The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Jun, 2012

    , , , , ,

    TRENDS: Trends with Peter Lewis


    Peter Lewis dissects a survey which shows some alarming misconceptions about the nature of their own super.

    Some recent polling by EMC shows that not only are people underestimating the amount of money they need to retire on, they also have no idea of how much they will have in reality.
    However, there is one common factor. Peter Lewis tells 3Q that most people believe their super will not meet their expectations.

  • Jun, 2012

    , , , , , , , ,

    Federal politics – 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 = 1,842 respondents

    First preference/leaning to

    Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago

    21/5/12

    2 weeks ago

    4/6/12

    Last week

    12/6/12

    This week

    18/6/12

    Liberal

    46%

    47%

    46%

    46%

    National

    3%

    3%

    3%

    3%

    Total Lib/Nat

    43.6%

    49%

    50%

    49%

    49%

    Labor

    38.0%

    33%

    33%

    32%

    33%

    Greens

    11.8%

    10%

    10%

    10%

    10%

    Other/Independent

    6.6%

    8%

    7%

    9%

    8%

     

    2PP

    Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago

    2 weeks ago

    Last week

    This week

    Total Lib/Nat

    49.9%

    56%

    56%

    56%

    56%

    Labor

    50.1%

    44%

    44%

    44%

    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. + or – 2%.

  • Jun, 2012

    , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    Party trust to handle important election issues

    Q.  Which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?

     

    Labor

    Liberal

    Greens

    Don’t know

    Difference

    18 Jun 12

    Difference

    5 Dec 11

    Management of the economy

    26%

    44%

    3%

    27%

    -18

    -18

    Ensuring a quality education for all children

    33%

    35%

    5%

    26%

    -2

    -2

    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system

    30%

    36%

    7%

    27%

    -6

    -3

    Protecting the environment

    17%

    21%

    38%

    24%

    +17

    +14

    A fair industrial relations system

    36%

    30%

    6%

    28%

    +6

    +4

    Political leadership

    21%

    37%

    7%

    36%

    -16

    -17

    Addressing climate change

    18%

    24%

    31%

    27%

    +7

    +6

    Controlling interest rates

    22%

    40%

    3%

    35%

    -18

    -18

    Protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries

    29%

    35%

    6%

    31%

    -6

    -3

    Ensuring a quality water supply

    16%

    28%

    23%

    33%

    -12

    -12

    Housing affordability

    22%

    33%

    5%

    39%

    -11

    -10

    Ensuring a fair taxation system

    26%

    36%

    5%

    32%

    -10

    -9

    Security and the war on terrorism

    18%

    40%

    4%

    38%

    -22

    -19

    Treatment of asylum seekers

    16%

    36%

    13%

    36%

    -20

    -19

    Managing population growth

    17%

    36%

    7%

    40%

    -19

    -17

    Note – Differences are calculated by subtracting Liberal % from Labor % – except for the two issues on which the Greens lead in which case it is Greens minus Liberal.

    Labor does not have a substantial lead over the Liberal Party on any item measured. The Liberal Party has maintained strong leads on management of the economy, controlling interest rates, political leadership and security and the war on terrorism.

    There is little difference between Labor and the Liberals for ensuring a quality education for all children, ensuring the quality of Australia’s health systerm and protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries. Overall, there has been very little change in these results since December.

  • Jun, 2012

    , , , ,

    The Economy – Heading in the Right/Wrong Direction

    Q. Overall, from what you have read and heard, do you think the Australian economy is heading in the right direction or the wrong direction?

     

    17 May 10

    (Post 2010 budget)

    9 May 11

    (Post 2011 budget)

    4 Jul 11

    26 Mar 12

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Liberal/ National

    Vote Greens

    The right direction

    51%

    45%

    37%

    36%

    43%

    71%

    26%

    63%

    The wrong direction

    25%

    29%

    43%

    41%

    32%

    7%

    53%

    14%

    Don’t know

    24%

    25%

    20%

    22%

    25%

    23%

    20%

    23%

    43% of respondents think that Australia’s economy is heading in the right direction – 32% think it is heading in the wrong direction. Since this question was last asked in March, “right direction” has increased 7% and “wrong direction” declined 9%.

    71% (up 6%) of Labor voters, 26% (up 7%) of Liberal/National voters and 63% (up 16%) of Greens voters think the economy is heading in the right direction. There were no major differences across demographic groups except for the 18-34 years group where 47% thought the economy was heading in the right direction and 25% in the wrong direction.

  • Jun, 2012

    , , , , ,

    Job security

    Q. How concerned are you that you or some member of your immediate family will lose their job in the next year or so: very concerned, somewhat concerned, or not at all concerned? 

