Party Attributes Comparison – Labor vs Liberal
| Labor | Liberal
|
% difference | |
| Divided | 66% | 49% | +17% |
| Will promise to do anything to win votes | 72% | 65% | +7% |
| Out of touch with ordinary people | 61% | 54% | +7% |
| Extreme | 38% | 36% | +2% |
| Looks after the interests of working people | 39% | 38% | +1% |
| Moderate | 51% | 55% | -4% |
| Have a vision for the future | 43% | 48% | -5% |
| Has a good team of leaders | 34% | 40% | -6% |
| Understands the problems facing Australia | 40% | 51% | -11% |
| Keeps its promises | 20% | 33% | -13% |
| Too close to the big corporate and financial interests | 46% | 60% | -14% |
| Clear about what they stand for | 28% | 44% | -16% |
When these questions were last asked in March 2010, the Labor Party had significant leads over the Liberal Party on all positive attributes.
For this survey, the only attribute on which there is any significant advantage for the Labor Party is “too close to the big corporate and financial interests” (Labor 46%/Liberals 60%).
The Liberal Party is seen more favourably in terms of being divided, clear about what they stand for, keeps it promises and understands the problems facing Australia.
Careers
Q. Which of the following occupations do you think provide good careers for young people?
| Yes | No | Don’t know | |
| Trades | 88% | 6% | 6% |
| Computing and information technology | 86% | 6% | 7% |
| Nursing | 78% | 15% | 7% |
| Teaching | 75% | 17% | 8% |
| Tourism and hospitality | 72% | 19% | 9% |
| Police | 71% | 20% | 9% |
| Defence forces | 71% | 20% | 9% |
| Banking and finance | 70% | 19% | 10% |
| Retail | 54% | 36% | 10% |
The most favoured occupations for providing good careers were thought to be trades (88%), computing and IT (86%) and nursing (78%).
All occupations tested scored at least 70% except for retail at 54%.
Younger respondents (aged 18-35) tended to have a similar order of preference to the general population – their most favoured occupations were trades (78%), computing and IT (76%), teaching (68%) and nursing (67%).
Regulation of Gambling
Q. For each of the following forms of gambling, which do you think need more or less regulation?
| Needs more regulation | Needs less regulation | Current regulation is about right | Don’t know | |
| Online gambling in general | 68% | 4% | 16% | 12% |
| Poker machines | 62% | 5% | 24% | 9% |
| Casinos | 53% | 4% | 32% | 11% |
| Betting on sport e.g. football, cricket | 46% | 4% | 36% | 14% |
| Betting on horse racing | 37% | 4% | 47% | 13% |
| Lotto | 20% | 4% | 65% | 11% |
About two thirds of respondents think there should be more regulation of online gambling (68%) and poker machines (62%). 53% think that casinos need more regulation.
Differences by voting intention were –
- Liberal/National voters were less likely to favour more regulation of casinos (47%) and poker machines (55%)
- More regulation of poker machines was more strongly favoured by Greens (74%) and Labor (65%) voters.
Opinion of Gambling Reforms
Q. The Federal Government has proposed gambling reforms which include “pre-commitment” technology that will require pokie players to have a card registered to their name and pre-programmed to prevent them losing more than a set amount in a 24-hour period. Do you support or oppose this measure? (Question commissioned by Network Ten)
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Men | Women | Age
18-34 |
Aged
35-54 |
Aged 55+ | |
| Total support | 65% | 76% | 62% | 75% | 66% | 65% | 69% | 66% | 60% |
| Total oppose | 21% | 16% | 28% | 16% | 23% | 19% | 12% | 21% | 32% |
| Strongly support | 32% | 42% | 26% | 42% | 31% | 33% | 32% | 34% | 28% |
| Support | 33% | 34% | 36% | 33% | 35% | 32% | 37% | 32% | 32% |
| Oppose | 12% | 10% | 15% | 11% | 11% | 13% | 8% | 11% | 18% |
| Strongly oppose | 9% | 6% | 13% | 5% | 12% | 6% | 4% | 10% | 14% |
| Don’t know | 13% | 8% | 10% | 8% | 11% | 16% | 18% | 13% | 9% |
Two thirds (65%) of respondents support The Federal Government’s proposed gambling reforms which include “pre-commitment” ” technology that will require pokie players to have a card registered to their name and pre-programmed to prevent them losing more than a set amount in a 24-hour period and 21% oppose.
Support is consistently above 60% across all voter and demographic groups. The highest support is from Labor voters (76%), Greens voters (75%) and those aged under 35 (69%). By income, support ranges from 61% for those on $600-$1,000 pw to 70% for those earning $1,600+ pw.
