Essential Report
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Attributes of the Liberal Party
Q. Here is a list of things both favourable and unfavourable that have been said about Federal political parties. Which statements do you feel fit the Liberal Party?
| Total | Change
(Aug’18) |
Aug’18
(Turnbull) |
Nov’17
(Turnbull) |
|
| Will promise to do anything to win votes | 64% | -4 | 68% | 67% |
| Too close to the big corporate and financial interests | 63% | -4 | 67% | 65% |
| Out of touch with ordinary people | 60% | -9 | 69% | 66% |
| Moderate | 54% | +6 | 48% | 53% |
| Have a vision for the future | 51% | +8 | 43% | 48% |
| Divided | 50% | -29 | 79% | 68% |
| Understands the problems facing Australia | 49% | +9 | 40% | 41% |
| Clear about what they stand for | 48% | +15 | 33% | 40% |
| Have good policies | 48% | +8 | 40% | 45% |
| Has a good team of leaders | 46% | +15 | 31% | 37% |
| Looks after the interests of working people | 40% | +8 | 32% | 36% |
| Keeps its promises | 40% | +12 | 28% | 32% |
| Trustworthy | 39% | +9 | 30% | 34% |
| Extreme | 35% | -5 | 40% | 37% |
| Base (n) | 1,088 | – | 1,035 | 1,025 |
- The Liberal party is perceived as promising to do anything to win votes (64%), too close to the big corporate and financial interests (63%) and out of touch with ordinary people (60%).
- Since August 2018, there have been improved perceptions that the Liberal Party has a good team of leaders (up 15pts, from 31%), are clear about what they stand for (up 15pts, from 33%) and keeps its promises (up 12pts, from 28%).
- Over the same time they are also perceived less as divided (down 29pts, from 79%) and being out of touch with ordinary people (down 9pts, from 69%).
Attributes of the Labor Party
Q. Here is a list of things both favourable and unfavourable that have been said about Federal political parties. Which statements do you feel fit the Labor Party?
| Total | Change
(Aug’18) |
Aug’18
(Shorten) |
Nov’17
(Shorten) |
|
| Will promise to do anything to win votes | 65% | -5 | 70% | 69% |
| Looks after the interests of working people | 59% | +4 | 55% | 58% |
| Divided | 55% | +9 | 46% | 51% |
| Moderate | 53% | +3 | 50% | 52% |
| Understands the problems facing Australia | 51% | +3 | 48% | 48% |
| Out of touch with ordinary people | 51% | – | 51% | 52% |
| Have a vision for the future | 50% | +2 | 48% | 49% |
| Clear about what they stand for | 46% | -1 | 47% | 45% |
| Have good policies | 44% | +1 | 43% | 44% |
| Has a good team of leaders | 42% | +3 | 39% | 39% |
| Too close to the big corporate and financial interests | 41% | +5 | 36% | 42% |
| Extreme | 36% | – | 36% | 41% |
| Trustworthy | 36% | +2 | 34% | 32% |
| Keeps its promises | 35% | +5 | 30% | 31% |
| Base (n) | 1,088 | – | 1,035 | 1,025 |
- The Labor party is similarly perceived as promising to do anything to win votes (65%) but also looking after the interests of working people (59%) and divided (55%).
- The perception that Labor is divided has increased since August 2018 by 9pts.
Party Attributes Comparison – Labor vs Liberal
Q. Here is a list of things both favourable and unfavourable that have been said about Federal political parties. Which statements do you feel fit the Liberal Party / Labor Party?
| Liberal | Labor | Difference | |
| Will promise to do anything to win votes | 64% | 65% | -1 |
| Too close to the big corporate and financial interests | 63% | 41% | +22 |
| Out of touch with ordinary people | 60% | 51% | +9 |
| Moderate | 54% | 53% | +1 |
| Have a vision for the future | 51% | 50% | +1 |
| Divided | 50% | 55% | -5 |
| Understands the problems facing Australia | 49% | 51% | -2 |
| Clear about what they stand for | 48% | 46% | +2 |
| Have good policies | 48% | 44% | +4 |
| Has a good team of leaders | 46% | 42% | +4 |
| Looks after the interests of working people | 40% | 59% | -19 |
| Keeps its promises | 40% | 35% | +5 |
| Trustworthy | 39% | 36% | +2 |
| Extreme | 35% | 36% | -1 |
- Though Liberal and Labour are similarly seen to promise to do anything to win votes (-1pt difference), the Liberal party has a stronger image as being too close to the big corporate and financial interests (22pt difference) and out of touch with ordinary people (9pt difference), whereas more people think the Labor party looks after the interests of working people (19pt difference)
