Q. If a Federal Election was held today to which party will you probably give your first preference vote? If not sure, which party are you currently leaning toward? If don’t know – Well which party are you currently leaning to?
| Q | Total | 2 Weeks ago
25/02/19 |
4 weeks ago | Election | |||
| 11/02/19 | 02/07/16 | ||||||
| Liberal | 34% | 35% | 31% | ||||
| National | 3% | 3% | 3% | ||||
| Total Liberal/National | 37% | 38% | 34% | 42.0% | |||
| Labor | 38% | 37% | 38% | 34.7% | |||
| Greens | 8% | 9% | 10% | 10.2% | |||
| Pauline Hanson’s One Nation | 7% | 6% | 7% | ||||
| Other/Independent | 10% | 10% | 11% | 13.1% | |||
| 2 party preferred | |||||||
| Liberal/National | 47% | 48% | 45% | 50.4% | |||
| Labor | 53% | 52% | 55% | 49.6% |
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Bill Shorten is doing as Opposition Leader?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Jan 2019 | Dec 2018 | Nov 2018 | Oct 2018 | Sep 2018 | Jun 2018 | Mar 2018 | Dec 2017 | Sep 2017 | |||
| Total approve | 38% | 70% | 22% | 37% | 15% | 35% | 35% | 38% | 33% | 35% | 33% | 37% | 36% | 36% | ||
| Total disapprove | 44% | 16% | 68% | 35% | 72% | 47% | 43% | 44% | 45% | 43% | 46% | 44% | 45% | 47% | ||
| Strongly approve | 8% | 18% | 5% | 7% | 1% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 6% | 8% | 7% | 7% | ||
| Approve | 29% | 53% | 17% | 31% | 13% | 27% | 27% | 30% | 25% | 27% | 27% | 29% | 29% | 29% | ||
| Disapprove | 22% | 13% | 27% | 29% | 29% | 25% | 21% | 24% | 23% | 21% | 23% | 23% | 23% | 25% | ||
| Strongly disapprove | 23% | 3% | 41% | 7% | 43% | 21% | 22% | 20% | 22% | 22% | 23% | 21% | 22% | 22% | ||
| Don’t know | 18% | 14% | 10% | 27% | 13% | 18% | 22% | 18% | 23% | 22% | 21% | 19% | 19% | 17% |
38% approved of the job Bill Shorten is doing as Opposition Leader (up 3%pts from January), and 44% disapproved (down 3%pts from 47%).
70% of ALP voters approved of the job Bill Shorten is doing, compared to 37% of Greens voters and 22% of Liberal/National voters.
By gender, men were 41% approve/46% disapprove and women 34% approve/43% disapprove. Bill Shorten has positive approval among 18-34 year olds, with 44% approving and 32% disapproving. However 58% of those aged over 55 disapprove of his performance as opposition leader, with just 32% approving.
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Bill Shorten is doing as Opposition Leader?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Jan 2019 | Dec 2018 | Nov 2018 | Oct 2018 | Sep 2018 | Jun 2018 | Mar 2018 | Dec 2017 | Sep 2017 | |||
| Total approve | 38% | 70% | 22% | 37% | 15% | 35% | 35% | 38% | 33% | 35% | 33% | 37% | 36% | 36% | ||
| Total disapprove | 44% | 16% | 68% | 35% | 72% | 47% | 43% | 44% | 45% | 43% | 46% | 44% | 45% | 47% | ||
| Strongly approve | 8% | 18% | 5% | 7% | 1% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 6% | 8% | 7% | 7% | ||
| Approve | 29% | 53% | 17% | 31% | 13% | 27% | 27% | 30% | 25% | 27% | 27% | 29% | 29% | 29% | ||
| Disapprove | 22% | 13% | 27% | 29% | 29% | 25% | 21% | 24% | 23% | 21% | 23% | 23% | 23% | 25% | ||
| Strongly disapprove | 23% | 3% | 41% | 7% | 43% | 21% | 22% | 20% | 22% | 22% | 23% | 21% | 22% | 22% | ||
| Don’t know | 18% | 14% | 10% | 27% | 13% | 18% | 22% | 18% | 23% | 22% | 21% | 19% | 19% | 17% |
38% approved of the job Bill Shorten is doing as Opposition Leader (up 3%pts from January), and 44% disapproved (down 3%pts from 47%).
70% of ALP voters approved of the job Bill Shorten is doing, compared to 37% of Greens voters and 22% of Liberal/National voters.
By gender, men were 41% approve/46% disapprove and women 34% approve/43% disapprove. Bill Shorten has positive approval among 18-34 year olds, with 44% approving and 32% disapproving. However 58% of those aged over 55 disapprove of his performance as opposition leader, with just 32% approving.
Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Jan 2019 | Dec 2018 | Nov 2018 | Oct 2018 | Sep 2018 | Sep 2018 | |||
| Scott Morrison | 44% | 14% | 82% | 23% | 54% | 42% | 40% | 41% | 42% | 39% | 39% | ||
| Bill Shorten | 31% | 66% | 8% | 40% | 10% | 30% | 29% | 29% | 27% | 27% | 29% | ||
| Don’t know | 26% | 20% | 10% | 36% | 36% | 28% | 31% | 29% | 31% | 34% | 32% |
44% thought that Scott Morrison would make the better Prime Minister (up 2%pts from last month), and 31% thought Bill Shorten would be better (up 1%pt). 26% did not know who would make a better Prime Minister.
The results were split by party, with 82% of Liberal/National voters saying that Scott Morrison would be a better Prime Minister (up 5%pts from January), and 66% of Labor voters saying Bill Shorten would (up 3%pts from 63% in January).