     

    8 Jun

    09

    5 Oct

    09

    28 Jun 10

    18 Oct 10

    4 Apr

    11

    4 Jul

    11

    3 Oct

    11

    26 Mar 12

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Total concerned

    52%

    49%

    43%

    40%

    43%

    45%

    47%

    49%

    56%

    46%

    67%

    38%

    Very concerned

    13%

    14%

    9%

    11%

    11%

    13%

    14%

    13%

    18%

    12%

    26%

    10%

    Somewhat concerned

    39%

    35%

    34%

    29%

    32%

    32%

    33%

    36%

    38%

    34%

    41%

    28%

    Not at all concerned

    35%

    40%

    38%

    42%

    43%

    39%

    37%

    36%

    32%

    41%

    26%

    51%

    Don’t know

    6%

    6%

    12%

    10%

    8%

    8%

    7%

    8%

    7%

    7%

    4%

    4%

    No employees in the immediate family

    8%

    5%

    7%

    7%

    7%

    7%

    7%

    7%

    5%

    6%

    3%

    6%

    Concern over job security has risen since the last time the question was polled, increasing 7 points from 49% in March to 56% (total concerned).

    In the 12 months from July 2011, total concern has increased from 45% to 56%.

    Coalition voters are the most likely to be concerned that they or a member of their immediately family will lose their job in the next year or so (up 12% to 67% total concerned), whereas Greens voters are less likely to be concerned (up 4% to 38% total concerned).

    Those most concerned were aged 45-64 (62%), part-time workers (63%) and women (61%).  Among the under 25’s, 40% were concerned and 43% not concerned.

  • Jun, 2012

    , , , , , , , , , , ,

    Trust in People and Organisations

    Q. How much trust do you have that the following people or organisations can be relied on to act in the community’s interest?

     

    Total a lot/some trust

    Total little/no trust

    A lot of trust

    Some trust

    A little trust

    No trust

    Don’t know

    Net trust
    Kevin Rudd

    37%

    56%

    14%

    23%

    26%

    30%

    7%

    -19

    Malcolm Turnbull

    33%

    54%

    8%

    25%

    29%

    25%

    14%

    -21

    Tony Abbott

    29%

    63%

    10%

    19%

    20%

    43%

    7%

    -34

    Julia Gillard

    26%

    67%

    8%

    18%

    22%

    45%

    6%

    -41

    Mining magnates like Clive Palmer and Gina Rinehart

    14%

    73%

    3%

    11%

    23%

    50%

    13%

    -59

    Australian companies

    46%

    47%

    8%

    38%

    35%

    12%

    7%

    -1

    Banks

    17%

    66%

    2%

    15%

    32%

    44%

    7%

    -49

    Foreign companies

    8%

    81%

    1%

    7%

    24%

    57%

    10%

    -73

    There was a substantial lack of trust in all people and organisations tested with the exception of Australian companies – which split 46% a lot/some trust and 47% little/no trust.

    For both the Labor Party and the Liberal Party, the current leaders were less trusted than the previous leaders. However, all political leaders were more trusted than mining magnates like Clive Palmer and Gina Rinehart.

    Among Labor voters, 58% had a lot/some trust in Julia Gillard and 58% had a lot/some trust in Kevin Rudd. Among Liberal/National voters, 58% had a lot/some trust in Tony Abbott and 44% had a lot/some trust in Malcolm Turnbull.

  • Jun, 2012

    , , , , , , , , , , ,

    Bias in Media Reporting

    Q. Overall, do you think media reporting is biased in favour or against the following groups?

     

    Biased in favour

    Biased against

    Not biased

    Don’t know

    Net score

    Business groups

    27%

    14%

    29%

    30%

    +13

    The Liberal Party

    26%

    22%

    26%

    26%

    +4

    Large corporations

    26%

    25%

    23%

    27%

    +1

    Environment groups

    22%

    25%

    26%

    27%

    -3

    The Greens

    19%

    27%

    27%

    27%

    -8

    Religious groups

    14%

    24%

    32%

    30%

    -10

    The Labor Party

    18%

    31%

    26%

    25%

    -13

    Unions

    18%

    32%

    23%

    26%

    -14

    Net score = bias in favour minus bias against.

    Overall, respondents think that media reporting is biased in favour of business groups and biased against unions, the Labor Party and religious groups. They were evenly divided over whether media reporting is biased for or against the Liberal Party, large corporations, and environment groups.

    Among Labor voters, 50% think the media are biased against the Labor Party and 43% think they are biased in favour of the Liberal Party.

    Among Coalition voters, 34% think the media are biased against the Liberal Party and 29% think they are biased in favour of the Labor Party.

    57% of Greens voters think the media are biased against the Greens.

Error: