23 April 2012, 230412, 3q, EMC, National Broadband Network, NBN, peter lewis, trends
Peter Lewis presents polling that shows public opinion is turning in favour of the $40 billion national broadband network.
Until now the NBN has been an abstract debate about national building and future proofing the economy on one hand, and a misguided venture designed purely to waste taxpayers’ money on the other. Now it’s about to shift from rhetoric to reality, with roll out plans for about a third of households and businesses released last week.
3q, EMC, Epidode 7, Essential Report, essential vision, peter lewis, Sick Days, sickies, trends
EMC director Peter Lewis looks at the great Australian sickie.
EMC, Essential Media, Essential Report, federal politics, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, superannuation
Q. The Federal Government is proposing to increase superannuation payments from nine per cent to 12 per cent by 2019-20. How much have you heard about this proposal?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| A lot | 4% | 4% | 4% | 2% |
| Something | 13% | 15% | 13% | 17% |
| A little | 27% | 25% | 32% | 28% |
| Nothing | 53% | 54% | 50% | 53% |
| Don’t know | 3% | 2% | 1% | – |
There was low awareness of the Government’s proposal to increase superannuation payments from nine per cent to 12 per cent by 2019-20 – only 17% say they have heard a lot or something about it.
22% of full-time workers and 16% of part-time workers have heard a lot/something about it.
2PP, Election, EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, federal politics, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, two party preferred, voting, Voting intention
Q. If a Federal Election was held today to which party will you probably give your first preference vote? If not sure, which party are you currently leaning toward?
Q. If don’t know -Well which party are you currently leaning to?
sample size =1,871
| First preference/leaning to | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Liberal | 43% | 44% | 44% | 43% | |
| National | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | |
| Total Lib/Nat | 43.6 | 47% | 47% | 47% | 46% |
| Labor | 38.0 | 35% | 35% | 35% | 36% |
| Greens | 11.8 | 11% | 9% | 10% | 11% |
| Other/Independent | 6.6 | 8% | 9% | 8% | 7% |
| 2PP | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 49.9% | 54% | 54% | 54% | 52% |
| Labor | 50.1% | 46% | 46% | 46% | 48% |
NB. The data in the above tables comprise 2-week averages derived the first preference/leaning to voting questions. Respondents who select ‘don’t know’ are not included in the results. The two-party preferred estimate is calculated by distributing the votes of the other parties according to their preferences at the 2010 election.
Australian economy, budget, EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, Federal Budget, Interest in Federal Budget, Polling, polls, the economy
Q. Thinking about the Federal Budget – how much attention did you pay to the Federal Budget?
| 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | |
| Total a lot/some | 66% | 53% | 52% |
| Total a little/none | 31% | 44% | 45% |
| A lot | 29% | 18% | 19% |
| Some | 37% | 35% | 33% |
| A little | 25% | 29% | 31% |
| None | 6% | 15% | 14% |
| Can’t say | 3% | 3% | 2% |
Just over half (52%) of respondents said they paid a lot or some attention to the Federal Budget. This is much the same as the corresponding figure of 53% for last year’s budget.
Those most interested were Liberal/National voters (64%) and people aged 55+ (63%). Only 42% of respondents aged 18-34 paid a lot or some attention to the budget.
Australian economy, budget, Budget day, Businesses, EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, Federal Budget, Impact of Budget, Polling, polls, the economy
Q. Do you think the Federal Budget was good or bad for you personally?
Q. Do you think the Federal Budget was good or bad for Australian businesses?
Q. Do you think the Federal Budget was good or bad for the Australian economy overall?
| You personally | Businesses | The economy overall | ||||
| 2010 | 2011 | 2010 | 2011 | 2010 | 2011 | |
| Total good | 22% | 11% | 27% | 20% | 36% | 27% |
| Total bad | 26% | 29% | 32% | 25% | 28% | 29% |
| Very good | 3% | 2% | 3% | 3% | 6% | 4% |
| Good | 19% | 9% | 24% | 17% | 30% | 23% |
| Neither good nor bad | 33% | 44% | 9% | 31% | 10% | 25% |
| Bad | 18% | 21% | 22% | 19% | 18% | 21% |
| Very bad | 8% | 8% | 10% | 6% | 10% | 8% |
| Don’t know | 20% | 16% | 31% | 23% | 26% | 20% |
Overall there was a less positive response to the 2011 budget than to the 2010 budget. The main differences were that respondents were less likely to rate the budget good and more likely to think it was neither good nor bad. The proportions who thought it was bad were similar to last year.
44% of respondents thought the Federal budget was nether good nor bad for them personally – 11% said it was good and 29% bad. The only substantial differences by demographics were that 51% of respondents aged 55+ thought it was nether good nor bad.
25% thought the budget was bad for business, 20% good and 31% said it was neither. 35% of Labor voters said it was good for business and 45% of Liberal/National voters said it was bad.
Respondents were split over whether it was good or bad for the economy overall – 27% said it was good and 29% bad. Labor voters split 50% good/9% bad compared to Liberal/National voters at 12% good/51% bad.
Australian economy, economy, EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, management of the economy, Nationals, Polling, polls, the economy
Q. Overall, from what you have read and heard, do you think the Australian economy is heading in the right direction or the wrong direction?
| Post budget 2010 | Pre budget 2011 | Post budget 2011 | Vote Labor | Vote Liberal/ National | Vote Greens | |
| The right direction | 51% | 45% | 46% | 74% | 30% | 46% |
| The wrong direction | 25% | 29% | 29% | 9% | 49% | 24% |
| Don’t know | 24% | 25% | 25% | 17% | 21% | 30% |
Nearly half (46%) the respondents think that Australia’s economy is heading in the right direction – 29% think it is heading in the wrong direction.
This was a little less positive than the post 2010 budget poll, but unchanged from the poll taken before the 2011 budget – which suggests that the budget has had no impact on overall perceptions of the economy.
74% of Labor voters, 30% of Liberal/National voters and 46% of Greens voters think the economy is heading in the right direction.