Election, firmness of vote, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Voting intention
Q. Would you say your choice is very firm, pretty firm but you might change your mind, or might you consider another party and leader as the campaign develops?
| Total | Labor | Coalition | Green | |
| Very firm | 48% | 54% | 55% | 31% |
| Pretty firm but I might change my mind | 33% | 33% | 32% | 43% |
| Might consider another party and leader closer to an election | 17% | 12% | 12% | 24% |
| Don’t know | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Just under half (48%) of those surveyed consider their voting choice as ‘very firm’, 33% consider their voting choice as ‘pretty firm but might change my mind’ and 17% ‘might consider another party and leader closer to an election’.
Labor and Coalition voters were more likely to indicate their voting choice as ‘very firm’ (54% Labor, 55% Coalition), while Green voters were more likely to indicate their choice as ‘pretty firm, but I might change my mind’ (43%).
People aged 55 years and over were more likely to consider their voting choice ‘very firm’ (60%), people aged 25 – 34 were more likely to indicate it as ‘pretty firm but I might change my mind’ (43%), while 18 – 24 year olds were more likely to indicate they ‘might consider another party and leader closer to an election’ (29%). Comments »
Election, Political campaigning
Q. Politicians may be banned from campaigning in major shopping centres because the Shopping Centre Council claims that it causes too much disruption for shoppers. Do you agree or disagree with banning politicians from campaigning in shopping centres?
| % | |
| Total agree | 57% |
| Total disagree | 28% |
| Strong agree | 26% |
| Agree | 31% |
| Disagree | 22% |
| Strongly disagree | 6% |
| Don’t know | 15% |
More than half (57%) of those surveyed agree with banning politicians from campaigning in shopping centres, 28% disagree and 15% don’t know.
Coalition voters were more likely than Labor voters to agree with banning politicians from campaigning in shopping centres (60% v 55%).
Results were reasonably consistent across age groups; however people in the 45 – 54 age group were slightly more likely to agree (60%).
People in South Australia were more likely than those living in other states to agree with banning politicians from campaigning in shopping centres (71%). Comments »
ageing population, economy, kevin rudd, productivity, rudd
Q. The Prime Minister Kevin Rudd recently said that over the next decade Australia must build the best educated, best skilled and best trained workforce in the world to increase productivity and counter the effects of an ageing population. Do you agree or disagree?
| % | |
| Total agree | 82% |
| Total disagree | 8% |
| Strong agree | 34% |
| Agree | 48% |
| Disagree | 6% |
| Strongly disagree | 2% |
| Don’t know | 10% |
The majority of those surveyed agree with Kevin Rudd’s recent comments that over the next decade Australia must build the best educated, best skilled and best trained workforce in the world to increase productivity and counter the effects of an ageing population (82%), 8% disagree with the comments and 10% don’t know.
Results were consistent amongst most demographic groups. However, Labor voters were more likely to strongly agree with Rudd’s statements (46%). Comments »
Abbott, marriage, moral issues, women
Q. The Opposition Leader Tony Abbott recently said that he believes women should try to remain virgins until they are married. Do you think Tony Abbott should or should not be giving advice on moral issues like sex and marriage?
| Total | Firm Labor | Soft Labor | Firm Coalition | Soft Coalition | Firm Green | Soft Green | |
| Should be giving advice on moral issues | 19% | 11% | 11% | 39% | 27% | 10% | 10% |
| Should not be giving advice on moral issues | 70% | 86% | 83% | 48% | 67% | 82% | 87% |
| Don’t know | 11% | 3% | 6% | 13% | 7% | 8% | 4% |
Most people (70%) think that Tony Abbott should not be giving advice on moral issues like sex and marriage, 19% think he should be giving advice on moral issues and 11% don’t know.
Males were more likely to think that Abbott should be giving advice on moral issues (23%), while females were more likely to think he should not (75%).
People aged 45 – 54 were more likely than those in other age groups to think Abbott should not be giving advice on moral issues (78%).
