Other issue of most concern
Q. And which of these other issues are you personally most concerned about?
|
Total |
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Border security |
30% |
20% |
48% |
5% |
|
| Climate change |
16% |
23% |
5% |
45% |
|
| Population growth |
12% |
10% |
13% |
4% |
|
| Marriage equality |
9% |
11% |
4% |
24% |
|
| Treatment of the aged |
17% |
21% |
16% |
12% |
|
| Treatment of the disabled |
7% |
10% |
4% |
7% |
|
| None of them |
5% |
3% |
7% |
4% |
|
| Don’t know |
4% |
2% |
3% |
– |
30% were most concerned about border security, 17% treatment of the aged and 16% climate change.
Border security (48%) was the main issue of concern to Liberal/National voters and 45% of Greens voters nominated climate change.
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.
Climate change
Q. Do you believe that there is fairly conclusive evidence that climate change is happening and caused by human activity or do you believe that the evidence is still not in and we may just be witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate which happens from time to time?
|
Nov 09 |
Dec 10 |
30 May 11 |
14 Jun |
15 |
29 Jan 13 |
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Climate change is happening and is caused by human activity |
53% |
45% |
52% |
50% |
48% |
51% |
51% |
68% |
38% |
83% |
| We are just witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate |
34% |
36% |
36% |
39% |
39% |
40% |
35% |
23% |
50% |
10% |
| Don’t know |
13% |
19% |
12% |
12% |
13% |
9% |
14% |
9% |
12% |
8% |
51% agree that climate change is happening and is caused by human activity and 35% believe that we may just be witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate. This is a five point decline in those thinking it is just a fluctuation in the earth’s climate since this question was previously asked in January.
By age groups, those aged under 35 split 60%/22% and those aged 55+ split 42%/49%. People on higher incomes were more likely to think climate change is happening and is caused by human activity – those earning under $600pw split 42%/44% while those earning over $1,600pw split 54%/34%.
Climate change policies
Q. If they win the election the Liberal Party plans to dump the carbon tax and replace it with what they call a “direct action” plan which involves planting trees and paying companies to reduce their carbon pollution. Which approach to climate change would you favour?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| The Government’s tax on the largest polluting companies to encourage them to reduce carbon pollution |
39% |
67% |
20% |
63% |
| The Liberal’s policy to plant trees and pay companies to reduce carbon pollution |
29% |
9% |
49% |
15% |
| Neither |
18% |
11% |
23% |
14% |
| Don’t know |
14% |
13% |
8% |
8% |
39% favour the Government’s policy on addressing climate change and 29% favour the Liberal Party’s “direct action” plan. 18% do not support either approach.
The Government’s approach had strongest support from Labor voters (67%), Greens voters (63%) and people aged under 35 (44%).
The Liberal Party’s plan had strongest support from Liberal/National voters (49%) and people aged 65+ (45%).
Important election issues
Q. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election?
|
Total 11 Feb 13 |
19 Nov 12 |
30 Jul 12 |
5 Dec 11 |
6 June 11 |
25 Jan 10 |
|
| Management of the economy |
62% |
66% |
64% |
62% |
61% |
63% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children |
29% |
35% |
26% |
22% |
26% |
23% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system |
52% |
57% |
47% |
47% |
49% |
48% |
| Protecting the environment |
14% |
14% |
11% |
13% |
15% |
16% |
| A fair industrial relations system |
12% |
8% |
12% |
11% |
8% |
na |
| Political leadership |
14% |
15% |
25% |
18% |
17% |
23% |
| Addressing climate change |
9% |
9% |
9% |
10% |
15% |
16% |
| Controlling interest rates |
9% |
11% |
9% |
11% |
13% |
15% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries |
40% |
32% |
41% |
36% |
32% |
33% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply |
4% |
5% |
3% |
4% |
5% |
12% |
| Housing affordability |
11% |
14% |
13% |
13% |
16% |
14% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system |
21% |
17% |
18% |
16% |
17% |
14% |
| Security and the war on terrorism |
6% |
5% |
5% |
4% |
8% |
9% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers |
6% |
6% |
10% |
8% |
5% |
na |
| Managing population growth |
9% |
7% |
8% |
8% |
12% |
na |
*Not asked
62% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 52% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system, 40% Australian jobs and protection of local industries and 29% ensuring a quality education for all children.
