Important election issues

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

	One	Two	Three	Total	24 Jan 11	11 Oct 10	25 Jan 10
Management of the economy	34%	18%	9%	61%	65%	62%	63%
Ensuring a quality education for all children	6%	10%	10%	26%	26%	32%	23%
Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system	15%	15%	19%	49%	49%	48%	48%
Protecting the environment	4%	6%	5%	15%	13%	12%	16%
A fair industrial relations system	2%	3%	3%	8%	10%	11%	*
Political leadership	6%	6%	5%	17%	16%	16%	23%
Addressing climate change	6%	4%	5%	15%	10%	11%	16%
Controlling interest rates	3%	5%	5%	13%	21%	17%	15%
Australian jobs and protection of local industries	9%	11%	12%	32%	30%	30%	33%
Ensuring a quality water supply	1%	1%	3%	5%	6%	6%	12%
Housing affordability	4%	6%	6%	16%	16%	17%	14%
Ensuring a fair taxation system	3%	6%	8%	17%	18%	16%	14%
Security and the war on terrorism	2%	2%	4%	8%	5%	6%	9%
Treatment of asylum seekers	1%	2%	2%	5%	5%	5%	*
Managing population growth	2%	4%	6%	12%	11%	10%	*

*Not asked

61% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 49% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system and 32% Australian jobs and protection of local industries.

Since January, there has been an increase in the importance of addressing climate change (from 10% to 15%) and a decrease in the importance of controlling interest rates (from 21% to 13%).