asylum seekers, Australia’s health system, Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Election Issues, EMC, environment, Essential Media, Essential Report, Greens, industrial relations system, Interest rates, Labor, Liberal, party trust, population growth, quality education, taxation system, Terrorism, water supply, working families
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 | Total 11th Oct 10 | Total 25th Jan 10 | |
| Management of the economy | 37% | 18% | 10% | 65% | 62% | 63% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 5% | 10% | 11% | 26% | 32% | 23% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 13% | 20% | 16% | 49% | 48% | 48% |
| Protecting the environment | 4% | 3% | 6% | 13% | 12% | 16% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 2% | 4% | 4% | 10% | 11% | * |
| Political leadership | 6% | 5% | 5% | 16% | 16% | 23% |
| Addressing climate change | 3% | 3% | 4% | 10% | 11% | 16% |
| Controlling interest rates | 5% | 8% | 8% | 21% | 17% | 15% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 10% | 8% | 12% | 30% | 30% | 33% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 1% | 2% | 3% | 6% | 6% | 12% |
| Housing affordability | 5% | 5% | 6% | 16% | 17% | 14% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 4% | 6% | 8% | 18% | 16% | 14% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 1% | 2% | 2% | 5% | 6% | 9% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 1% | 2% | 2% | 5% | 5% | * |
| Managing population growth | 2% | 5% | 4% | 11% | 10% | * |
*Not asked
65% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 49% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system and 30% Australian jobs and protection of local industries.
Only 10% rate addressing climate change as one of their three most important issues and 6% rate ensuring a quality water supply.
Over the past 12 months there has been an increase in the importance of controlling interest rates (from 15% to 21%) and a decrease in the importance of addressing climate change (from 16% to 10%).
asylum seekers, Australia’s health system, Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Election Issues, EMC, environment, Essential Media, Essential Report, Greens, industrial relations system, Interest rates, Labor, Liberal, party trust, population growth, quality education, taxation system, Terrorism, water supply, working families
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)
| Total | Labor | Liberal/ National | Green | |
| Management of the economy | 65% | 63% | 77% | 47% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 26% | 33% | 20% | 24% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 49% | 52% | 47% | 37% |
| Protecting the environment | 13% | 12% | 6% | 42% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 10% | 18% | 5% | 8% |
| Political leadership | 16% | 11% | 25% | 14% |
| Addressing climate change | 10% | 10% | 5% | 22% |
| Controlling interest rates | 21% | 17% | 22% | 19% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 30% | 33% | 32% | 18% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 6% | 4% | 6% | 5% |
| Housing affordability | 16% | 15% | 13% | 21% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 18% | 17% | 19% | 14% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 5% | 5% | 8% | 5% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 5% | 3% | 5% | 15% |
| Managing population growth | 11% | 8% | 12% | 9% |
Compared to the average, Labor voters are more likely to rate ensuring a quality education for all children (33%) and a fair industrial relations system (18%) as important.
Liberal/National voters attach more importance to management of the economy (77%) and political leadership (25%) while Greens voters are more likely to nominate protecting the environment (42%), addressing climate change (22%) and treatment of asylum seekers (15%).
asylum seekers, Australia’s health system, Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Election Issues, EMC, environment, Essential Media, Essential Report, Greens, industrial relations system, Interest rates, Labor, Liberal, party trust, population growth, quality education, taxation system, Terrorism, water supply, working families
Q. And which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?
| Labor | Liberal | Greens | Don’t know | |
| Management of the economy | 33% | 43% | 2% | 22% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 39% | 33% | 4% | 24% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 33% | 33% | 7% | 27% |
| Protecting the environment | 16% | 19% | 40% | 24% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 40% | 30% | 5% | 25% |
| Political leadership | 28% | 37% | 4% | 31% |
| Addressing climate change | 18% | 20% | 34% | 28% |
| Controlling interest rates | 22% | 40% | 2% | 35% |
| Protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 36% | 33% | 4% | 27% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 21% | 28% | 20% | 31% |
| Housing affordability | 26% | 30% | 7% | 37% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 28% | 35% | 4% | 32% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 23% | 37% | 4% | 36% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 20% | 33% | 12% | 35% |
| Standing up for regular Australian working families | 41% | 27% | 6% | 25% |
| Managing population growth | 21% | 36% | 7% | 37% |
| Making sure Australian working people got fair treatment at their workplace | 41% | 29% | 6% | 25% |
Labor is trusted most to handle a fair industrial relations system (40%), ensuring a quality education for all children (39%) and standing up for regular Australian working families (41%).
The Liberals are trusted most to handle management of the economy (43%), controlling interest rates (40%), political leadership (37%) and security and the war on terrorism (37%).
In October, Labor was considered substantially better to handle 5 of the issues surveyed and Liberals 5 issues – compared to this survey where Labor leads on 4 issues and Liberals on 8 issues. The Liberals have now established a lead on political leadership (+9%), water supply (+7%), and taxation (+7%).
