EMC, ER, Essential Report, government, Government run services, Private run services, Private Sector
Q. Which of the following are better run by the private sector and which are better run by Government?
| Better run by private sector | Better run by Government | Don’t know | |
| Electricity | 22% | 61% | 17% |
| Water | 15% | 70% | 16% |
| Trains, buses and ferries | 19% | 68% | 13% |
| Motorways | 17% | 70% | 13% |
| Community services such as child protection | 14% | 71% | 15% |
| Broadband services | 53% | 29% | 19% |
| Health insurance services | 48% | 37% | 15% |
| Property insurance | 55% | 27% | 19% |
| Prisons | 10% | 76% | 15% |
| Universities | 20% | 64% | 16% |
A substantial majority believed that the Government is better at running prisons (76%), community services (71%), water (70%) and motorways (70%). However, they are more likely to think that the private sector is better at running property insurance (55%), broadband services (53%) and health insurance (48%).
Although Liberal/National voters were a little more likely to favour the private sector on most issues, they also supported the Government running most services except for broadband services (63% private/24% Government), health insurance (59%/32%) and property insurance (65%/23%). Labor voters favoured the private sector to run broadband (44%/38%) and property insurance (50%/31%) but were split on health insurance (41% private/43% Government).
Support for Government run services was a little higher in NSW than in Victoria – e.g. electricity (64% NSW/59% Vic), water (73%/65%).
EMC, ER, Essential Report, Flood Damage, flooding, Floods, funding flood damage, Government spending, recent floods
Q. Which of the following do you think is the best way for the Government to pay for the damage caused by the recent floods?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Introduce a one-off levy | 22% | 42% | 9% | 22% |
| Sell off Medibank Private | 2% | 1% | 4% | 2% |
| Scrap or postpone the NBN (National Broadband Network) | 28% | 11% | 48% | 10% |
| Postpone returning the budget to surplus | 24% | 26% | 23% | 27% |
| Raise taxes on mining company profits | 10% | 10% | 6% | 23% |
| None of them | 7% | 5% | 7% | 9% |
| Don’t know | 7% | 5% | 3% | 7% |
Overall, there was no clearly preferred means of funding the flood damage. The most supported ways to fund flood damage were to scrap or postpone the NBN (28%), postpone returning the budget to surplus (24%) and introducing a one-off levy (22%). Only 2% favoured selling Medibank Private. Labor voters favoured the levy (42%) and Liberal/National voters favoured scrapping or postponing the NBN (48%).
Greens voters were split between postponing the return to surplus (27%), a tax on mining company profits (23%) and introducing a levy (22%).
Scrapping or postponing the NBN was strongly favoured by those aged 55+ (40%).
EMC, ER, Essential Report, Flood Damage, Floods, Government funding, rebuilding infrastructure
Q. If the Government introduces a levy to pay for flood damage, which of the following should the Government spend those funds on?
| Yes | No | Don’t know | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | ||
| Replace and repair infrastructure – e.g. roads, rail, power, telecommunications | 92% | 3% | 5% | 92% | 95% | 95% | |
| Replace and repair public buildings – e.g. schools, hospitals | 92% | 3% | 5% | 93% | 93% | 95% | |
| Compensate individuals who were not insured for flood damage | 35% | 42% | 22% | 37% | 35% | 34% | |
| Compensate businesses for lost income | 36% | 43% | 20% | 40% | 36% | 33% | |
| Compensate farmers for lost income | 58% | 26% | 16% | 61% | 58% | 54% | |
| Compensate workers for lost wages | 43% | 37% | 20% | 50% | 41% | 36% | |
| Compensation for all people affected – regardless of whether or not they have insurance cover | 30% | 51% | 19% | 32% | 31% | 23% |
Respondents overwhelmingly supported using Government funding for rebuilding infrastructure and public buildings (92%).
A majority (58%) also supported compensating farmers for lost income. However, they were more likely to oppose compensating businesses or those who were not insured for flood damage. Only 30% supported Government funding for anyone affected.
There were relatively small differences between voter groups – except for compensating workers for lost wages which 50% of Labor voters supported compared to 41% of Lib/Nat voters and 36% of Greens voters.
