The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Dec, 2019

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    Performance of Scott Morrison compared to expectations

    Q. Since the federal election in May 2019, how has the performance of Scott Morrison compared to your expectations?

      Performance of Scott Morrison Federal Voting Intention
    Total NET: Approve NET: Disapprove Don’t know Labor Coalition Greens NET: Other
    Has exceeded my expectations 11% 22% 1% 6% 4% 22% 6% 8%
    Has met my expectations 41% 66% 12% 53% 27% 60% 34% 25%
    Has fallen short of my expectations 47% 12% 86% 41% 69% 18% 60% 67%
    Base (n) 1,035 441 461 133 339 356 106 116
    • 66% of participants who approve of the PM’s performance say he has met their expectations, compared to just 12% of those who disapprove of his performance.
    • Again, Coalition voters are most likely to say Scott Morrison has met their expectations (60%) than other voters (28%).
  • Dec, 2019

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    Performance of Anthony Albanese

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

    Dec’19 Nov’19 Oct’19 Sep’19 Aug’19 Jul’19 Jun’19
    NET: Approve 39% 37% 40% 36% 38% 39% 35%
    NET: Disapprove 28% 34% 29% 31% 29% 24% 25%
    Don’t know 33% 29% 31% 33% 33% 37% 39%
    Base (n) 1,035 1,075 1,088 1,093 1,096 1,091 1,099

     

    Total Federal Voting Intention
    Labor Coalition Greens NET: Other
    Strongly approve 8% 14% 7% 8% 3%
    Approve 31% 44% 31% 29% 14%
    Disapprove 18% 10% 25% 20% 28%
    Strongly disapprove 10% 4% 15% 7% 20%
    Don’t know 33% 28% 22% 35% 35%
    NET: Approve 39% 58% 38% 37% 17%
    NET: Disapprove 28% 14% 40% 28% 48%
    Base (n) 1,035 339 356 106 116
    • Anthony Albanese has 39% approval as Opposition Leader, but one third (33%) still don’t know how to rate his performance.
  • Dec, 2019

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    Performance of Anthony Albanese compared to expectations

    Q. Since the federal election in May 2019, how has the performance of Anthony Albanese compared to your expectations?

      Performance of Anthony Albanese Federal Voting Intention
    Total NET: Approve NET: Disapprove Don’t know Labor Coalition Greens NET: Other
    Has exceeded my expectations 8% 16% 3% 2% 11% 6% 10% 6%
    Has met my expectations 48% 67% 21% 50% 55% 47% 46% 30%
    Has fallen short of my expectations 44% 18% 77% 48% 34% 47% 44% 64%
    Base (n) 1,035 441 461 133 339 356 106 116
    • Less than half of participants say that Anthony Albanese has met their expectations since the election, with 77% of those who disapprove of his performance saying he fell short of their expectations.
    • Labor voters are most likely to say that he has met their expectations (55%) whereas 64% of other party or independent voters say he has fallen short of their expectations.
  • Dec, 2019

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    Last 12 months

    Q. Thinking about the last 12 months, has it been a good or bad year for each of the following?

      Total good Total bad NET   Very good Good Neither good nor bad Bad Very bad Don’t know   2018 NET
    The Australian cricket team 44% 10% +34   13% 32% 26% 6% 4% 12%   +2
    Large companies and corporations 41% 18% +23   10% 31% 31% 13% 5% 10%   +9
    You and your family overall 41% 22% +19   9% 32% 35% 15% 7% 3%   +28
    Your workplace 30% 16% +14   7% 23% 29% 10% 6% 23%   +28
    Your personal financial situation 30% 32% -2   6% 24% 35% 19% 13% 3%   –
    The average Australian 27% 31% -4   7% 21% 37% 22% 9% 4%   -1
    The Australian Government 29% 36% -7   7% 22% 31% 22% 14% 5%   -41
    Trade unions 19% 30% -11   5% 14% 35% 21% 9% 10%   -2
    Small business 24% 36% -12   4% 20% 31% 27% 9% 9%   +6
    The Australian economy 25% 38% -13   5% 20% 31% 26% 12% 5%   +6
    Australian politics in general 21% 41% -20   5% 16% 32% 24% 18% 4%   -50
    The planet 20% 49% -29   6% 14% 27% 28% 21% 4%   -19
    • Participants believe that 2019 has been a good year for the Australian cricket team (+34, up from +2 in 2018), large companies and corporations (+23, up from +9 in 2018) and them and their families.
    • This year has been bad for the planet (-29, down 10pts from 2018) and Australian politics in general (-20).
    • Australian politics in general and the Australian Government have the greatest swing compared to 2018 with Australian politics in general up from -50 to -20 and the Australian Government up from -41 to -7.
    • The Australian economy also saw a large swing from 2018, dropping from +6 in 2018 to -13 in 2019; which is mirrored by small businesses (from +6 in 2018 to -12 in 2019).
    • Trade unions are similarly seen as having a bad year, falling from -2 in 2018 to -11 in 2019.
  • Dec, 2019

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    Impact of same-sex marriage

    Q. Same-sex marriage has now been legal in Australia for two years (since December 2017). To what extent do you think allowing same-sex people to marry has had a positive or negative impact on Australia?