Federal politics – 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 =1,908
| First preference/leaning to | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Liberal | 44% | 43% | 43% | 43% | |
| National | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | |
| Total Lib/Nat | 43.6 | 46% | 46% | 46% | 47% |
| Labor | 38.0 | 36% | 36% | 35% | 35% |
| Greens | 11.8 | 10% | 10% | 11% | 11% |
| Other/Independent | 6.6 | 8% | 8% | 8% | 8% |
| 2PP | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 49.9% | 53% | 53% | 53% | 54% |
| Labor | 50.1% | 47% | 47% | 47% | 46% |
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.
Peace in the Middle East
Q. What, in your view, is the single biggest obstacle to peace in the Middle East?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Unwillingness of Israelis/ Palestinians to compromise | 33% | 38% | 31% | 37% |
| The Israeli (housing) settlements in areas which Palestinians claim for an independent Palestine | 6% | 6% | 7% | 14% |
| Israel’s oppression of Palestinians | 8% | 8% | 8% | 15% |
| Palestinian terror attacks on Israelis | 5% | 3% | 7% | 5% |
| Infighting between the various Palestinian organisations (e.g. Hamas and Fatah) | 6% | 5% | 7% | 4% |
| Inaction by the United Nations | 3% | 4% | 3% | 2% |
| Opposition to Israel from other Middle Eastern countries | 8% | 7% | 9% | – |
| Don’t know | 31% | 29% | 28% | 23% |
One third (33%) of respondents think that the unwillingness of Israelis and Palestinians to compromise is the single biggest obstacle to peace in the Middle East and a further one third (31%) do not know. The remaining 36% selected a range of reasons including Israel’s oppression of Palestinians (8%) and opposition to Israel from other Middle Eastern countries (8%).
There were few substantial differences across voter groups.
Israel-Palestine Conflict
Q. To what extent, if at all, do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?
| Total agree | Total disagree | Total Neither/ Don’t know | Strongly agree | Agree | Neither agree nor disagree | Disagree | Strongly disagree | Don’t know | |
| Australia should support the Israelis rather than Palestinians | 14% | 23% | 62% | 6% | 8% | 33% | 12% | 11% | 29% |
| Being critical of Israel makes a person anti- Semitic | 10% | 46% | 45% | 4% | 6% | 23% | 24% | 22% | 22% |
| The Palestine- Israel conflict fuels anti- Semitism in Australia | 27% | 24% | 49% | 5% | 22% | 24% | 17% | 7% | 25% |
| The Palestine- Israel conflict fuels anti-Muslim feelings in Australia | 31% | 21% | 48% | 7% | 24% | 24% | 16% | 5% | 24% |
The most common answers to these statements on the Israel/Palestine conflict were ”neither agree nor disagree” and “don’t know”. These results indicate both a low level of awareness/interest and an inclination not to take a position one way or the other. The finding that only 14% agree that Australia should support the Israelis rather than Palestinians underlines this reluctance to take sides on this issue.
Views on most statements were split – except for 46% disagreement that “Being critical of Israel makes a person anti-Semitic”.
Respondents were slightly more likely to think the Israel/Palestine conflict fuels anti-Muslim feeling that anti-Semitism.
Opinion of Carbon Pricing Proposal
Q. Do you support or oppose the Government’s recent announcement to introduce a carbon pricing scheme from 1 July 2012, which will require industries to pay a tax based on the amount of carbon pollution they emit?
| 7 March | 14 March | 28 March | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total support | 35% | 38% | 34% | 39% | 63% | 21% | 75% |
| Total oppose | 48% | 49% | 51% | 49% | 25% | 72% | 17% |
| Strongly support | 9% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 25% | 4% | 37% |
| Support | 26% | 26% | 22% | 26% | 38% | 17% | 38% |
| Oppose | 19% | 17% | 19% | 15% | 10% | 18% | 10% |
| Strongly oppose | 29% | 32% | 32% | 34% | 15% | 54% | 7% |
| Don’t know | 18% | 13% | 15% | 12% | 12% | 7% | 8% |
Support for the Government’s carbon pricing scheme has recovered to similar levels recorded in mid-March.
Since this question was asked 3 weeks ago, support has increased to 39% (+5%) and opposition dropped to 49% (-2%).
Strongest support was shown by those aged under 35 (42%) and those on incomes over $1,600 pw (46%).
Those most strongly opposed were aged 55+ (58%).
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Essential Report
In this week's report:
- Federal government response to Covid-19
- State government response to Covid-19
- Views towards reopening international borders
- Views towards state border closures
- Comprehension and confidence in PM’s plan to ‘safely reopen’ Australia
- Uptake of a Covid-19 vaccine
- Necessity of mandatory vaccinations in specific situations
- Views towards easing restrictions for fully vaccinated people
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