71% | +5% |
| A capable leader | 55% | 50% | +5% |
| Demanding | 69% | 52% | +17% |
| Arrogant | 57% | 54% | +3% |
| Out of touch with ordinary people | 55% | 51% | +4% |
| Understands the problems facing Australia | 53% | 49% | +4% |
| Visionary | 37% | 35% | +2% |
| Superficial | 52% | 44% | +8% |
| Good in a crisis | 44% | 40% | +4% |
| Narrow-minded | 43% | 53% | -10% |
| Down to earth | 47% | 50% | -3% |
| Too inflexible | 45% | 47% | -2% |
| Complacent | 38% | 30% | -8% |
| More honest than most politicians | 39% | 33% | +6% |
| Trustworthy | 41% | 39% | +2% |
Kevin Rudd has only slightly better ratings than Tony Abbott across key positive attributes such as hard-working (+5%), a capable leader (+5%) and trustworthy (+2%).
The main differences were that Kevin Rudd is perceived as more demanding (69%/52%), less narrow-minded (43%/53%), more superficial (52%/44%) and more complacent (38%/30%). Comments »