080413, 8 April 2013, Carbon Tax, Divided Labor party, economy, kevin rudd, Prime Minister trust
Q. Although Australia’s economy is doing very well, according to opinion polls the Government is very unpopular. What do you think is the main reason for this? *
|
28 May 12 |
Total 8 Apr 13 |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Voters don’t trust the Prime Minister |
28% |
27% |
19% |
35% |
31% |
| The Labor Party is divided and can’t govern properly |
na |
19% |
15% |
23% |
23% |
| The economy is doing well for other reasons, like China and the mining boom, not because of the government |
15% |
13% |
9% |
19% |
11% |
| Voters would prefer Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister |
na |
9% |
14% |
4% |
7% |
| Voters aren’t benefitting from the strong economy. |
12% |
9% |
10% |
5% |
12% |
| The carbon tax has increased (will increase) the cost of living |
17% |
7% |
6% |
9% |
– |
| Some other reason |
8% |
12% |
21% |
3% |
12% |
| Don’t know |
3% |
5% |
7% |
2% |
5% |
* Based on those who agree the economy is good.
Respondents who thought the economy was doing well, thought the main reasons for the Government’s unpopularity were that voters don’t trust the Prime Minister (27%) and the Labor Party is divided and can’t govern properly (19%).
Both Liberal/National and Greens voters said trust in the Prime Minister was the key issue.
Since May last year, those blaming the impact of the carbon tax has declined from 17% to 7%.
25 February 2013, 250213, cost of living, economy, environment, Health, Interest rates, political leadership, tony abbott, trust in government, unemployment
Q. If the Labor Party lost the next election, do you think the following would be better or worse under a Liberal/National Government led by Tony Abbott?
|
A lot better |
A little better |
Stay much the same |
A little worse |
A lot worse |
Don’t use |
NET (Better-Worse) |
|
| Political leadership |
16% |
19% |
27% |
10% |
24% |
4% |
+1 |
| Trust in Government |
13% |
19% |
29% |
12% |
22% |
4% |
-2 |
| Unemployment |
7% |
18% |
39% |
13% |
19% |
5% |
-7 |
| The economy overall |
16% |
22% |
31% |
12% |
16% |
4% |
+10 |
| The cost of living |
6% |
19% |
36% |
14% |
21% |
4% |
-10 |
| Interest rates |
5% |
13% |
48% |
14% |
16% |
5% |
-12 |
| Health services |
6% |
19% |
36% |
16% |
20% |
4% |
-11 |
| Job security |
7% |
17% |
36% |
14% |
22% |
4% |
-12 |
| Workers rights and conditions |
5% |
13% |
37% |
15% |
25% |
5% |
-22 |
| Company profits |
13% |
28% |
37% |
6% |
10% |
6% |
+25 |
| The environment |
5% |
13% |
47% |
11% |
21% |
4% |
-14 |
| Job creation |
8% |
20% |
39% |
13% |
16% |
4% |
-1 |
| Public services |
6% |
15% |
42% |
13% |
20% |
4% |
-12 |
| Benefits for people on Government support – such as pensioners and the unemployed |
5% |
13% |
39% |
16% |
23% |
5% |
-21 |
| Your personal financial situation |
6% |
16% |
42% |
15% |
16% |
4% |
-9 |
Under a Liberal Government, respondents though that the economy overall (+10) and company profits (+25) would be better.
However they were more likely to think that workers rights and conditions (-22), benefits for people on Government support (-21), the environment (-14), interest rates (-12), job security (-12), public services, health services (-11) and the cost of living (-10) would all be worse. 22% think their own financial situation will be better, 31% think it will be worse and 42% much the same.
19 November 2012, 191112, asylum seekers, climate change, economy, Education, Election Issues, environment, fair taxation, health system, Housing affordability, Interest rates, IR system
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%).
29 October 2012, 291012, economy, job losses, public sector cuts, spending cuts, surplus
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the Government’s intention to return the budget to surplus this financial year, even if it means making more spending cuts?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Total approve |
37% |
52% |
31% |
43% |
| Total disapprove |
43% |
32% |
54% |
35% |
| Strongly approve |
5% |
8% |
5% |
7% |
| Approve |
32% |
44% |
26% |
36% |
| Disapprove |
31% |
26% |
38% |
26% |
| Strongly disapprove |
12% |
6% |
16% |
9% |
| Don’t know |
19% |
17% |
16% |
23% |
37% approve of returning the budget to surplus even if it means spending cuts and 43% disapprove.
Labor voters (52%) and Greens voters (43%) are more likely to approve but 54% Liberal/National voters disapprove. There were no substantial differences across demographics.
24 September 2012, 240912, economy, job cuts, Natural Disasters, public sector workers, Retail, state budgets, unemployment, welfare
Q. There have recently been a significant number of public service jobs cut in various states around the country.
How do you think each of the following will fare as are result of public sector job cuts?
|
Get better |
Get worse |
Stay much the same |
Don’t know |
|
| The rate of unemployment |
4% |
61% |
25% |
10% |
| Delivery of public services |
5% |
54% |
29% |
11% |
| The welfare of disadvantaged Australians |
5% |
53% |
30% |
12% |
| Retail and spending |
4% |
50% |
35% |
11% |
| The welfare of all Australians |
6% |
49% |
34% |
11% |
| State budgets |
18% |
42% |
27% |
13% |
| The economy in general |
11% |
41% |
37% |
11% |
| Governments’ ability to respond to natural disasters |
7% |
32% |
45% |
16% |
The majority of respondents believe that the following things will get worse as a result of public sector cuts: the rate of unemployment (61%), delivery of public services (54%) and the welfare of disadvantaged Australians (53%).