Coalition voters were more likely to think Abbott should be giving advice on moral issues (34%), while Labor (84%) and Green (84%) voters were more likely to think he should not. 56% of Coalition voters and 67% of soft Coalition voters think Abbott should not be giving advice on moral issues. Comments »
Australian Anthem, Australian Flag, National Issues, Republic
Q. Do you support or oppose the following –
| Total support | Total oppose | Strongly support | Support | Neither support nor oppose | Oppose | Strongly oppose | Don’t know | |
| Australia becoming a republic | 41% | 32% | 22% | 19% | 23% | 12% | 20% | 4% |
| Changing the Australian flag | 23% | 54% | 12% | 11% | 20% | 15% | 39% | 2% |
| Changing the National Anthem | 22% | 52% | 11% | 11% | 24% | 21% | 31% | 3% |
People were generally split as to whether they support or oppose an Australian republic (41% support/32% oppose). Just over half oppose both a change to the Australian flag (54%) and changing the national anthem (52%). There was a substantial proportion that neither support nor oppose changes to each of the measures presented.
People aged 55 years and over were more likely than those in other age groups to strongly oppose/oppose Australia becoming a republic (38%), changing the Australian flag (58%), and changing the national anthem (53%).
Labor and Green voters were more likely than Coalition voters to strongly support/support the changes:
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?
* 1928 sample size
| 2 week average | % | 2PP | 2PP shift from last week |
| Liberal | 34% | ||
| National | 2% | ||
| Total Lib/Nat | 37% | 44% | – |
| Labor | 46% | 56% | – |
| Greens | 8% | ||
| 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 »
Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Education, environment, Health, Housing, Housing affordability, Interest rates, issues of importance, political leadership, tax, Terrorism, Water
Q. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election? (Number from 1 to 3 where 1 is the most important, 2 the second most important, etc)
| One | Two | Three | Total | |
| Management of the economy | 36% | 17% | 10% | 63% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 14% | 17% | 17% | 48% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 8% | 13% | 12% | 33% |
| Political leadership | 10% | 7% | 6% | 23% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 5% | 8% | 10% | 23% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 4% | 5% | 9% | 18% |
| Protecting the environment | 4% | 7% | 5% | 16% |
| Addressing climate change | 6% | 5% | 5% | 16% |
| Controlling interest rates | 3% | 6% | 6% | 15% |
| Housing affordability | 3% | 4% | 7% | 14% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 3% | 4% | 5% | 12% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 3% | 4% | 3% | 10% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 2% | 4% | 3% | 9% |
63% of people surveyed rate management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 48% that rate ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system and 33% that rate Australian jobs and protection of local industries as one of their three most important issues.
10% rate a fair industrial relations system as one of their three most important issues that would decide how they vote in a Federal election and 9% rate security and the war on terrorism. Comments »
Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Education, environment, Health, Industrial Relations, Interest rates, Labor, Liberal, party best at, tax, Terrorism, Water
Q. Which party do you think is best at handling each of the following issues?
| Labor | Liberal | Labor margin | No difference | Don’t know | Labor margin Oct 09 | |
| A fair industrial relations system | 42% | 23% | +19% | 19% | 16% | +27% |
| Addressing climate change | 35% | 16% | +19% | 29% | 19% | +18% |
| Protecting the environment | 32% | 15% | +17% | 34% | 19% | +21% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 35% | 22% | +13% | 26% | 17% | +17% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 32% | 20% | +12% | 32% | 17% | +17% |
| Political leadership | 36% | 25% | +11% | 23% | 16% | +20% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 24% | 17% | +7% | 38% | 20% | +13% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 27% | 21% | +6% | 34% | 19% | +10% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 30% | 24% | +6% | 28% | 18% | +8% |
| Housing affordability | 23% | 19% | +4% | 38% | 20% | +9% |
| Management of the economy | 28% | 35% | -7% | 20% | 16% | – |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 18% | 25% | -7% | 38% | 19% | +2% |
| Controlling interest rates | 20% | 28% | -8% | 34% | 18% | – |
Labor has its strongest lead over the Liberal Party when it comes to a fair industrial relations system (+19%), addressing climate change (+19%) and protecting the environment (+17%). Labor trails the Liberal Party in terms of controlling interest rates (-8%), security and the war on terrorism (-7%) and management of the economy (-7%).
Since October 2009, Labor has lost the margin it had over the Liberal Party in some areas, most significantly in the areas of political leadership (-9%), a fair industrial relations system (-8%), ensuring a quality water supply (-6%).
Results followed party lines with Labor voters tending to favour the Labor Party and Liberal voters favouring the Liberal Party. Comments »