Party Best at Handling Economy
Q. Which party do you think would be best at handling the Australian economy in the interests of you and people like you?
| Post budget 2010 | Post budget 2011 | Vote Labor | Vote Liberal/ National | Vote Greens | |
| Labor Party | 33% | 30% | 75% | 3% | 36% |
| Liberal Party | 36% | 40% | 4% | 84% | 11% |
| No difference | 20% | 22% | 17% | 10% | 46% |
| Don’t know | 11% | 9% | 4% | 3% | 7% |
30% think Labor the party best to handle the economy (in the interests of you and people like you) and 40% nominated the Liberal Party. This represents a shift of 7% in favour of the Liberal Party since the 2010 budget.
75% of Labor voters nominated Labor and 84% of Coalition voters nominated the Liberal Party. 46% of Greens voters said there was no difference – 36% said Labor and 11% Liberal.
Those with incomes under $600 pw favour Labor 32% to 30% while those on $1,600+ pw favour the Liberals 49% to 29%.
Party best handling important election issues
Q. And which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?
| Labor | Liberal | Greens | Don’t know | |
| Management of the economy | 33% | 43% | 2% | 22% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 39% | 33% | 4% | 24% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 33% | 33% | 7% | 27% |
| Protecting the environment | 16% | 19% | 40% | 24% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 40% | 30% | 5% | 25% |
| Political leadership | 28% | 37% | 4% | 31% |
| Addressing climate change | 18% | 20% | 34% | 28% |
| Controlling interest rates | 22% | 40% | 2% | 35% |
| Protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 36% | 33% | 4% | 27% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 21% | 28% | 20% | 31% |
| Housing affordability | 26% | 30% | 7% | 37% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 28% | 35% | 4% | 32% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 23% | 37% | 4% | 36% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 20% | 33% | 12% | 35% |
| Standing up for regular Australian working families | 41% | 27% | 6% | 25% |
| Managing population growth | 21% | 36% | 7% | 37% |
| Making sure Australian working people got fair treatment at their workplace | 41% | 29% | 6% | 25% |
Labor is trusted most to handle a fair industrial relations system (40%), ensuring a quality education for all children (39%) and standing up for regular Australian working families (41%).
The Liberals are trusted most to handle management of the economy (43%), controlling interest rates (40%), political leadership (37%) and security and the war on terrorism (37%).
In October, Labor was considered substantially better to handle 5 of the issues surveyed and Liberals 5 issues – compared to this survey where Labor leads on 4 issues and Liberals on 8 issues. The Liberals have now established a lead on political leadership (+9%), water supply (+7%), and taxation (+7%).
Party Best at Dealing with Climate Change Issue
Q. Which leader and party would you trust most to understand and deal with the climate change issue?
| Dec 10 | Dec 09 * | |
| Julia Gillard and Labor | 23% | 24% |
| Tony Abbott and the Coalition | 29% | 27% |
| Bob Brown and Greens | 19% | 17% |
| Don’t know | 29% | 32% |
* Note : Similar but not identical question asked in 2009.
29% trust Tony Abbott and the Coalition most to understand and deal with the climate change issue, 23% trust Julia Gillard and Labor and 19% trust Bob Brown and the Greens.
These figures are little changed since this question was previously asked in December 2009.
58% of Labor voters trust Labor most, 65% of Coalition voters trust the Liberals and 83% of Greens voters trust the Greens.
Of those who believe that climate change is happening and is caused by human activity, 31% trust the Greens, 27% Labor and 15% the Liberals.
Of those who believe that climate change is a very important issue, 38% trust the Greens, 31% Labor and 10% the Liberals.
Party Best at Handling Issues
Q. Between Liberal and Labor, which party do you think would be best at managing each of the following issues?
| Labor | Liberal | No difference | Don’t know | Labor-Liberal difference | |
| Improving wages for low income earners | 34% | 20% | 34% | 13% | +14 |
| The age pension | 27% | 23% | 37% | 13% | +4 |
| Executive salaries | 22% | 20% | 44% | 14% | +2 |
| Unemployment | 24% | 25% | 38% | 13% | -1 |
| Regulation of large corporations | 21% | 24% | 41% | 14% | -3 |
| Affordability of housing | 19% | 24% | 44% | 13% | -5 |
| Jobs going overseas | 18% | 24% | 44% | 14% | -6 |
| Superannuation | 18% | 27% | 40% | 15% | -9 |
| Petrol and energy prices | 16% | 26% | 45% | 13% | -10 |
| Regulation of banks | 19% | 29% | 39% | 14% | -10 |
| Interest rates | 17% | 30% | 41% | 13% | -13 |
| Food prices and inflation generally | 18% | 31% | 38% | 13% | -13 |
| Taxation | 18% | 32% | 37% | 13% | -14 |
| Government debt | 15% | 42% | 31% | 12% | -27 |
The only substantial lead for the Labor Party is on improving wages for low income earners (34% to 20%).
Liberal Party strengths are in managing Government debt (42%/15%), taxation (32%/18%), food prices and inflation (31%/18%) and interest rates (30%/17%).
