ABC, media, News, newspaper, Radio, the media
Q. How frequently do you read, listen to or watch the following?
| Daily | Several times a week | About once a week | Less often | Never | Don’t know | |
| Commercial TV news and current affairs | 48% | 27% | 12% | 8% | 5% | 1% |
| News and opinion in daily newspapers | 26% | 22% | 24% | 16% | 11% | 1% |
| Commercial radio news and current affairs | 24% | 22% | 13% | 20% | 19% | 1% |
| News and opinion websites | 23% | 22% | 17% | 19% | 17% | 2% |
| ABC TV news and current affairs | 19% | 21% | 18% | 23% | 18% | 1% |
| ABC radio news and current affairs | 15% | 13% | 10% | 28% | 33% | 2% |
| Commercial radio talkback programs | 13% | 12% | 12% | 26% | 36% | 1% |
| ABC radio talkback programs | 8% | 10% | 10% | 26% | 45% | 2% |
| Internet blogs | 6% | 9% | 13% | 29% | 41% | 3% |
Commercial TV news and current affairs was the most used news and opinion media (48% watch daily). 26% read newspapers daily, 24% commercial radio news and current affairs and 23% news and opinion websites.
Newspapers tend to be read more by older people (38% of 65+ years read daily). 65% of those aged 55+ watch commercial TV news and current affairs daily. Internet news and opinion websites have similar patterns of usage across age groups but internet bogs are mostly used by those aged under 35 (10% daily) Comments »
ABC, Blogs, Internet, media, News, Newspapers, Radio, trust in media
Q. How much trust do you have in what you read or hear in the following media?
| A lot | Some | Not much | None | Don’t know/use | |
| ABC TV news and current affairs | 25% | 45% | 14% | 3% | 13% |
| ABC radio news and current affairs | 20% | 42% | 15% | 4% | 19% |
| Commercial TV news and current affairs | 9% | 55% | 26% | 5% | 5% |
| News and opinion in daily newspapers | 9% | 53% | 26% | 4% | 7% |
| Commercial radio news and current affairs | 7% | 47% | 29% | 6% | 10% |
| ABC radio talkback programs | 6% | 39% | 24% | 5% | 25% |
| News and opinion websites | 5% | 44% | 31% | 6% | 15% |
| Commercial radio talkback programs | 3% | 35% | 32% | 11% | 19% |
| Internet blogs | 2% | 18% | 40% | 15% | 25% |
ABC TV and radio news and current affairs were the most trusted media (25% and 20% respectively have a lot of trust).
Commercial TV news and current affairs programs have the highest consumption, but only 9% say they have a lot of trust in them.
And although consumption of newspapers and internet news sites is very similar, newspapers are considered more trustworthy (62% compared to 49% have a lot/some trust in them). 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?
*1816 sample size
| 2 week average | % | 2PP | 2PP shift from last week |
| Liberal | 37% | ||
| National | 3% | ||
| Total Lib/Nat | 40% | 47% | +1% |
| Labor | 42% | 53% | -1% |
| Greens | 9% | ||
| Family First | 2% | ||
| Other/Independent | 7% |
NB. The data in the above table is derived from our weekly first preference voting question. Respondents who select ‘don’t know’ as their first preference are not included in the results.
* Sample is the culmination of two week’s polling data. Comments »