Since November, there has been an increase in the importance of Australian jobs and protection of local industries (+8%) and a decline in the importance of ensuring a quality education for all children (-6%) and ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system (-5%).
Climate change
Q. Do you believe that there is fairly conclusive evidence that climate change is happening and caused by human activity or do you believe that the evidence is still not in and we may just be witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate which happens from time to time?
|
Nov 09 |
Dec 10 |
30 May 11 |
14 Jun 11 |
15 Oct 12 |
Total 29 Jan 13 |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Climate change is happening and is caused by human activity |
53% |
45% |
52% |
50% |
48% |
51% |
67% |
34% |
79% |
| We are just witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate |
34% |
36% |
36% |
39% |
39% |
40% |
27% |
58% |
14% |
| Don’t know |
13% |
19% |
12% |
12% |
13% |
9% |
6% |
8% |
7% |
51% agree that climate change is happening and is caused by human activity and 40% believe that we may just be witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate. This is little changed since this question was previously asked in October last year.
By age groups, those aged under 35 split 62%/29% and those aged 55+ split 38%/57%. People on higher incomes were more likely to think climate change is happening and is caused by human activity – those earning under $1,000pw split 46%/47% while those earning over $1,000pw split 56%/38%.
Important election issues
Q. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election?
|
First |
Second |
Third |
Total 19 Nov 12 |
Total 30 Jul 12 |
5 Dec 11 |
6 June 11 |
25 Jan 10 |
|
| Management of the economy |
47% |
11% |
9% |
66% |
64% |
62% |
61% |
63% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children |
7% |
16% |
11% |
35% |
26% |
22% |
26% |
23% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system |
15% |
22% |
20% |
57% |
47% |
47% |
49% |
48% |
| Protecting the environment |
3% |
6% |
5% |
14% |
11% |
13% |
15% |
16% |
| A fair industrial relations system |
2% |
3% |
3% |
8% |
12% |
11% |
8% |
na |
| Political leadership |
6% |
5% |
4% |
15% |
25% |
18% |
17% |
23% |
| Addressing climate change |
2% |
2% |
5% |
9% |
9% |
10% |
15% |
16% |
| Controlling interest rates |
2% |
5% |
4% |
11% |
9% |
11% |
13% |
15% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries |
8% |
11% |
13% |
32% |
41% |
36% |
32% |
33% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply |
1% |
2% |
2% |
5% |
3% |
4% |
5% |
12% |
| Housing affordability |
3% |
6% |
5% |
14% |
13% |
13% |
16% |
14% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system |
2% |
5% |
9% |
17% |
18% |
16% |
17% |
14% |
| Security and the war on terrorism |
* |
1% |
3% |
5% |
5% |
4% |
8% |
9% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers |
1% |
1% |
3% |
6% |
10% |
8% |
5% |
na |
| Managing population growth |
1% |
2% |
4% |
7% |
8% |
8% |
12% |
na |
*Not asked
66% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 57% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system, 35% ensuring a quality education for all children and 32% Australian jobs and protection of local industries.
Since July, there has been an increase in the importance of ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system (+10%) and ensuring a quality education for all children (+9%) and a decline in the importance of political leadership (-10%) and Australian jobs and protection of local industries (-9%).
Position on Climate Change
Q. Do you believe that there is fairly conclusive evidence that climate change is happening and caused by human activity or do you believe that the evidence is still not in and we may just be witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate which happens from time to time?
|
Nov 09 |
Dec 10 |
30 May 11 |
14 Jun 11 |
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Climate change is happening and is caused by human activity |
53% |
45% |
52% |
50% |
48% |
67% |
30% |
83% |
| We are just witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate |
34% |
36% |
36% |
39% |
39% |
24% |
58% |
10% |
| Don’t know |
13% |
19% |
12% |
12% |
13% |
9% |
13% |
8% |
48% agree that climate change is happening and is caused by human activity and 39% believe that we may just be witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate. This is little changed since this question was previously asked in June last year.
By age groups, those aged under 35 split 57%/27% and those aged 55+ split 37%/55%.
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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