The larger portion of respondents also think that retail and spending will get worse (50%), as well as the welfare of all Australians (49%), state budgets (42%) and the economy in general (41%).
A larger portion of respondents believe that the governments’’ ability to respond to natural disasters will stay much the same (45%) than those that believe it will get worse (32%).
30 July 2012, 300712, asylum seekers, climate change, economy, Education, Election Issues, environment, healthy system, Housing affordability, Industrial Relations, Interest rates, local industries, political leadership, population growth, taxation, Terrorism, water supply
Q. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election?
|
First |
Second |
Third |
Total 30 Jul 12 |
5 Dec 11 |
6 June 11 |
25 Jan 10 |
|
| Management of the economy |
38% |
16% |
10% |
64% |
62% |
61% |
63% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children |
5% |
10% |
11% |
26% |
22% |
26% |
23% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system |
10% |
19% |
18% |
47% |
47% |
49% |
48% |
| Protecting the environment |
3% |
4% |
4% |
11% |
13% |
15% |
16% |
| A fair industrial relations system |
4% |
3% |
5% |
12% |
11% |
8% |
* |
| Political leadership |
11% |
7% |
7% |
25% |
18% |
17% |
23% |
| Addressing climate change |
3% |
3% |
3% |
9% |
10% |
15% |
16% |
| Controlling interest rates |
2% |
2% |
5% |
9% |
11% |
13% |
15% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries |
13% |
15% |
13% |
41% |
36% |
32% |
33% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply |
* |
1% |
2% |
3% |
4% |
5% |
12% |
| Housing affordability |
3% |
5% |
5% |
13% |
13% |
16% |
14% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system |
4% |
7% |
7% |
18% |
16% |
17% |
14% |
| Security and the war on terrorism |
1% |
1% |
3% |
5% |
4% |
8% |
9% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers |
3% |
4% |
3% |
10% |
8% |
5% |
* |
| Managing population growth |
2% |
3% |
3% |
8% |
8% |
12% |
* |
*Not asked
64% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 47% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system and 41% Australian jobs and protection of local industries.
Since December, there has been an increase in the importance of political leadership (+7%), Australian jobs and protection of local industries (+5%) and ensuring a quality education for all children (+4%).
18 June 2012, 180612, asylum seekers, climate change, economy, Education, environment, Housing affordability, Industrial Relations, Interest rates, political leadership, taxation system, trust, trust government, war on terrorism, Water
Q. Which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?
|
Labor |
Liberal |
Greens |
Don’t know |
Difference 18 Jun 12 |
Difference 5 Dec 11 |
|
| Management of the economy |
26% |
44% |
3% |
27% |
-18 |
-18 |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children |
33% |
35% |
5% |
26% |
-2 |
-2 |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system |
30% |
36% |
7% |
27% |
-6 |
-3 |
| Protecting the environment |
17% |
21% |
38% |
24% |
+17 |
+14 |
| A fair industrial relations system |
36% |
30% |
6% |
28% |
+6 |
+4 |
| Political leadership |
21% |
37% |
7% |
36% |
-16 |
-17 |
| Addressing climate change |
18% |
24% |
31% |
27% |
+7 |
+6 |
| Controlling interest rates |
22% |
40% |
3% |
35% |
-18 |
-18 |
| Protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries |
29% |
35% |
6% |
31% |
-6 |
-3 |
| Ensuring a quality water supply |
16% |
28% |
23% |
33% |
-12 |
-12 |
| Housing affordability |
22% |
33% |
5% |
39% |
-11 |
-10 |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system |
26% |
36% |
5% |
32% |
-10 |
-9 |
| Security and the war on terrorism |
18% |
40% |
4% |
38% |
-22 |
-19 |
| Treatment of asylum seekers |
16% |
36% |
13% |
36% |
-20 |
-19 |
| Managing population growth |
17% |
36% |
7% |
40% |
-19 |
-17 |
Note – Differences are calculated by subtracting Liberal % from Labor % – except for the two issues on which the Greens lead in which case it is Greens minus Liberal.
Labor does not have a substantial lead over the Liberal Party on any item measured. The Liberal Party has maintained strong leads on management of the economy, controlling interest rates, political leadership and security and the war on terrorism.
There is little difference between Labor and the Liberals for ensuring a quality education for all children, ensuring the quality of Australia’s health systerm and protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries. Overall, there has been very little change in these results since December.
14 May 2012, 140512, Australia’s economy, budget, economy, Joe Hockey, Polling, polls, Treasurer, Wayne Swan
Q. Who would you trust most to handle Australia’s economy – the Treasurer Wayne Swan or the Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Wayne Swan |
34% |
77% |
6% |
51% |
| Joe Hockey |
33% |
5% |
65% |
6% |
| Don’t know |
33% |
18% |
29% |
43% |
34% would trust Wayne Swan most to handle the economy and 33% would trust Joe Hockey most. 33% could not give an opinion.
Those aged under 35 trust Wayne Swan more (32%/21%) and those aged 55+ trust Joe Hockey more (47%/31%).