approval of PM, opinion on pm, personality traits of pm, Prime Minister, rudd
Q. Which of the following describe your opinion of the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd?
| 29 June 09 | 7 Dec 09 | 1 March 10 | Difference from Jun 09 | Difference from Dec 09 | |
| Intelligent | 84% | 82% | 82% | -2% | – |
| Hard-working | 83% | 77% | 77% | -6% | – |
| A capable leader | 72% | 69% | 65% | -7% | -4% |
| Demanding | 67% | 60% | 55% | -12% | -5% |
| Arrogant | 46% | 49% | 45% | -1% | -4% |
| Out of touch with ordinary people | 41% | 45% | 45% | +4% | – |
| Understands the problems facing Australia | 67% | 59% | 62% | -5% | +3% |
| Visionary | 49% | 48% | 44% | -5% | -4% |
| Superficial | 40% | 41% | 46% | +6% | +5% |
| Good in a crisis | 60% | 58% | 56% | -4% | -2% |
| Narrow-minded | 32% | 36% | 36% | +4% | – |
| Down to earth | 56% | 55% | 57% | +1% | +2% |
| Too inflexible | 32% | 38% | 38% | +6% | – |
| Complacent | 28% | 38% | 40% | +12% | +2% |
| More honest than most politicians | 47% | 49% | 47% | – | -2% |
| Trustworthy | n/a | 51% | 51% | – | – |
Comparing our June 2009 results with those obtained this week, Rudd has gained points in terms of appearing complacent (+12%), superficial (+6%) and too inflexible (+6%). He has lost the most ground in terms of appearing as demanding (-12%), a capable leader (-7%) and hard-working (-6%).
Comparing this week’s results with those obtained in December 2009, Rudd has gained the most ground in terms of appearing superficial (+5%) and lost the most ground in terms of appearing demanding (-5%), arrogant (-4%), visionary (-4%) and as a capable leader (-4%). Comments »
Abbott, Approval of opposition leader, opinion on opposition leader, personality traits of opposition leader
Q. Which of the following describe your opinion of the Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott?
| 7 Dec 09 | 1 March 10 | Difference | |
| Intelligent | 71% | 71% | – |
| Hard-working | 69% | 69% | – |
| A capable leader | 46% | 49% | +3% |
| Demanding | 53% | 55% | +2% |
| Arrogant | 53% | 53% | – |
| Out of touch with ordinary people | 53% | 50% | -3% |
| Understands the problems facing Australia | 46% | 49% | +3% |
| Visionary | 34% | 33% | -1% |
| Superficial | 42% | 43% | +1% |
| Good in a crisis | 39% | 38% | -1% |
| Narrow-minded | 52% | 57% | +5% |
| Down to earth | 46% | 46% | – |
| Too inflexible | 45% | 49% | +4% |
| Complacent | 31% | 33% | +2% |
| More honest than most politicians | 31% | 34% | +3% |
| Trustworthy | 36% | 38% | +2% |
Since we asked this question in December 2007, Abbott has gained the most points when it comes to appearing narrow minded (+5%) and appearing too inflexible (+4%).
When it comes to positive traits, Abbott has gained some ground in terms of appearing as a capable leader (+3%) who understands the problems facing Australia (+3%) and more honest than most politicians (+3%). Comments »
Abbott, approval, Approval of opposition leader, approval of PM, opinion of opposition leader, opinion of pm, rudd
Q. Which of the following describe your opinion of the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd?
Q. Which of the following describe your opinion of the Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott?
| Rudd
1 March 10 |
Abbott
1 March 10 |
Difference (Rudd lead) | |
| Intelligent | 82% | 71% | +11% |
| Hard-working | 77% | 69% | +8% |
| A capable leader | 65% | 49% | +16% |
| Demanding | 55% | 55% | – |
| Arrogant | 45% | 53% | -8% |
| Out of touch with ordinary people | 45% | 50% | +5% |
| Understands the problems facing Australia | 62% | 49% | +13% |
| Visionary | 44% | 33% | +11% |
| Superficial | 46% | 43% | +3 |
| Good in a crisis | 56% | 38% | +18% |
| Narrow-minded | 36% | 57% | -21% |
| Down to earth | 57% | 46% | +11% |
| Too inflexible | 38% | 49% | -11% |
| Complacent | 40% | 33% | +7% |
| More honest than most politicians | 47% | 34% | +13% |
| Trustworthy | 51% | 38% | +13% |
Rudd has his strongest lead over Abbott when it comes to appearing good in a crisis (+18%) and as a capable leader (+16%). People think Rudd is better than Abbott when it comes to understanding the problems facing Australia (+13%), more honest than most politicians (+13%) and trustworthy (+13%).