Australian Military, Australian people, banks, EMC, ER, Essential Report, Federal Government, Floods, insurance industry, Performance, Performance of Groups, Performance of Organisations, QLD State Government
Q. And from what you have seen and heard, how would you rate each of the following in terms of how they have responded to the floods?
| Total good | Total poor | Very good | Good | Average | Poor | Very poor | Don’t know | |
| The Federal Labor Government | 48% | 15% | 15% | 33% | 26% | 7% | 8% | 11% |
| The Federal Coalition Opposition | 29% | 19% | 6% | 23% | 37% | 12% | 7% | 15% |
| The Queensland State Government | 78% | 3% | 48% | 30% | 10% | 1% | 2% | 9% |
| The Queensland State Government (Qld only) | 79% | 3% | 51% | 28% | 11% | 1% | 2% | 7% |
| The Victorian State Government | 48% | 4% | 14% | 34% | 22% | 3% | 1% | 26% |
| The Victorian State Government (Vic only) | 53% | 8% | 13% | 40% | 23% | 6% | 2% | 16% |
| The NSW State Government | 33% | 12% | 8% | 25% | 27% | 8% | 4% | 27% |
| The NSW State Government (NSW only) | 26% | 22% | 5% | 21% | 33% | 13% | 9% | 20% |
| The Australian military | 78% | 2% | 49% | 29% | 8% | 1% | 1% | 10% |
| State emergency services | 88% | 2% | 71% | 17% | 4% | 1% | 1% | 7% |
| The media | 61% | 9% | 26% | 35% | 23% | 5% | 4% | 7% |
| The banks | 22% | 26% | 6% | 16% | 30% | 17% | 9% | 23% |
| The insurance industry | 10% | 53% | 2% | 8% | 22% | 25% | 28% | 14% |
| Australian businesses overall | 48% | 8% | 13% | 35% | 30% | 6% | 2% | 14% |
| The Australian people overall | 85% | 2% | 56% | 29% | 7% | 1% | 1% | 6% |
Groups with highest ratings for their response to the floods were state emergency services (88% good), the Australian people overall (85%), the Queensland State Government (78%) and the Australian military (78%).
The Federal Government’s response was rated 48% good/15% poor/26% average while the Federal Opposition was rated 29% good/19% poor/37% average.
The only groups with overall negative ratings were the insurance industry (53% poor/10% good) and the banks (26% poor/22% good).
2PP, Election, EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, federal politics, Greens, Labor, Liberal, two party preferred, 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 = 1,896
| First preference/leaning to | Election
21 Aug 10 |
Last week | This week |
| Liberal | 43% | 42% | |
| National | 3% | 3% | |
| Total Lib/Nat | 43.6 | 46% | 45% |
| Labor | 38.0 | 38% | 37% |
| Greens | 11.8 | 10% | 11% |
| Other/Independent | 6.6 | 6% | 7% |
| 2PP | Election
21 Aug 10 |
Last week | This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 49.9% | 52% | 51% |
| Labor | 50.1% | 48% | 49% |
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.
2PP, EMC, ER, Essential Report, federal politics, Greens, Labor, Liberal, two party preferred, Voting intention
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 = 1,903
| First preference/leaning to | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | This week |
| Liberal | 43% | 43% | |
| National | 3% | 3% | |
| Total Lib/Nat | 43.6 | 46% | 46% |
| Labor | 38.0 | 38% | 38% |
| Greens | 11.8 | 10% | 10% |
| Other/Independent | 6.6 | 7% | 6% |
| 2PP | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 49.9% | 52% | 52% |
| Labor | 50.1% | 48% | 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.
Better Prime Minister, EMC, ER, Essential Report, Julia Gillard, PM, Prime Minister, tony abbott
Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott?
| 5 Jul | 16 Aug | 20 Sep | 18 Oct | 22 Nov | 20 Dec | 17 Jan 2011 | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Kevin Rudd v Tony Abbott
21 Jun 10 |
||
| Julia Gillard | 53% | 46% | 47% | 49% | 45% | 45% | 47% | 89% | 10% | 78% | 47% | |
| Tony Abbott | 26% | 35% | 35% | 33% | 34% | 34% | 32% | 2% | 70% | 3% | 30% | |
| Don’t know | 21% | 19% | 18% | 17% | 21% | 21% | 21% | 9% | 20% | 19% | 23% |
47% believe Julia Gillard would make the better Prime Minister and 32% prefer Tony Abbott – a net increase for Julia Gillard of 4% on last month’s figures (from +11% to +15%).
Men favour Julia Gillard over Tony Abbott 48%/33% and women 47%/31%.
Australian companies, EMC, ER, Essential Report, GST, online purchasing, overseas companies, purchasing frequency
Q. About how often have you purchased items and products on-line in the last 12 months (for example – books, clothing, computers, electrical appliances)?
| Once | 6% |
| 2 or 3 times | 25% |
| 4-6 times | 21% |
| 7-12 times | 15% |
| More than 12 times | 20% |
| Total purchased online in last 12 months | 88% |
| Not in last 12 months | 12% |
88% of respondents said they had purchased items and products online in the last 12 months. 35% had purchased online more than six times in the last 12 months.
44% of those aged 25-34 and 43% of those aged 35-44 said they had purchased online more than six times.