Greens voters preferred Bill Shorten (40%) to Scott Morrison (23%).
Both men (47% vs. 29%) and women (41% vs. 32%) would prefer Scott Morrison to Bill Shorten as Prime Minister.
Q. Which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?
| Liberal Party | Labor Party | Unsure | Difference between Liberal and Labor | |
| Border Protection | 45% | 26% | 29% | +19 |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 42% | 26% | 32% | +16 |
| Management of the economy | 44% | 29% | 27% | +15 |
| Controlling interest rates | 39% | 27% | 34% | +12 |
| Managing population growth | 37% | 27% | 35% | +10 |
| Political leadership | 37% | 32% | 32% | +5 |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 35% | 36% | 29% | -1 |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 33% | 34% | 33% | -1 |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 32% | 33% | 35% | -2 |
| Protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 36% | 39% | 25% | -3 |
| Standing up to big business | 33% | 37% | 30% | -5 |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 32% | 39% | 29% | -6 |
| Housing affordability | 30% | 38% | 32% | -7 |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 32% | 39% | 29% | -8 |
| Protecting the environment | 28% | 36% | 36% | -8 |
| Addressing climate change | 27% | 36% | 37% | -10 |
| Fair wages and workplace conditions | 28% | 46% | 26% | -18 |
More people trust the Liberal party than Labor on Border Protection, Security and the war on terrorism, Management of the economy, Controlling interest rates, Managing population growth and Political leadership.
Policy areas in which there is more trust in Labor include Fair wages and workplace conditions, Addressing climate change, Protecting the environment and Ensuring a quality education for children.
Q. How much trust do you have in the following institutions and organisations?
| NET: Total Trust | A lot of trust | Some trust | A little trust | No trust | Unsure | Sep 2018 | Oct 2017 | Sep 2016 | |
| Federal police | 66% | 28% | 37% | 21% | 9% | 4% | 70% | 71% | 63% |
| State police | 66% | 28% | 38% | 20% | 10% | 4% | 67% | 67% | 63% |
| The High Court | 58% | 23% | 35% | 23% | 13% | 6% | 61% | 61% | 57% |
| The ABC | 51% | 19% | 32% | 27% | 14% | 8% | 54% | 52% | 53% |
| Charitable organisations | 50% | 13% | 37% | 30% | 14% | 6% | 47% | 46% | 43% |
| The Reserve Bank | 49% | 18% | 31% | 26% | 17% | 9% | 50% | 49% | 47% |
| Your local council | 43% | 10% | 33% | 33% | 18% | 6% | 42% | 38% | 36% |
| Environment groups | 43% | 14% | 29% | 28% | 21% | 7% | 42% | 42% | 39% |
| The Commonwealth public service | 42% | 10% | 32% | 35% | 14% | 9% | 39% | 38% | 36% |
| State Parliament | 36% | 9% | 27% | 31% | 27% | 6% | 31% | 31% | 26% |
| Federal Parliament | 35% | 10% | 25% | 29% | 29% | 8% | 28% | 30% | 26% |
| Business groups | 31% | 5% | 26% | 37% | 23% | 9% | 29% | 28% | 27% |
| Trade unions | 31% | 7% | 23% | 26% | 33% | 10% | 25% | 25% | 25% |
| Religious organisations | 27% | 7% | 20% | 24% | 42% | 7% | 28% | 26% | 26% |
| Political parties | 22% | 4% | 17% | 34% | 37% | 7% | 15% | 18% | 14% |
Trust is highest for the Federal and State police (66%), the High Court (58%). More than half of Australians have trust in the ABC (51%) and half trust charitable organisations (50%).
Trust is lowest for political parties (22%) and religious organisations (27%), Trade Unions (31%) and Business groups (31%).
Since the Parliament passed legislation allowing refugees on Manus Island and Nauru to be evacuated to receive medical attention, the Government has reopened Christmas Island processing centre and warned that people smugglers will restart the boats.
Q. Which of the following statements most closely aligns to your view of the issue?
| Total | Male | Female | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Aged 18-34 | Aged 35-54 | Aged 55+ | |
| The Government is genuinely concerned about border protection | 52% | 54% | 50% | 31% | 81% | 29% | 53% | 52% | 47% | 56% |
| The Government is using border protection as a political ploy | 48% | 46% | 50% | 69% | 19% | 71% | 47% | 48% | 53% | 44% |
Overall, voters are split on the issue of border protection with 52% believing the latest developments represent a genuine concern for protection, and 48% believing it to be a political ploy.
Q. Do you believe that there is fairly conclusive evidence that climate change is happening and caused by human activity or do you believe that the evidence is still not in and we may just be witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate which happens from time to time?
| Total | Male | Female | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | Aged 18-34 | Aged 35-54 | Aged 55+ | Oct 2018 | Sep 2017 | Aug 2016 | |
| Climate change is happening and is caused by human activity | 62% | 58% | 65% | 75% | 53% | 84% | 48% | 72% | 63% | 52% | 63% | 64% | 57% |
| We are just witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate | 27% | 29% | 24% | 16% | 38% | 7% | 41% | 16% | 24% | 39% | 25% | 24% | 26% |
| Don’t know | 12% | 12% | 11% | 10% | 9% | 9% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 9% | 13% | 12% | 17% |
62% (down 1% since October last year) agree that climate change is happening and is caused by human activity and 27% (up 2%pts from 25%) believe that we may just be witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate.
By age groups, those aged under 35 split 72%/16% and those aged 55+ split 52%/39%. People with higher education were more likely to think climate change is happening and is caused by human activity – those with university degrees split 71%/22%.