      Total Federal Voting Intention
    Labor Coalition Greens NET: Other
    Strong positive impact 24% 28% 18% 43% 22%
    Somewhat positive impact 23% 27% 24% 22% 10%
    Neither positive, nor negative impact 38% 33% 43% 27% 38%
    Somewhat negative impact 7% 5% 8% 4% 10%
    Strong negative impact 8% 7% 8% 5% 21%
    NET: Positive impact 47% 55% 42% 65% 31%
    NET: Negative impact 15% 12% 15% 8% 31%
    Base (n) 1,035 339 356 106 116
    • 47% of participants say allowing same-sex people to marry has had a positive impact on Australia with only 15% saying this has had a negative impact.
    • Greens voters are most likely to say this has had a positive impact (65%) whereas 31% of other party or independent voters believe this has had a negative impact.
  • Dec, 2019

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    Attitudes towards unions

    Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about unions?

      NET: Agree NET: Disagree Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Unsure
    Union officials should be disqualified for breaching administrative laws such as failing to file annual financial reports 68% 18% 30% 38% 13% 5% 14%
    The government seems to be more concerned about the actions of union officials than the CEO’s of banks and other corporations 62% 24% 29% 34% 18% 6% 14%
    Union officials should be disqualified for taking unprotected industrial action, such as snap strikes 51% 32% 20% 31% 22% 10% 17%
    Overall unions have too much power in Australia today 49% 37% 18% 31% 24% 13% 14%
    • Two-thirds of participants agree that ‘union officials should be disqualified for breaching administrative laws such as failing to file annual financial reports’ (68%) and 62% agree that the government seems to be more concerned about the actions of union officials than the CEO’s of banks and other corporations.
    • Half of participants agree that union officials should be disqualified for taking unprotected industrial action, such as snap strikes (51%) and 49% agree that overall unions have too much power in Australia today.
    • Capital city residents are more likely than non-capital city residents to agree that overall unions have too much power in Australia today, with 53% of capital city and 41% of non-capital city residents agreeing with the statement.
    • Broadly, Coalition voters and those over 55 years old were most likely to agree with statements that are more negative towards unions.
  • Dec, 2019

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    Angus Taylor and Sydney Lord Mayor

    Q. Over the past few weeks the Opposition has been raising concern about Energy Minister Angus Taylor, in regards to false information which was critical of the Sydney Lord Mayor.

    Which of the following best describes your perspective on the issue?

      Total Federal Voting Intention
    Labor Coalition Greens NET: Other
    The Prime Minister should have stood the Minister down from Cabinet 35% 47% 29% 42% 35%
    The Prime Minster was right not to stand the Minister down from Cabinet 17% 11% 27% 13% 15%
    I have not been following the issue 48% 42% 44% 45% 50%
    Base (n) 1,035 339 356 106 116
    •  Almost half of participants have not been following the issue between Angus Taylor the Sydney Lord Mayor (48%).
    • Coalition voters are least likely to say that the PM should have stood the Minister down (29% versus 44% all other voters).
  • Dec, 2019

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    Federal ICAC

    Q. To what extent would you support or oppose the establishment of an independent federal corruption body to monitor the behaviour of our politicians and public servants?

      Total Voting Intention Sep’18
    Labor Coalition Greens NET: Other
    Strongly support 42% 49% 48% 37% 51% 46%
    Support 33% 35% 28% 45% 30% 36%
    Oppose 7% 7% 8% 6% 5% 4%
    Strongly oppose 2% 1% 1% 2% 3% 1%
    Unsure 17% 8% 15% 10% 12% 14%
    NET: Support 75% 84% 76% 82% 80% 82%
    NET: Oppose 8% 8% 10% 8% 8% 5%
    Base (n) 1,035 339 356 106 116 1,030
    • 75% of participants support the establishment of an independent federal corruption body to monitor the behaviour of our politicians and public servants – this is lower than Sep’18, when 82% supported of an independent body.
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