Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Education, environment, Health, Housing, Housing affordability, Interest rates, issues of importance, political leadership, tax, Terrorism, Water
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. Comments »
Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Education, environment, Health, Industrial Relations, Interest rates, Labor, Liberal, party best at, tax, Terrorism, Water
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. Comments »
Abbott, Australian jobs, environment, jobs
Q. The Opposition Leader Tony Abbott recently announced a plan to employ 15,000 people at an annual cost of up to $750 million to work on large scale environmental projects. Do you support or oppose this plan?
| % | |
| Total support | 59% |
| Total oppose | 15% |
| Strongly support | 14% |
| Support | 45% |
| Oppose | 10% |
| Strongly oppose | 5% |
| No opinion | 26% |
Over half (59%) support Tony Abbott’s recently announced plan to employ 15,000 people at an annual cost of up to $750 million to work on large scale environmental projects, 15% oppose such a plan and 26% have no opinion.
Coalition voters were more likely to support the plan (80%), while Labor voters were more likely to oppose the plan (25%). 52% of Labor voters and 70% of Green voters support the plan.
People aged 55 years and over were more likely to support the plan (62%), as were males (61%). Comments »
Australian jobs, economic conditions, economy, job security, jobs
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?
| 16 Feb 09 | 27 Apr 09 | 8 Jun 09 | 6 Jul 09 | 31 Aug 09 | 5 Oct 09 | 18 Jan 10 | |
| Total concerned | 62% | 67% | 52% | 56% | 53% | 49% | 45% |
| Very concerned | 22% | 24% | 13% | 15% | 18% | 14% | 12% |
| Somewhat concerned | 40% | 43% | 39% | 41% | 35% | 35% | 33% |
| Not at all concerned | 29% | 23% | 35% | 32% | 37% | 40% | 40% |
| Don’t know | 4% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 5% | 6% | 8% |
| No employees in the immediate family | 5% | 5% | 8% | 6% | 5% | 5% | 8% |
45% of people are very/somewhat concerned that they or a member of their immediate family will lose their job in the next year or so, 40% are not concerned at all. This is the lowest level of concern regarding job loss that has been recorded in the Essential Report since we began tracking this question in February 2009.
Females were more likely than males to be very/somewhat concerned over job loss (47% v 41%).
People in part-time work were more likely than those in full-time work to be concerned over job loss (55% v 45%).
Coalition voters were more likely than Labor voters to be very/somewhat concerned (52% v 43%). Comments »