Important Issues
Q. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election?
| First | Second | Third | Total | Total
10 May 10 |
Difference | |
| Management of the economy | 38% | 18% | 7% | 63% | 62% | +1% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 16% | 20% | 19% | 55% | 50% | +5% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 7% | 8% | 9% | 24% | 29% | -5% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 4% | 11% | 9% | 24% | 19% | +5% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 4% | 6% | 8% | 18% | 22% | -4% |
| Protecting the environment | 5% | 5% | 5% | 15% | 13% | +2% |
| Political leadership | 6% | 3% | 4% | 13% | 12% | +1% |
| Housing affordability | 4% | 4% | 5% | 13% | 17% | -4% |
| Addressing climate change | 4% | 4% | 4% | 12% | 12% | – |
| Controlling interest rates | 3% | 5% | 4% | 12% | 16% | -4% |
| Managing population growth | 1% | 4% | 7% | 12% | 14% | -2% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 4% | 3% | 4% | 11% | * | |
| A fair industrial relations system | 2% | 4% | 5% | 11% | 9% | +2% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 1% | 2% | 5% | 8% | 7% | +1% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 1% | 1% | 4% | 6% | 7% | -1% |
*Not asked in May 2010 poll
The most important election issues were management of the economy, the quality of the health system, jobs and local industry and a quality education for all children.
Since this issue was last polled in May, health and education have increased in importance (both +5%) and Australian jobs and protection of local industry declined 5%. Comments »
Party best at Handling Issues
Q. And which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?
| Labor | Liberal | Greens | Don’t know | |
| A fair industrial relations system | 45% | 24% | 5% | 26% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 41% | 25% | 4% | 29% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 42% | 28% | 3% | 27% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 38% | 27% | 4% | 31% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 36% | 28% | 4% | 32% |
| Housing affordability | 30% | 24% | 4% | 41% |
| Political leadership | 33% | 30% | 5% | 33% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 23% | 23% | 22% | 32% |
| Managing population growth | 24% | 27% | 9% | 40% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 25% | 30% | 3% | 42% |
| Management of the economy | 32% | 38% | 3% | 27% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 23% | 29% | 11% | 37% |
| Controlling interest rates | 28% | 35% | 2% | 35% |
| Addressing climate change | 18% | 16% | 36% | 29% |
| Protecting the environment | 17% | 13% | 47% | 23% |
Labor have a substantial lead over the Liberal Party as the best party to handle a fair industrial relations system (+21%), quality education for all (+16%), Australian jobs and protection of industries (+14%) and ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system (+11%).
The Liberal Party’s main strengths were controlling interest rates (+7%), treatment of asylum seekers (+6%) and management of the economy (+6%).
The Greens were thought to be the best party for protecting the environment (47%) and addressing climate change (36%). Comments »
Party Best at
Q. Which of the following parties – Labor, Liberal or Greens – do you think is the best party when it comes to –
| Labor | Liberal | Greens | Don’t know | |
| Representing the interests of Australian working people | 42% | 27% | 6% | 25% |
| Standing up to the big multinational corporations | 32% | 27% | 13% | 28% |
| Handling the economy in a way that best protects working people in Australia | 36% | 35% | 4% | 25% |
| Understanding the needs of the average Australian | 29% | 27% | 9% | 35% |
| Representing the interests of you and people like you | 32% | 34% | 10% | 24% |
| Having a vision for Australia’s future | 29% | 33% | 9% | 29% |
| Taking Australia forward, not backwards | 29% | 34% | 9% | 28% |
| Handling Australia’s relations with other countries | 30% | 38% | 4% | 27% |
| Handling Australia’s economy | 30% | 42% | 3% | 25% |
| Dealing with the issue of immigration | 20% | 41% | 7% | 32% |
| Being honest and ethical | 19% | 21% | 15% | 45% |
| Handling environmental and climate change issues | 19% | 19% | 36% | 27% |
The Labor Party was thought to be better than the Liberal Party at “representing the interests of Australian working people” (42% to 27%) and “standing up to the big multinational corporations “ (32%/27%).
The Liberal Party was thought to be better than the Labor Party at “dealing with the issue of immigration “ (41% to 20%), “handling Australia’s economy” (42%/30%), “handling Australia’s relations with other countries” (38%/30%), “taking Australia forward, not backwards” (34%/29%) and “having a vision for Australia’s future” (33%/29%).
There was little difference between the Liberal and Labor Parties in terms of “handling the economy in a way that best protects working people in Australia”, “understanding the needs of the average Australian” and “representing the interests of you and people like you”.
36% believed the Greens were best at “handling environmental and climate change issues” and 45% could not nominate a party best at “being honest and ethical”. Comments »
View of Kevin Rudd
If a little less or much less favourable –
Q. And which of the following would you say has been the main reason for your view of Kevin Rudd and the Labor Government becoming less favourable in recent weeks?
| Not honouring their election commitments | 24% |
| Too much spending | 15% |
| Too soft on asylum seekers | 15% |
| Problems with insulation and school building programs | 13% |
| The 40% tax on mining companies | 12% |
| Postponing introduction of ETS to address climate change | 7% |
| Too tough on asylum seekers | 4% |
| Some other reason | 7% |
| No particular reason | 6% |
Sample size = 642
Of those who had a less favourable view of Kevin Rudd and the Labor Government, 24% said their main reason was not honouring their election commitments, 15% too much spending and 15% thought the Government was too soft on asylum seekers.