Rudd trails Abbott most significantly in terms of appearing narrow-minded (-21%), too inflexible (-11%) and arrogant (-8%). Comments »
economy, environment, immigration, infrastructure, population
Q. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements about Australia’s population growth?
| Total agree | Total disagree | Strongly agree | Agree | Disagree | Strongly disagree | Don’t know | |
| We just don’t have the infrastructure and services to manage more population growth | 75% | 19% | 36% | 39% | 14% | 5% | 6% |
| Immigration should be slowed as it causes too much change to our society | 64% | 29% | 32% | 32% | 20% | 9% | 7% |
| Australia has a fragile environment that cannot cope with a much larger population | 61% | 30% | 24% | 37% | 24% | 6% | 8% |
| Having a larger population will help our economy | 38% | 52% | 7% | 31% | 34% | 18% | 10% |
| Australia has the space and resources to cope with a much larger population | 35% | 58% | 8% | 27% | 31% | 27% | 7% |
When it comes to statements about population growth, most people agree that we just don’t have the infrastructure and services to manage more population growth (75%). 64% agree that immigration should be slowed as it causes too much change to our society and 61% think Australia has a fragile environment that cannot cope with a much larger population. More than half (58%) disagree that Australia has the space and resources to cope with a much larger population.
Labor voters were more likely to agree that having a larger population will help our economy (42%) and disagree that we just don’t have the infrastructure and services to manage more population growth (23%).
Coalition voters were more likely to agree that we just don’t have the infrastructure and services to manage more population growth (82%) and agree that immigration should be slowed as it causes too much change to our society (74%).
Greens voters were more likely to agree that Australia has a fragile environment that cannot cope with a much larger population (66%). Comments »
Health, Health Insurance, Labor, Private Health Insurance, Private Health Insurance Rebate
Q. The Government proposes to phase out the 30 per cent rebate on private health insurance for singles on incomes over $75,000 and couples on $150,000-plus. Do you support or oppose means testing the heath insurance rebate for people on higher incomes?
| Total
% |
Voter ID | Weekly income | ||||||
| Labor | Coalition | Green | < $600
per week |
$600 – $1000 per week | $1000 – $1600 per week | $1600 +
per week |
||
| Total support | 51% | 66% | 39% | 57% | 63% | 60% | 53% | 41% |
| Total oppose | 34% | 20% | 50% | 32% | 24% | 25% | 28% | 50% |
| Strongly support | 23% | 33% | 14% | 28% | 36% | 25% | 24% | 14% |
| Support | 28% | 33% | 25% | 29% | 27% | 35% | 29% | 27% |
| Oppose | 17% | 11% | 23% | 20% | 16% | 13% | 15% | 19% |
| Strongly oppose | 17% | 9% | 27% | 12% | 8% | 12% | 13% | 31% |
| Don’t know | 15% | 13% | 11% | 11% | 14% | 15% | 19% | 10% |
When it comes to the Government’s proposed plan to phase out the 30 per cent rebate on private health insurance for singles on incomes over $75 000 and couples on $150,000 plus, just over half (51%) support means testing the health insurance rebate for people on higher incomes. 34% oppose means testing for people on higher incomes and 15% don’t know.
Labor voters were more likely to support means testing the health insurance rebate for people on higher incomes (66%), while Coalition voters were more likely to oppose it (50%).
Support for a means test decreased as weekly income increased – people earning less than $600 per week were more likely to support means testing the health insurance rebate for people on higher incomes (63%), while those earning $1600 per were more likely to oppose (50%).
People not working were more likely to support the means test (57%), while those in full-time work were more likely to oppose (37%). Comments »