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Important election issues

19 Nov 2012

Q.  Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election?

 

First

Second

Third

Total

19 Nov 12

Total

30 Jul 12

5 Dec 11

6 June 11

25 Jan 10

Management of the economy

47%

11%

9%

66%

64%

62%

61%

63%

Ensuring a quality education for all children

7%

16%

11%

35%

26%

22%

26%

23%

Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system

15%

22%

20%

57%

47%

47%

49%

48%

Protecting the environment

3%

6%

5%

14%

11%

13%

15%

16%

A fair industrial relations system

2%

3%

3%

8%

12%

11%

8%

na

Political leadership

6%

5%

4%

15%

25%

18%

17%

23%

Addressing climate change

2%

2%

5%

9%

9%

10%

15%

16%

Controlling interest rates

2%

5%

4%

11%

9%

11%

13%

15%

Australian jobs and protection of local industries

8%

11%

13%

32%

41%

36%

32%

33%

Ensuring a quality water supply

1%

2%

2%

5%

3%

4%

5%

12%

Housing affordability

3%

6%

5%

14%

13%

13%

16%

14%

Ensuring a fair taxation system

2%

5%

9%

17%

18%

16%

17%

14%

Security and the war on terrorism

*

1%

3%

5%

5%

4%

8%

9%

Treatment of asylum seekers

1%

1%

3%

6%

10%

8%

5%

na

Managing population growth

1%

2%

4%

7%

8%

8%

12%

na

*Not asked

66% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 57% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system, 35% ensuring a quality education for all children and 32% Australian jobs and protection of local industries.

Since July, there has been an increase in the importance of ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system (+10%) and ensuring a quality education for all children (+9%) and a decline in the importance of political leadership (-10%) and Australian jobs and protection of local industries (-9%).

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