broadband, Internet, National Broadband Network, NBN, Polling, polls, telecommunications
Q. From what you’ve heard, do you favour or oppose the planned national broadband network (NBN)?
27 Sep 2010 | 14 Feb 2011 | 18 Apr 2011 | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | ||
Total in favour | 56% | 48% | 54% | 56% | 80% | 42% | 77% | |
Total oppose | 18% | 31% | 28% | 25% | 8% | 43% | 8% | |
Strongly favour | 27% | 19% | 22% | 20% | 39% | 10% | 28% | |
Favour | 29% | 29% | 32% | 36% | 41% | 32% | 49% | |
Oppose | 12% | 16% | 13% | 15% | 7% | 24% | 8% | |
Strongly oppose | 6% | 15% | 15% | 10% | 1% | 19% | 0% | |
Don’t know | 26% | 22% | 18% | 19% | 13% | 15% | 16% |
The results of this week’s poll show that support for the NBN has increased over the course of the last 12 months, returning to 56% (the same level in September 2010).
Since the question was last polled, support for the NBN has risen 2 percentage points to 56% (+2%) and opposition has declined to 25% (-3%).
There is overwhelming majority support from Labor (80%) and Greens (77%) voters, whilst Coalition voters are almost equally divided on the issue: 42% in favour and 43% opposed.
Looking at the results by age, those respondents aged between 55-64 are the most likely to oppose the NBN, though the majority still favour the planned network: 52%/34%.
Australia’s wealth, big decisions, broadband, economy, employment, Federal Government, handling Issues, health and education, infrastructure, jobs, Polling, polls, Roles of Government, support, taxpayers
Q. From the following list, what do you think are the three most important roles of the Federal Government? (Number from 1 to 3 where 1 is the most important, 2 the second most important, etc)
Most important | Second | Third | Total | |
Delivering basic services like health and education | 18% | 27% | 20% | 65% |
Managing the economy in uncertain economic times | 20% | 15% | 14% | 49% |
Making the big decisions for the nations future | 20% | 12% | 12% | 44% |
Ensuring that all Australians benefit from Australia’s wealth | 13% | 10% | 11% | 34% |
Supporting Australian industries to provide jobs | 8% | 12% | 12% | 32% |
Reducing government spending so money can be returned back to taxpayers | 9% | 8% | 8% | 25% |
Investing in infrastructure including road rail and broadband | 3% | 7% | 10% | 20% |
Providing support to the most disadvantaged | 4% | 4% | 8% | 16% |
Don’t know | 5% | 5% | 5% | 5% |
Respondents considered that the most important roles of the Federal Government were delivering basic services like health and hospitals (65%), managing the economy in uncertain economic times (49%) and making the big decisions for the nations future (44%).
The least important roles were providing support for the most disadvantaged (16%), investing in infrastructure including road rail and broadband (20%) and reducing government spending so money can be returned to taxpayers (25%).
Australia’s wealth, big decisions, broadband, economy, employment, handling Issues, health and education, infrastructure, jobs, Polling, polls, support, taxpayers
Q. Which party do you think is best to handle each of the following issues?
Labor | Liberal | Greens | Don’t know | |
Making the big decisions for the nations future | 28% | 41% | 5% | 26% |
Managing the economy in uncertain economic times | 30% | 44% | 2% | 24% |
Delivering basic services like health and education | 34% | 36% | 5% | 25% |
Investing in infrastructure including road rail and broadband | 34% | 36% | 2% | 28% |
Supporting Australian industries to provide jobs | 33% | 39% | 3% | 25% |
Reducing government spending so money can be returned back to taxpayers | 21% | 46% | 3% | 29% |
Ensuring that all Australians benefit from Australia’s wealth | 31% | 34% | 6% | 29% |
Providing support to the most disadvantaged | 34% | 27% | 9% | 29% |
The Liberal Party was considered substantially better than Labor at making the big decisions for the nations future (41% to 28%), managing the economy in uncertain economic times (44%/30% ) and reducing Government spending so money can be retuned back to taxpayers (46%/21%).
They were also considered a little better at supporting Australian industries to provide jobs (39%/33%). The Labor Party was considered a little better at providing support to the most disadvantaged (34%/27%) and the two parties scored similarly on delivering basic services like health and education, investing in infrastructure including road rail and broadband and ensuring that all Australians benefit from Australia’s wealth.
broadband, EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, Greens, Internet, Labor, Liberal, National Broadband Network, Nationals, NBN, Polling, polls
Q. From what you’ve heard, do you favour or oppose the planned national broadband network (NBN)?
27 Sep 2010 | 14 Feb 2011 | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
Total favour | 56% | 48% | 54% | 76% | 36% | 81% |
Total oppose | 18% | 31% | 28% | 8% | 49% | 8% |
Strongly favour | 27% | 19% | 22% | 40% | 8% | 43% |
Favour | 29% | 29% | 32% | 36% | 28% | 38% |
Oppose | 12% | 16% | 13% | 6% | 19% | 3% |
Strongly oppose | 6% | 15% | 15% | 2% | 30% | 5% |
Don’t know | 26% | 22% | 18% | 15% | 14% | 12% |
Support for the NBN has increased a little since this question was last asked in February.
54% (+6%) favour the NBN and 28% (-3%) oppose it. There is overwhelming majority support from Labor and Greens voters but Liberal/National voters were split 36% favour and 49% oppose.
By age group, those aged under 35 were 55% favour/26% oppose and those aged 55+ were 49% favour/34% oppose.
broadband, EMC, ER, Essential Report, Federal Government, Greens, Internet, Labor, Liberal, National Broadband Network, NBN
Q. The Federal Government plans to build a National Broadband Network over the next few years. How important do you think it is for Australia to build a National Broadband Network?
Total
Nov 10 |
Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Nov 09 | ||
Total important | 69% | 87% | 54% | 84% | 65% | |
Total not important | 25% | 9% | 42% | 12% | 26% | |
Very Important | 35% | 55% | 17% | 55% | 30% | |
Quite Important | 34% | 32% | 37% | 29% | 35% | |
Not so important | 14% | 6% | 21% | 10% | 20% | |
Not at all important | 11% | 3% | 21% | 2% | 6% | |
Don’t know | 6% | 4% | 4% | 3% | 8% |
69% think that it is important for Australia to build a National Broadband Network and 25% think it is not important. This represents an increase in support (net +5%) for the NBN since this question was last asked in November 2009.
Labor (87%) and Greens voters (84%) and more likely to think the NBN is important. A majority of Liberal/National voters (54%) think it is important although a sizable minority (42%) think it is not important.
A majority of all age groups believe the NBN is important, although support tends to decrease with increasing age – of those aged 65+, 54% think it is important and 45% not important.
broadband, Internet, National Broadband Network
Q. The Federal Government plans to build a National Broadband Network over the next few years. How important do you think it is for Australia to build a National Broadband Network?
Over half (65%) of people surveyed think that the National Broadband Network (NBN) is very/quite important for Australia, 26% think it is not so important/not at all important and 8% don’t know.
Labor voters were more likely to think it is very/quite important (75%) while Coalition voters were more likely to think it is not so important/not at all important (36%). 60% of Coalition voters think the NBN is very/quite important for Australia.
People living in capital cities were slightly more likely than those living in regional areas to think the NBN is very/quite important for Australia (66% v 63%).