2011, 2011 outlook, Australian economy, economy, EMC, Essential Report, family, Personal financial situation
Q. Thinking about the next 12 months, do you think 2011 will be a good or bad year for each of the following?
| Total good | Total poor | Very good | Good | Neither good nor bad | Bad | Very bad | Don’t know/Not applicable | |
| The Australian economy | 48% | 16% | 5% | 43% | 32% | 14% | 2% | 5% |
| Your personal financial situation | 39% | 20% | 7% | 32% | 38% | 14% | 6% | 3% |
| Your workplace * | 47% | 16% | 8% | 39% | 33% | 13% | 3% | 4% |
| You and your family overall | 51% | 14% | 10% | 41% | 30% | 11% | 3% | 4% |
* based on working people
Overall, respondents were optimistic that 2011 would be a good year for themselves overall (51%), the Australian economy (48%) and their workplace (47%). They tended to be a little less optimistic about their financial situation (39% good/20% bad).
When compared with last week’s questions on perceptions of 2010, these figures suggest that respondents expect 2011 to be better than 2010.
In particular, more respondents believed it would be a good year for their personal situation (28% 2010/39% 2011), the Australian economy (41%/48%) and themselves and their families overall (43%/51%).
agriculture, banks, economy, environment, farming, media, mining companies, small business, the media
Q. Thinking about the last 12 months, has it been a good or bad year for each of the following?
| Total good | Total bad | Very good | Good | Neither good nor bad | Bad | Very bad | Don’t know | |
| The banks | 69% | 13% | 42% | 27% | 14% | 9% | 4% | 4% |
| The mining industry | 57% | 14% | 27% | 30% | 24% | 11% | 3% | 6% |
| Large companies and corporations | 44% | 15% | 10% | 34% | 35% | 13% | 2% | 7% |
| The Australian economy | 41% | 20% | 5% | 36% | 36% | 17% | 3% | 4% |
| The media | 30% | 14% | 8% | 22% | 45% | 10% | 4% | 10% |
| The environment | 14% | 37% | 2% | 12% | 43% | 28% | 9% | 5% |
| Small business | 14% | 45% | 2% | 12% | 35% | 34% | 11% | 6% |
| Farming and agriculture | 14% | 50% | 2% | 12% | 31% | 35% | 15% | 5% |
A majority of respondents think it has been a good year for the banks (69%) and the mining industry (57%). They are also more likely to think it has been a good year for large companies and corporations (44% good/15% bad), the economy (41%/20%), and the media (30%/14%).
However, they are more likely to think the year has been bad for farming and agriculture (50%), small business (45%) and the environment (37%).
In terms of the economy, all voter groups were more likely to think it has been a good year – Labor 55% good/11% bad, Liberal/National 33%/29% and Greens 53%/12%. Comments »
America, Barack Obama, culture, economy, EMC, Essential Media, faith, Health, peter lewis, Politics, Sport, The Drum, United States, US influence, US relations, USA, Values, war
First Published on The Drum 16/11/2010
If the mid-term drubbings and G20 currency fisticuffs with China are not enough, Barack Obama will return home with more bad news: Australians think his nation has lost its mojo.
While Julia Gillard and entourage were all smiles at the official photo call, they politely chose not to disclose they were representing a nation that thinks the USA is in decline.
In fact, 60 per cent of all surveyed in this week’s Essential Report see the American Empire’s influence becoming weaker, with just 20 per cent believing the USA’s influence on the world is on the rise.
economic conditions, economy, management of the economy
Q. Over the next 12 months do you think economic conditions in Australia will get better, get worse or stay much the same?
| 1 Dec 08 | 15 Jun 09 | 5 Oct 09 | 18 Jan 10 | 29 Mar 10 | 28 Jun 10 | 18 Oct 10 | |
| Total better | 21% | 43% | 66% | 53% | 54% | 33% | 40% |
| Total worse | 61% | 37% | 15% | 19% | 19% | 31% | 30% |
| Get a lot better | 2% | 5% | 8% | 9% | 9% | 5% | 6% |
| Get a little better | 19% | 38% | 58% | 44% | 45% | 28% | 34% |
| Get a little worse | 45% | 28% | 11% | 14% | 13% | 23% | 20% |
| Get a lot worse | 16% | 9% | 4% | 5% | 6% | 8% | 10% |
| Stay much the same | 13% | 17% | 15% | 24% | 22% | 30% | 24% |
| No opinion | 5% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 6% | 7% | 6% |
40% think economic conditions in Australia will get better over the next 12 months and 30% think they will get worse – a net improvement of 8% since this question was last asked in June.
Younger people are more optimistic than older people – of those aged under 35, 50% think conditions will get better and 20% worse.
54% of Labor voters think conditions will get better and 15% worse while 32% of Coalition voters think conditions will get better and 42% worse. Comments »
economic conditions, economy, Personal financial situation
Q. Over the next 12 months do you think your personal financial situation will get better, get worse or stay much the same?
| 29 Mar 10 | 28 Jun 10 | 18 Oct 10 | |
| Total better | 40% | 29% | 33% |
| Total worse | 23% | 31% | 29% |
| Get a lot better | 8% | 5% | 6% |
| Get a little better | 32% | 24% | 27% |
| Get a little worse | 17% | 21% | 21% |
| Get a lot worse | 6% | 10% | 8% |
| Stay much the same | 33% | 37% | 32% |
| No opinion | 4% | 4% | 5% |
33% think their own personal financial situation will get better over the next 12 months and 29% worse – 32% think they will stay much the same.
This is a little more optimistic than the June result – an increase from net -2% to +4%.
Among full-time workers 41% think their situation will get better and 27% worse while those who are not working are more pessimistic – 27% better/32% worse/36% much the same. Comments »