06 May 2013, 060513, 2PP, two party preferred, Voting intention
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?
Q. If don’t know -Well which party are you currently leaning to?
Sample size = 1,840 respondents
First preference/leaning to |
Election 21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago 8/4/13 |
2 weeks ago 22/4/13 |
Last week 29/4/13 |
This week 6/5/13 |
Liberal |
|
47% |
44% |
45% |
44% |
National |
|
2% |
3% |
3% |
4% |
Total Lib/Nat |
43.6% |
49% |
48% |
48% |
48% |
Labor |
38.0% |
32% |
34% |
34% |
33% |
Greens |
11.8% |
9% |
9% |
9% |
9% |
Other/Independent |
6.6% |
9% |
9% |
9% |
10% |
2PP |
Election 21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago |
2 weeks ago |
Last week
|
This week |
Total Lib/Nat |
49.9% |
56% |
55% |
55% |
56% |
Labor |
50.1% |
44% |
45% |
45% |
44% |
NB. The data in the above tables comprise 2-week averages derived from the first preference/leaning to voting questions. Respondents who select ‘don’t know’ are not included in the results. The two-party preferred estimate is calculated by distributing the votes of the other parties according to their preferences at the 2010 election. These estimates have a confidence interval of approx. plus or minus 2-3%.
06 May 2013, 060513, national debt
Q. Compared to other developed countries, do you think Australia’s national debt is higher, lower or about the same?
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
Total higher |
25% |
17% |
33% |
19% |
Total lower |
48% |
58% |
39% |
57% |
A lot higher |
9% |
4% |
13% |
3% |
A little higher |
16% |
13% |
20% |
16% |
About the same |
18% |
16% |
19% |
18% |
A little lower |
29% |
27% |
28% |
27% |
A lot lower |
19% |
31% |
11% |
30% |
Don’t know |
10% |
9% |
8% |
6% |
25% think that Australia’s National debt is higher than other developed countries and 48% think it is lower – 18% think it about the same.
A majority of Labor (58%) and Greens voters (57%) think our debt is lower than other countries while Liberal National voters were split – 39% think it is lower and 33% think it is higher.
There were no substantial differences by demographics.
06 May 2013, 060513, Australian dollar, government, world economy
Q. What do you think is the main reason for Australia’s national debt?
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
The world economy |
26% |
44% |
10% |
49% |
The high Australian dollar |
17% |
31% |
9% |
19% |
Government are poor economic managers |
46% |
12% |
76% |
19% |
Don’t know |
11% |
14% |
5% |
14% |
46% think the main reason for Australia’s national debt is that the Government are poor economic managers. 26% think it is due to the world economy and 17% blame the high Australian dollar.
Labor (44%) and Greens (49%) voters are more likely to blame the world economy, while 76% of Liberal/National voters say it is because the Government are poor economic managers.
06 May 2013, 060513, spending on services
Q. Do you think it is more important to reduce Australia’s national debt or to maintain government spending on services and projects?
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Australia’s debt higher |
Australia’s debt about the same |
Australia’s debt lower |
|
More important to reduce debt |
46% |
26% |
67% |
31% |
63% |
49% |
37% |
More important to maintain spending |
40% |
61% |
23% |
59% |
28% |
33% |
51% |
Don’t know |
14% |
14% |
10% |
11% |
9% |
18% |
12% |
46% think it is more important to reduce Australia’s debt and 40% think it is more important to maintain Government spending on services and projects.
61% of Labor voters and 59% of Greens voters favour maintaining spending while 67% of Liberal/national voters think it is more important to reduce debt.
63% of those who think Australia’s debt is high compared to other countries think we should reduce debt while 51% of those who think our debt is low think we should maintain spending.
06 May 2013, 060513, cut spending, national debt, raise taxes
Q. Do you think the Government should raise taxes or cut spending to reduce the national debt or should they do neither?
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
Raise taxes |
13% |
23% |
5% |
28% |
Reduce spending |
55% |
34% |
74% |
40% |
Neither |
20% |
27% |
14% |
20% |
Don’t know |
12% |
16% |
7% |
12% |
In order to reduce debt, 55% think the Government should reduce spending and only 13% think they should raise taxes. 20% think they should do neither.
74% of Liberal/National voters think the Government should reduce spending compared to 40% of Greens voters and 34% of Labor voters.
06 May 2013, 060513, high incomes, large business, low incomes, mining companies, small business, tax amount
Q. Do you think the following pay too much tax, not enough tax or about the right amount?
Total |
Labor voters |
Lib/Nat voters |
||||||||||
Pay too much |
Don’t pay eno |
Pay about right |
Don’t know |
Pay too much |
Don’t pay eno |
Pay about right |
Don’t know |
Pay too much |
Don’t pay eno |
Pay about right |
Don’t know |
|
Large bus. |
7% |
63% |
17% |
13% |
4% |
75% |
12% |
9% |
9% |
52% |
25% |
14% |
Small bus. |
43% |
7% |
37% |
14% |
37% |
8% |
43% |
11% |
49% |
5% |
34% |
11% |
People on low incomes |
41% |
8% |
41% |
10% |
49% |
3% |
41% |
7% |
33% |
11% |
46% |
10% |
People on average incomes |
37% |
7% |
49% |
8% |
32% |
8% |
54% |
6% |
38% |
6% |
50% |
6% |
People on high incomes |
12% |
60% |
19% |
8% |
5% |
77% |
13% |
6% |
18% |
47% |
27% |
7% |
Mining co. |
7% |
62% |
16% |
15% |
4% |
78% |
8% |
11% |
11% |
49% |
24% |
16% |
A majority think that large businesses (63%), mining companies (62%) and people on high incomes do not pay enough tax.
They are more likely to think that small businesses pay too much tax (43%) and that people on average incomes pay about the right amount (49%).
They were split over whether people on low incomes pay too much or about the right amount.
At least three quarters of Labor voters think mining companies, people on upper incomes and big businesses do not pay enough tax.
06 May 2013, 060513, economic management, Labor Government
Q. How would you rate the government’s management of the Australian economy compared to how governments in other countries around the world have managed their economies?
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
Total good |
39% |
71% |
14% |
62% |
Total poor |
32% |
4% |
58% |
10% |
Very good |
11% |
26% |
1% |
18% |
Good |
28% |
45% |
13% |
44% |
Neither good nor poor |
24% |
21% |
24% |
22% |
Poor |
17% |
4% |
31% |
6% |
Very poor |
15% |
* |
27% |
4% |
Don’t know |
5% |
3% |
3% |
6% |
39% think that government’s management of the Australian economy compared to how governments in other countries around the world have managed their economies has been good/very good and 32% think it has been poor/very poor.
06 May 2013, 060513, Australian economy, Joe Hockey, Wayne Swan
Q. Who would you trust most to handle Australia’s economy – The Treasurer Wayne Swan or the Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey?
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
Wayne Swan |
32% |
70% |
9% |
48% |
Joe Hockey |
35% |
4% |
67% |
17% |
Don’t know |
32% |
26% |
25% |
36% |
32% trust Wayne Swan more to handle Australia’s economy and 35% trust Joe Hockey more. Men favour Joe Hockey 41%/34% while women are evenly split – 31% Wayne Swan and 30% Joe Hockey.
Those on incomes under $1,000pw favour Wayne Swan 34%/31% while those earning over $1,000pw favour Joe Hockey 37%/32%.