Although overall opinions are closely related to voting intention, the Liberal Party generally performs better among its voters than the Labor Party does with its voters. On Government debt Labor voters split 35% Labor/14% Liberal/42% no difference and on petrol and energy prices 37%/2%/50%. (more…)
Party best handling important election issues
Q. And which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?
| Labor | Liberal | Greens | Don’t know | |
| Management of the economy | 37% | 42% | 2% | 19% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 42% | 31% | 4% | 23% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 36% | 35% | 5% | 25% |
| Protecting the environment | 19% | 20% | 40% | 21% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 44% | 30% | 4% | 22% |
| Political leadership | 34% | 36% | 5% | 25% |
| Addressing climate change | 21% | 22% | 31% | 26% |
| Controlling interest rates | 28% | 42% | 2% | 29% |
| Protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 41% | 33% | 3% | 23% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 24% | 27% | 21% | 29% |
| Housing affordability | 31% | 31% | 4% | 34% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 35% | 35% | 3% | 28% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 27% | 35% | 4% | 34% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 26% | 33% | 9% | 33% |
| Standing up for regular Australian working families | 44% | 28% | 4% | 23% |
| Managing population growth | 28% | 33% | 7% | 33% |
| Making sure Australian working people got fair treatment at their workplace | 45% | 29% | 3% | 23% |
Labor is trusted most to handle a fair industrial relations system (44%), ensuring a quality education for all children (42%) and protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries (41%).
The Liberals are trusted most to handle management of the economy (42%), controlling interest rates (42%) and security and the war on terrorism (35%).
Party Best at
Q. Which of the major parties – Labor or Liberal – do you think is the best party when it comes to –
| Labor | Liberal | Don’t know | Labor margin | |
| Making sure large companies pay their fair share of taxation | 47% | 25% | 28% | +22 |
| Looking after the needs of low income earners and pensioners | 42% | 23% | 34% | +19 |
| Understanding the needs of the average Australian | 43% | 28% | 29% | +15 |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 42% | 27% | 31% | +15 |
| Handling environmental and climate change issues | 38% | 24% | 38% | +14 |
| Handling the economy in a way that helps working people in Australia | 44% | 35% | 21% | +9 |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 38% | 29% | 33% | +9 |
| Representing the interests of you and people like you | 43% | 35% | 22% | +8 |
| Having a vision for Australia’s future | 36% | 33% | 31% | +3 |
| Providing strong leadership | 33% | 33% | 34% | – |
| Handling Australia’s relations with other countries | 33% | 38% | 29% | -5 |
| Handling Australia’s economy | 38% | 44% | 18% | -6 |
| Being a stable and reliable Government | 30% | 38% | 31% | -8 |
| Dealing with the issue of immigration | 25% | 43% | 32% | -18 |
Main strengths for Labor are making sure large companies pay their fair share of taxation, looking after the needs of low income earners and pensioners, understanding the needs of the average Australian, ensuring a quality education for all children and handling environmental and climate change issues.
The Liberal Party is considered to be best at dealing with the issue of immigration, being a stable and reliable Government and handling Australia’s economy. (more…)
Party best at Handling Issues
Q. And which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?
| Labor | Liberal | Greens | Don’t know | |
| A fair industrial relations system | 45% | 24% | 5% | 26% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 41% | 25% | 4% | 29% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 42% | 28% | 3% | 27% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 38% | 27% | 4% | 31% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 36% | 28% | 4% | 32% |
| Housing affordability | 30% | 24% | 4% | 41% |
| Political leadership | 33% | 30% | 5% | 33% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 23% | 23% | 22% | 32% |
| Managing population growth | 24% | 27% | 9% | 40% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 25% | 30% | 3% | 42% |
| Management of the economy | 32% | 38% | 3% | 27% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 23% | 29% | 11% | 37% |
| Controlling interest rates | 28% | 35% | 2% | 35% |
| Addressing climate change | 18% | 16% | 36% | 29% |
| Protecting the environment | 17% | 13% | 47% | 23% |
Labor have a substantial lead over the Liberal Party as the best party to handle a fair industrial relations system (+21%), quality education for all (+16%), Australian jobs and protection of industries (+14%) and ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system (+11%).
The Liberal Party’s main strengths were controlling interest rates (+7%), treatment of asylum seekers (+6%) and management of the economy (+6%).
The Greens were thought to be the best party for protecting the environment (47%) and addressing climate change (36%). (more…)
Party best at
Q. Which of the following parties – Labor, Liberal or Greens – do you think is the best party when it comes to –
| Labor | Liberal | Greens | Don’t know | |
| Representing the interests of Australian working people | 52% (+10) | 24% (-3) | 5% | 20% |
| Handling the economy in a way that best protects working people in Australia | 44% (+8) | 33% (-2) | 3% | 20% |
| Understanding the needs of the average Australian | 36% (+7) | 24% (-3) | 9% | 31% |
| Representing the interests of you and people like you | 39% (+7) | 31% (-1) | 12% | 18% |
| Handling Australia’s economy | 37% (+7) | 41% (-1) | 3% | 19% |
| Standing up to the big multinational corporations | 32% (-) | 28% (+1) | 15% | 26% |
| Having a vision for Australia’s future | 32% (+3) | 31% (-2) | 12% | 25% |
| Taking Australia forward, not backwards | 34% (+5) | 32% (-2) | 9% | 25% |
| Handling Australia’s relations with other countries | 34% (+4) | 39% (+1) | 3% | 24% |
| Dealing with the issue of immigration | 23% (+3) | 40% (-1) | 8% | 28% |
| Being honest and ethical | 18% (-1) | 22% (+1) | 17% | 44% |
| Handling environmental and climate change issues | 18% (-1) | 18% (-1) | 42% | 23% |
(figures in brackets indicate change since this question was asked 3 weeks ago)
Labor key strengths are representing the interests of Australian working people (52%/24%), handling the economy in a way that best protects working people (44%/33%) and understanding the needs of the average Australian (36%/24%). The Liberal Party’s strengths are dealing with the issue of immigration (40%) and handling Australia’s relations with other countries (39%).
Perceptions of the Labor Party have improved considerably over the last 3 weeks mainly in terms of economic issues and representing the interests and needs of the community. However, there has been little change in Labor’s figures for standing up to the big multinational corporations, being honest and ethical and handling environmental and climate change issues. (more…)
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