Housing affordability
Q. Thinking about housing supply and affordability – which of the following would be the best way to make housing more affordable? And which would second?
Best way to make housing affordable |
Second best way to make housing affordable |
Total |
|
Make it easier for first home buyers to get a mortgage |
20% |
17% |
37% |
Increase the first home buyers grant |
13% |
15% |
28% |
Scrap negative gearing (which is a tax benefit to investors) |
17% |
10% |
27% |
Open up more land for development around the city fringes |
11% |
12% |
23% |
Build more medium density housing |
9% |
13% |
22% |
Build more public housing |
11% |
9% |
20% |
Build more high rise housing |
2% |
5% |
7% |
Don’t know |
15% |
6% |
15% |
The best ways to make housing more affordable were thought to be making it easier for first home buyers to get a mortgage (37%), increasing the first home buyers grant (28%) and scrapping negative gearing (27%).
Among those aged 18-35, 38% favoured making it easier to get a mortgage and 38% favoured increasing the first home buyers grant.
36% of those aged 55+ favoured scrapping negative gearing.
Importance of industries
Q. How important are the following industries for providing jobs for Australians into the future?
Very important |
Quite important |
Somewhat important |
Not very important |
Don’t know |
|
Very important Feb 2012 |
|
Construction |
58% |
30% |
9% |
1% |
3% |
|
58% |
Agriculture |
57% |
27% |
12% |
2% |
3% |
|
– |
Manufacturing |
55% |
26% |
12% |
4% |
3% |
|
55% |
Tourism |
53% |
31% |
11% |
3% |
2% |
|
53% |
Mining |
52% |
29% |
13% |
4% |
2% |
|
64% |
Retail |
46% |
35% |
14% |
2% |
2% |
|
47% |
Hospitality |
45% |
37% |
14% |
2% |
2% |
|
46% |
Finance |
40% |
34% |
19% |
3% |
4% |
|
39% |
Telecommunications |
37% |
37% |
19% |
4% |
3% |
|
39% |
Respondents regard the construction (58%), agriculture (57%) and manufacturing (55%) industries to be the most important for providing jobs for Australians in the future. These were followed closely by the tourism (53%) and mining (52%) industries.
Since this question was last asked in February 2012, those think mining is very important for future jobs has dropped from 64% to 52%.
Party leader trust most on issues
Q. Which party leader – Kevin Rudd or Tony Abbott – would you trust most to handle the following issues?
Kevin Rudd |
Tony Abbott |
No difference |
Don’t know |
Net difference |
Difference for parties 23 Jul 13 |
|
Management of the economy |
32% |
35% |
21% |
11% |
-3 |
-15 |
Ensuring a quality education for all children |
41% |
25% |
24% |
10% |
+16 |
+9 |
Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system |
37% |
27% |
25% |
11% |
+10 |
+1 |
Protecting the environment |
33% |
22% |
31% |
14% |
+11 |
na |
A fair industrial relations system |
41% |
28% |
19% |
12% |
+13 |
+11 |
Political leadership |
37% |
32% |
22% |
9% |
+5 |
-7 |
Addressing climate change |
35% |
21% |
31% |
13% |
+14 |
na |
Controlling interest rates |
24% |
32% |
32% |
12% |
-8 |
-14 |
Australian jobs and protection of local industries |
32% |
30% |
25% |
13% |
+2 |
-1 |
Ensuring a quality water supply |
26% |
23% |
36% |
15% |
+3 |
-7 |
Housing affordability |
26% |
25% |
34% |
15% |
+1 |
-2 |
Ensuring a fair taxation system |
31% |
32% |
26% |
11% |
-1 |
-2 |
Security and the war on terrorism |
25% |
29% |
33% |
13% |
-4 |
-15 |
Treatment of asylum seekers |
26% |
31% |
32% |
11% |
-5 |
-11 |
Managing population growth |
21% |
28% |
37% |
15% |
-7 |
-13 |
Substantially more respondents said they would trust Kevin Rudd more than Tony Abbott to handle a quality education for all children, a fair industrial relations system, addressing climate change, protecting the environment and ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system. Tony Abbott is more trusted to control interest rates and manage population growth.
When compared with a similar question about trust in the parties asked last month, Kevin Rudd rates considerably better that the Labor Party on management of the economy, political leadership and security and the war on terrorism.

COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Essential Report
In this week's report:
- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Views towards re-electing the federal Coalition government
- Party trust to handle issues
- Importance of Australia’s international reputation
- Scott Morrison’s impact on Australia’s international reputation
- Views towards Australia’s international reputation
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