View of Kevin Rudd
If a little less or much less favourable –
Q. And which of the following would you say has been the main reason for your view of Kevin Rudd and the Labor Government becoming less favourable in recent weeks?
Not honouring their election commitments | 24% |
Too much spending | 15% |
Too soft on asylum seekers | 15% |
Problems with insulation and school building programs | 13% |
The 40% tax on mining companies | 12% |
Postponing introduction of ETS to address climate change | 7% |
Too tough on asylum seekers | 4% |
Some other reason | 7% |
No particular reason | 6% |
Sample size = 642
Of those who had a less favourable view of Kevin Rudd and the Labor Government, 24% said their main reason was not honouring their election commitments, 15% too much spending and 15% thought the Government was too soft on asylum seekers.
Among Labor voters the main reasons were not honouring election commitments (30%) and problems with the insulation and school building programs (14%).
For Coalition voters the main reasons were not honouring election commitments (27%), the 40% tax on mining companies (18%) and too much spending (17%).
For Greens voters the main reasons were postponing the introduction of the ETS (34%) and problems with then insulation and school building programs (16%). (more…)
View of Tony Abbott
If a little more or much more favourable –
Q. And which of the following would you say has been the main reason for your view of Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party becoming more favourable in recent weeks?
Tony Abbott is more in touch with ordinary Australians | 21% |
They would cut Government spending | 20% |
They oppose the 40% tax on mining companies | 15% |
They would be tough on asylum seekers | 12% |
Liberal Party is more united under Tony Abbott | 11% |
They oppose introduction of ETS to address climate change | 9% |
Some other reason | 4% |
No particular reason | 8% |
Sample size = 269
The main reasons for having a more favourable view of Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party were that Tony Abbott is more in touch with ordinary Australians (21%) and the Liberals would cut Government spending (20%). Opposing the 40% tax on mining companies rated third with 15%.
For Coalition voters the main reasons were that Tony Abbott is more in touch with ordinary Australians (24%) and the Liberals would cut Government spending (24%).
27% of those on higher incomes (over $1,000 pw) said Tony Abbott is more in touch with ordinary Australians compared to 12% of those on lower incomes (under $1,000 pw). (more…)
Important Election Issues
Q8. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election? (Number from 1 to 3 where 1 is the most important, 2 the second most important, etc)
One | Two | Three | Total | Total
25 Jan 10 |
Difference | |
Management of the economy | 34% | 18% | 10% | 62% | 63% | -1% |
Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 14% | 20% | 16% | 50% | 48% | +2% |
Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 8% | 10% | 11% | 29% | 33% | -4% |
Ensuring a fair taxation system | 5% | 8% | 9% | 22% | 18% | +4% |
Ensuring a quality education for all children | 3% | 7% | 9% | 19% | 23% | -4% |
Housing affordability | 6% | 5% | 6% | 17% | 14% | +3% |
Controlling interest rates | 5% | 5% | 6% | 16% | 15% | +1% |
Managing population growth | 3% | 4% | 7% | 14% | * | |
Protecting the environment | 3% | 5% | 5% | 13% | 16% | -3% |
Political leadership | 5% | 3% | 4% | 12% | 23% | -11% |
Addressing climate change | 4% | 4% | 4% | 12% | 16% | -4% |
Fair immigration policies | 3% | 4% | 3% | 10% | * | |
A fair industrial relations system | 2% | 4% | 3% | 9% | 10% | -1% |
Ensuring a quality water supply | 2% | 2% | 3% | 7% | 12% | -5% |
Security and the war on terrorism | 2% | 2% | 3% | 7% | 9% | -2% |
*Not asked in January 2010 poll
62% of people surveyed rate management of the economy is one of their three most important issues, followed by 50% that rate ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system and 29% that rate Australian jobs and protection of local industries as one of their three most important issues.
Only 9% rate a fair industrial relations system as one of their three most important issues and 7% rate security and the war on terrorism and ensuring a quality water supply.
The major change since the previous survey in January, was a drop in the importance of political leadership from 23% to 12%. Ensuring a fairer tax system has risen slightly from 18% to 22%. (more…)
Approval of ETS Decision
Q. The Federal Government has announced that it has postponed introducing an emissions trading scheme (ETS) to address climate change for 3 years. Do you approve or disapprove of the Government’s decision not to introduce an ETS for 3 years?
Total | Labor voters | Lib/Nat voters | Greens voters | |
Total approve | 38% | 40% | 47% | 21% |
Total disapprove | 41% | 40% | 37% | 76% |
Strongly approve | 12% | 9% | 19% | 7% |
Approve | 26% | 31% | 28% | 14% |
Disapprove | 27% | 31% | 25% | 30% |
Strongly disapprove | 14% | 9% | 12% | 46% |
Don’t know | 22% | 20% | 16% | 4% |
Opinions are divided over the Government postponing a decision on introducing an ETS – 38% approve and 41% disapprove.
Labor voters are evenly split (40% approve/40% disapprove) while Liberal/National voters are a little more likely to approve (47% approve/37% disapprove). 76% of Greens voters disapprove and 21% approve.
46% of men approve (39% disapprove) compared to 31% of women (43% disapprove). (more…)
Issues of importance
Q. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election? (Number from 1 to 3 where 1 is the most important, 2 the second most important, etc)
One | Two | Three | Total | |
Management of the economy | 36% | 17% | 10% | 63% |
Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 14% | 17% | 17% | 48% |
Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 8% | 13% | 12% | 33% |
Political leadership | 10% | 7% | 6% | 23% |
Ensuring a quality education for all children | 5% | 8% | 10% | 23% |
Ensuring a fair taxation system | 4% | 5% | 9% | 18% |
Protecting the environment | 4% | 7% | 5% | 16% |
Addressing climate change | 6% | 5% | 5% | 16% |
Controlling interest rates | 3% | 6% | 6% | 15% |
Housing affordability | 3% | 4% | 7% | 14% |
Ensuring a quality water supply | 3% | 4% | 5% | 12% |
A fair industrial relations system | 3% | 4% | 3% | 10% |
Security and the war on terrorism | 2% | 4% | 3% | 9% |
63% of people surveyed rate management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 48% that rate ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system and 33% that rate Australian jobs and protection of local industries as one of their three most important issues.
10% rate a fair industrial relations system as one of their three most important issues that would decide how they vote in a Federal election and 9% rate security and the war on terrorism. (more…)
Party best at
Q. Which party do you think is best at handling each of the following issues?
Labor | Liberal | Labor margin | No difference | Don’t know | Labor margin Oct 09 | |
A fair industrial relations system | 42% | 23% | +19% | 19% | 16% | +27% |
Addressing climate change | 35% | 16% | +19% | 29% | 19% | +18% |
Protecting the environment | 32% | 15% | +17% | 34% | 19% | +21% |
Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 35% | 22% | +13% | 26% | 17% | +17% |
Ensuring a quality education for all children | 32% | 20% | +12% | 32% | 17% | +17% |
Political leadership | 36% | 25% | +11% | 23% | 16% | +20% |
Ensuring a quality water supply | 24% | 17% | +7% | 38% | 20% | +13% |
Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 27% | 21% | +6% | 34% | 19% | +10% |
Ensuring a fair taxation system | 30% | 24% | +6% | 28% | 18% | +8% |
Housing affordability | 23% | 19% | +4% | 38% | 20% | +9% |
Management of the economy | 28% | 35% | -7% | 20% | 16% | – |
Security and the war on terrorism | 18% | 25% | -7% | 38% | 19% | +2% |
Controlling interest rates | 20% | 28% | -8% | 34% | 18% | – |
Labor has its strongest lead over the Liberal Party when it comes to a fair industrial relations system (+19%), addressing climate change (+19%) and protecting the environment (+17%). Labor trails the Liberal Party in terms of controlling interest rates (-8%), security and the war on terrorism (-7%) and management of the economy (-7%).
Since October 2009, Labor has lost the margin it had over the Liberal Party in some areas, most significantly in the areas of political leadership (-9%), a fair industrial relations system (-8%), ensuring a quality water supply (-6%).
Results followed party lines with Labor voters tending to favour the Labor Party and Liberal voters favouring the Liberal Party. (more…)
Importance of Copenhagen Conference
Q. World leaders are currently meeting in Copenhagen to discuss a global approach to climate change. How important do you think this meeting is?
% | |
Total important | 73% |
Total not important | 21% |
Very important | 39% |
Quite important | 34% |
Not very important | 12% |
Not at all important | 9% |
Don’t know | 6% |
73% of people think that the meeting in Copenhagen to discuss a global approach to climate change is important, 21% think it is not important and 6% don’t know.
Labor (84%) and Green (89%) voters were more likely to think the meeting is important, while Coalition voters were more likely to think the meeting is not important (37%). 59% of Coalition voters think the meeting is important.
Respondents aged 18 – 24 were more likely to think the meeting is important (75%) while those aged 55 years and over were more likely to think it is not important (23%).
Political Party Positions on the ETS
Q. Whose position on the ETS and tackling climate change do you most agree with?
% | |
Kevin Rudd and Labor | 24% |
Tony Abbott and the Coalition | 27% |
Bob Brown and Greens | 17% |
Don’t know | 32% |
When it comes to the position that various parties have on the ETS and tackling climate change, 27% of people agree with the position of Tony Abbott and the Coalition, 24% agree with Kevin Rudd and Labor and 17% agree with Bob Brown and the Greens. 32% of people don’t know which position they agree with regarding an ETS and tackling climate change.
The results followed party lines – Labor voters were more likely to agree with Labor’s position (49%), Coalition voters were more likely to agree with the Coalition (67%) and Green voters were more likely to agree with the Green’s position (80%). 30% of Labor voters, 21% of Coalition voters and 9% of Green voters don’t know which position they agree with most.
Males were more likely to agree with the position of Abbott and the Coalition (31%), while females were more likely to indicate that they don’t know (36%).
People aged 55 years and over were more likely to agree with Abbott and the Coalition regarding climate change and an ETS (42%).