Leader attributes – Scott Morrison
Q. Which of the following describe your opinion of the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison?
| Total | Change (Dec’18) | Dec’18
(Morrison) |
Sep’18
(Morrison) |
|
| Intelligent | 64% | +3 | 61% | 66% |
| Hard-working | 63% | +3 | 60% | 60% |
| Out of touch with ordinary people | 56% | +2 | 54% | 51% |
| A capable leader | 54% | +5 | 49% | 54% |
| Good in a crisis | 51% | +10 | 41% | 44% |
| Understands the problems facing Australia | 50% | +4 | 46% | 51% |
| Superficial | 48% | +3 | 45% | 43% |
| Narrow-minded | 47% | +1 | 46% | 41% |
| Arrogant | 44% | +1 | 43% | 38% |
| More honest than most politicians | 44% | +5 | 39% | 38% |
| Trustworthy | 43% | +4 | 39% | 41% |
| Visionary | 42% | +4 | 38% | 39% |
| Intolerant | 41% | +4 | 37% | 36% |
| Aggressive | 37% | +3 | 34% | 34% |
| Erratic | 34% | -2 | 36% | 29% |
| Base (n) | 1,088 | – | 1,026 | 1,050 |
- The attributes mainly associated with Scott Morrison are intelligent (64%) and hard-working (63%) – the same as in December 2018.
- Since last year, Scott Morrison is more likely to be seen to be good in a crisis (increase 10pts from 41% to 51%).
Leader attributes – Anthony Albanese
Q. Which of the following describe your opinion of the Opposition Leader, Anthony Albanese?
| Total | Change (Dec’18) | Dec’18
(Shorten) |
Sep’18
(Shorten) |
|
| Intelligent | 66% | +10 | 56% | 55% |
| Hard-working | 64% | +7 | 57% | 58% |
| Understands the problems facing Australia | 53% | +8 | 45% | 48% |
| A capable leader | 51% | +8 | 43% | 43% |
| Out of touch with ordinary people | 44% | -6 | 50% | 50% |
| More honest than most politicians | 42% | +11 | 31% | 29% |
| Visionary | 41% | +9 | 32% | 34% |
| Trustworthy | 41% | +7 | 34% | 33% |
| Good in a crisis | 40% | +4 | 36% | 39% |
| Superficial | 39% | -8 | 47% | 50% |
| Narrow-minded | 37% | -7 | 44% | 44% |
| Arrogant | 33% | -13 | 46% | 50% |
| Erratic | 30% | -10 | 40% | 41% |
| Intolerant | 30% | -9 | 39% | 39% |
| Aggressive | 27% | -10 | 37% | 38% |
| Base (n) | 1,088 | – | 1,026 | 1,050 |
- Anthony Albanese is also perceived as intelligent (66%) and hard-working (64%), but this perception is greater than Bill Shorten in December 2018 (56% and 57% respectively). Albanese also is more likely than Bill Shorten to be seen as more honest than most (42% to 32%).
- Albanese is seen as less arrogant than Shorten (33% to 46%), less erratic (30% to 40%) and less aggressive (27% to 37%).
Leader attributes – Comparisons
Q. Which of the following describe your opinion of the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison / Opposition Leader, Anthony Albanese?
| Scott Morrison | Anthony Albanese | Difference | |
| Intelligent | 64% | 66% | +2 |
| Hard-working | 63% | 64% | -1 |
| Out of touch with ordinary people | 56% | 44% | +8 |
| A capable leader | 54% | 51% | +3 |
| Good in a crisis | 51% | 40% | +11 |
| Understands the problems facing Australia | 50% | 53% | -3 |
| Superficial | 48% | 39% | +9 |
| Narrow-minded | 47% | 37% | +10 |
| Arrogant | 44% | 33% | +11 |
| More honest than most politicians | 44% | 42% | +2 |
| Trustworthy | 43% | 41% | +2 |
| Visionary | 42% | 41% | +1 |
| Intolerant | 41% | 30% | +9 |
| Aggressive | 37% | 27% | +10 |
| Erratic | 34% | 30% | +4 |
- For all opinions, more people felt it described Scott Morrison than Anthony Albanese.
Most Important Issues
Q. Which of the following issues are the most important for the Federal Government to address over the next 12 months?
| Total | Change (Feb’19) | Feb’19 | |
| Create jobs and reduce unemployment | 36% | +8 | 28% |
| Improve the health system | 32% | +1 | 31% |
| Reduce utilities bills | 27% | -4 | 31% |
| Protection of the environment | 27% | +11 | 16% |
| Improve wages and working conditions | 24% | +2 | 22% |
| Increase housing affordability | 19% | -6 | 25% |
| Limit the amount of migration to Australia | 19% | -5 | 24% |
| Promote renewable energy | 19% | +4 | 15% |
| Crack-down on tax avoidance by big companies | 16% | -6 | 22% |
| Provide tax cuts | 15% | +3 | 12% |
| Ensure the security of energy supply | 13% | +2 | 11% |
| Maintain strong border protection | 12% | -2 | 14% |
| Provide more money for education | 11% | -3 | 14% |
| Combat domestic crime | 10% | -1 | 11% |
| Combat international crime and terrorism | 8% | +2 | 6% |
| Increase the budget surplus | 6% | – | – |
| Improve conditions for refugees and asylum seekers | 6% | – | 6% |
| Base (n) | 1,088 | – | 1,085 |
- The most important issues for the Federal Government to address over the next 12 months are seen to be creating jobs and reducing unemployment (36%), improving the health system (32%), reducing utility bills and protecting the environment (both 27%).
- Protecting the environment saw an 11pt increase as an important issue for the Federal Government to address from February 2019 (from 16% to 27%).
Syrian brides
Q. In Syria, 20 Australian women and 46 children are being held by the Syrian Democratic Forces alongside their husbands who were captured while fighting for the Islamic State. These women and children are not considered prisoners of war but are unable to leave the camp and return to Australia.
It’s a complex situation where national security issues, human rights violations and the law all intersect.
Broadly, to what extent do you support or oppose these women and children returning to Australia?
| Gender | Age | |||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | |
| Strongly support | 17% | 15% | 19% | 29% | 13% | 10% |
| Somewhat support | 22% | 22% | 22% | 23% | 26% | 17% |
| Somewhat oppose | 24% | 30% | 19% | 10% | 23% | 37% |
| Strongly oppose | 23% | 21% | 25% | 23% | 21% | 26% |
| Don’t know | 14% | 12% | 15% | 15% | 16% | 10% |
| NET: Support | 39% | 37% | 41% | 52% | 40% | 27% |
| NET: Oppose | 47% | 51% | 44% | 34% | 44% | 62% |
| Base (n) | 1,088 | 539 | 549 | 342 | 373 | 373 |
| Total | Voting Intention | ||||
| Labor | Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | ||
| Strongly support | 17% | 18% | 15% | 29% | 10% |
| Somewhat support | 22% | 26% | 19% | 28% | 19% |
| Somewhat oppose | 24% | 20% | 31% | 10% | 41% |
| Strongly oppose | 23% | 23% | 28% | 17% | 20% |
| Don’t know | 14% | 13% | 8% | 16% | 10% |
| NET: Support | 39% | 45% | 33% | 57% | 29% |
| NET: Oppose | 47% | 42% | 59% | 27% | 61% |
| Base (n) | 1,088 | 343 | 380 | 107 | 130 |
- Almost half (47%) of participants are opposed to the Syrian brides and children being returned to Australia – this is driven by those over 55 (62% opposed), those with professional qualifications (53%), non-capital residents (53%), Liberal voters (59%) and independent/other voters (61%).
- Greens voters (57%), 18-34 year olds (52%) and university educated participants (49%) are most supportive of the families returning home.
Essential Report
Two Party Preferred: 14 May 2019
Labor
51.5%-0.5
Coalition
48.5%+0.5
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