EMC, ER, Essential Report, Federal Government, Greens, Internet, Labor, Liberal, National Broadband Network, NBN
Q. Thinking about the Government’s plan to build a national broadband network, how much benefit will a national broadband network be to-
| Total benefit | Great
benefit |
Some benefit | Little benefit | Don’t know | Total benefit
April 09 |
||
| Australian businesses | 84% | 55% | 29% | 8% | 8% | 80% | |
| Schools | 78% | 48% | 30% | 14% | 8% | na | |
| The general public overall | 78% | 44% | 34% | 15% | 8% | 76% | |
| Children | 72% | 39% | 33% | 19% | 9% | na | |
| The Australian economy | 71% | 39% | 32% | 18% | 11% | 65% | |
| You personally | 65% | 33% | 32% | 27% | 8% | 66% | |
| The economy of your local community | 65% | 32% | 33% | 24% | 12% | na |
The NBN is thought to be of most benefit to Australian business (84%), schools (78%) and the general public overall (78%). Since this question was last asked in April 2009, perceptions of benefit have increased for Australian business (+4%) and the Australian economy (+6%).
65% think they will personally benefit from the NBN. Those most likely to think they will benefit personally are aged under 35 (74%) Labor voters (83%), Greens voters (80%) and full-time workers (71%).
Christmas, Christmas debt, Christmas spending, EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, spending and income
Q. And now about Christmas spending – compared to last year, do you expect to be spending more on gifts at Christmas, less or much the same?
| Dec 08 | Dec 09 | Nov 10 | |
| Will spend more | 3% | 11% | 10% |
| Will be spending less | 38% | 38% | 38% |
| Spend much the same | 55% | 47% | 48% |
| Don’t know | 5% | 4% | 5% |
Views about spending on gifts at Christmas remain much the same as last year. 10% say they will spend more, 38% spend less and 48% much the same.
16% of those aged under 35 say they will spend more, 46% of those aged 35-44 will spend less and 59% of those aged 55+ will spend much the same. There is no significant relationship between changes in spending and income.
2PP, EMC, ER, 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 = 1,869
| First preference/leaning to | 6 months ago | 4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Liberal | 39% | 41% | 42% | 42% | 42% |
| National | 2% | 3% | 4% | 3% | 3% |
| Total Lib/Nat | 41% | 44% | 46% | 45% | 45% |
| Labor | 40% | 41% | 39% | 39% | 38% |
| Greens | 10% | 8% | 8% | 10% | 10% |
| Other/Independent | 9% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 8% |
| 2PP | 6 months ago | 4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week
|
This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 48% | 50% | 51% | 51% | 51% |
| Labor | 52% | 50% | 49% | 49% | 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, 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 = 1,907
| First preference/leaning to | 6 months ago | 4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Liberal | 41% | 42% | 41% | 42% | 42% |
| National | 2% | 2% | 3% | 4% | 3% |
| Total Lib/Nat | 43% | 44% | 44% | 46% | 45% |
| Labor | 38% | 40% | 41% | 39% | 39% |
| Greens | 10% | 9% | 8% | 8% | 10% |
| Other/Independent | 9% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 7% |
| 2PP | 6 months ago | 4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week
|
This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 50% | 50% | 50% | 51% | 51% |
| Labor | 50% | 50% | 50% | 49% | 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.
banking, banking competition, banks, competing banks, EMC, ER, essential report
Q. Do you think there needs to be more competition between Australian banks or is there enough competition?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| There is enough competition | 21% | 21% | 25% | 13% |
| Needs to be more competition | 68% | 70% | 68% | 81% |
| Don’t know | 11% | 8% | 6% | 7% |
68% believe there needs to be more competition between banks and 21% think there is currently enough competition.
81% of Greens voters believe there needs to be more competition.
Younger respondents are a little more likely to think there is enough competition (27% of aged 18-34) while 76% of respondents aged 55+ think there should be more competition.
EMC, ER, essential report, Greens, Interest rates, Labor, Liberal, rate increases, rate rises, rates competition, Reserve Bank
Q. If there was more competition between Australian banks, do you think this would stop the banks increasing interest rates by more than the Reserve Bank rate increases?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Yes | 47% | 48% | 50% | 55% |
| No | 31% | 31% | 34% | 18% |
| Don’t know | 22% | 22% | 16% | 27% |
47% think that if there was more competition between Australian banks, this would stop the banks increasing interest rates by more than the Reserve Bank rate increases while 31% disagree.
Older people and those on lower incomes were split in their opinions – for those aged 55+, 41% agreed and 38% disagreed while 41% of those on incomes under $600pw disagreed and 38% agreed.
Australian banking industry, banking, banking issues, EMC, ER, essential report, Greens, Joe Hockey, Labor, Liberal, Wayne Swan
Q. Who would you trust most to deal with issues affecting the Australian banking industry – the Treasurer Wayne Swan and the Labor Party or the shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey and the Liberal Party?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Wayne Swan and the Labor Party | 33% | 69% | 5% | 52% |
| Joe Hockey and the Liberal Party | 38% | 5% | 80% | 13% |
| Don’t know | 29% | 26% | 14% | 35% |
38% have most trust in Joe Hockey and the Liberal Party to handle issues affecting the banking industry and 33% trust Wayne Swan and the Labor Party.
Those aged 55+ trust Joe Hockey more (47% to 35%) while those on incomes under $600pw trust Wayne Swan more (42% to 38%)
China, EMC, ER, essential report, Germany, India, Indonesia, International relationships, International ties, Japan, NZ, South Africa, UK, US
Q. How important is it for Australia to have a close relationship with the following nations?
| Very important | Quite important | Not very important | Don’t know | Very Important April 10 | Change | ||
| United States | 56% | 34% | 5% | 4% | 59% | -3 | |
| New Zealand | 54% | 36% | 6% | 5% | 56% | -2 | |
| China | 45% | 44% | 5% | 6% | 51% | -6 | |
| United Kingdom | 44% | 43% | 9% | 4% | 46% | -2 | |
| Japan | 30% | 53% | 10% | 7% | 40% | -10 | |
| Indonesia | 30% | 48% | 15% | 7% | 39% | -9 | |
| India | 24% | 45% | 23% | 8% | 27% | -3 | |
| Germany | 15% | 43% | 34% | 9% | 18% | -3 | |
| South Africa | 12% | 35% | 43% | 10% | 12% | – |
More than half the respondents think it is very important to have close relationships with the United States (56%) and New Zealand (54%) and just under half think it is very important to have a close relationship with China (45%) and United Kingdom (44%).
A close relationship with the United Sates is considered very important by 65% of Liberal/National voters and 62% of Labor voters but only 37% of Greens voters. Greens voters consider relations with New Zealand (58%) and China (47%) more important.
Since this question was asked in April, the overall rating of the importance of relations with other countries has dropped – especially for Japan (-10%) and Indonesia (-9%).