Among Labor voters the main reasons were not honouring election commitments (30%) and problems with the insulation and school building programs (14%).
For Coalition voters the main reasons were not honouring election commitments (27%), the 40% tax on mining companies (18%) and too much spending (17%).
For Greens voters the main reasons were postponing the introduction of the ETS (34%) and problems with then insulation and school building programs (16%). Comments »
View of Tony Abbott
If a little more or much more favourable –
Q. And which of the following would you say has been the main reason for your view of Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party becoming more favourable in recent weeks?
| Tony Abbott is more in touch with ordinary Australians | 21% |
| They would cut Government spending | 20% |
| They oppose the 40% tax on mining companies | 15% |
| They would be tough on asylum seekers | 12% |
| Liberal Party is more united under Tony Abbott | 11% |
| They oppose introduction of ETS to address climate change | 9% |
| Some other reason | 4% |
| No particular reason | 8% |
Sample size = 269
The main reasons for having a more favourable view of Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party were that Tony Abbott is more in touch with ordinary Australians (21%) and the Liberals would cut Government spending (20%). Opposing the 40% tax on mining companies rated third with 15%.
For Coalition voters the main reasons were that Tony Abbott is more in touch with ordinary Australians (24%) and the Liberals would cut Government spending (24%).
27% of those on higher incomes (over $1,000 pw) said Tony Abbott is more in touch with ordinary Australians compared to 12% of those on lower incomes (under $1,000 pw). Comments »
Important Election Issues
Q8. 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 | Total
25 Jan 10 |
Difference | |
| Management of the economy | 34% | 18% | 10% | 62% | 63% | -1% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 14% | 20% | 16% | 50% | 48% | +2% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 8% | 10% | 11% | 29% | 33% | -4% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 5% | 8% | 9% | 22% | 18% | +4% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 3% | 7% | 9% | 19% | 23% | -4% |
| Housing affordability | 6% | 5% | 6% | 17% | 14% | +3% |
| Controlling interest rates | 5% | 5% | 6% | 16% | 15% | +1% |
| Managing population growth | 3% | 4% | 7% | 14% | * | |
| Protecting the environment | 3% | 5% | 5% | 13% | 16% | -3% |
| Political leadership | 5% | 3% | 4% | 12% | 23% | -11% |
| Addressing climate change | 4% | 4% | 4% | 12% | 16% | -4% |
| Fair immigration policies | 3% | 4% | 3% | 10% | * | |
| A fair industrial relations system | 2% | 4% | 3% | 9% | 10% | -1% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 2% | 2% | 3% | 7% | 12% | -5% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 2% | 2% | 3% | 7% | 9% | -2% |
*Not asked in January 2010 poll
62% of people surveyed rate management of the economy is one of their three most important issues, followed by 50% that rate ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system and 29% that rate Australian jobs and protection of local industries as one of their three most important issues.
Only 9% rate a fair industrial relations system as one of their three most important issues and 7% rate security and the war on terrorism and ensuring a quality water supply.
The major change since the previous survey in January, was a drop in the importance of political leadership from 23% to 12%. Ensuring a fairer tax system has risen slightly from 18% to 22%. Comments »
Approval of ETS Decision
Q. The Federal Government has announced that it has postponed introducing an emissions trading scheme (ETS) to address climate change for 3 years. Do you approve or disapprove of the Government’s decision not to introduce an ETS for 3 years?
| Total | Labor voters | Lib/Nat voters | Greens voters | |
| Total approve | 38% | 40% | 47% | 21% |
| Total disapprove | 41% | 40% | 37% | 76% |
| Strongly approve | 12% | 9% | 19% | 7% |
| Approve | 26% | 31% | 28% | 14% |
| Disapprove | 27% | 31% | 25% | 30% |
| Strongly disapprove | 14% | 9% | 12% | 46% |
| Don’t know | 22% | 20% | 16% | 4% |
Opinions are divided over the Government postponing a decision on introducing an ETS – 38% approve and 41% disapprove.
Labor voters are evenly split (40% approve/40% disapprove) while Liberal/National voters are a little more likely to approve (47% approve/37% disapprove). 76% of Greens voters disapprove and 21% approve.
46% of men approve (39% disapprove) compared to 31% of women (43% disapprove). Comments »
Liberal Party climate change policy
Q. Do you approve or disapprove the Liberal Party’s new policy on addressing climate change announced by Tony Abbott this week?
| % | |
| Total approve | 34% |
| Total disapprove | 29% |
| Strongly approve | 9% |
| Approve | 25% |
| Disapprove | 17% |
| Strongly disapprove | 12% |
| Don’t know | 37% |
34% of people approve of the Liberal Party’s new policy on addressing climate change, 29% disapprove and 37% don’t know.
Coalition voters were more likely to approve the Liberal Party’s policy to address climate change (68%), while Labor and Green voters were more likely to disapprove (51% Labor, 47% Green).
Males were more likely to approve of the Coalitions’ policy (44%), while females were more likely to indicate they don’t know (49%). Comments »
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