Approval of Tony Abbott, ER, Essential Report, Opposition leader, tony abbott
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader?
| 18 Jan
2010 |
5 Jul | 20 Dec | 17 Jan 2011 | 14 Feb | 14 Mar | 11 Apr | 9 May | 14 June | 11 July | 15 Aug | 12 Sept | 17 Oct | |
| Total approve | 37% | 37% | 39% | 42% | 38% | 38% | 36% | 42% | 38% | 39% | 37% | 39% | 40% |
| Total disapprove | 37% | 47% | 39% | 37% | 46% | 47% | 48% | 44% | 48% | 49% | 50% | 50% | 51% |
| Strongly approve | 5% | 8% | 9% | 7% | 8% | 7% | 7% | 8% | 6% | 6% | 8% | 8% | 8% |
| Approve | 32% | 29% | 30% | 35% | 30% | 31% | 29% | 34% | 32% | 33% | 29% | 31% | 32% |
| Disapprove | 20% | 23% | 21% | 22% | 24% | 24% | 25% | 25% | 25% | 24% | 25% | 23% | 23% |
| Strongly disapprove | 17% | 24% | 18% | 15% | 22% | 23% | 23% | 19% | 23% | 25% | 25% | 27% | 28% |
| Don’t know | 26% | 16% | 22% | 20% | 16% | 16% | 17% | 14% | 15% | 11% | 13% | 11% | 9% |
Tony Abbott’s approval rating has been at a similar level for the past 5 months. 40% (up 1%) approve of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader and 51% (up 1%) disapprove – no change in his net rating of -11 over the last 5 weeks.
78% (up 4%) of Coalition voters approve and 16% (down 2%) disapprove.
By gender – men 44% approve/50% disapprove, women 36% approve/52% disapprove.
Better Prime Minister, ER, Essential Report, Greens, Julia Gillard, Labor, Liberals, 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 2010 | 17 Jan 2011 | 14 Feb | 14 Mar | 11 Apr | 9 May | 14 June | 11 July | 15 Aug | 12 Sept | 17 Oct | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Julia Gillard | 53% | 47% | 48% | 44% | 42% | 43% | 41% | 37% | 38% | 36% | 38% | 82% | 4% | 85% |
| Tony Abbott | 26% | 32% | 31% | 33% | 33% | 35% | 36% | 39% | 36% | 40% | 39% | 2% | 82% | 4% |
| Don’t know | 21% | 21% | 20% | 23% | 24% | 22% | 24% | 24% | 26% | 24% | 23% | 16% | 14% | 11% |
38% believe Julia Gillard would make the better Prime Minister and 39% prefer Tony Abbott – a net improvement for Julia Gillard of 3% on last month’s figures (from -4% to -1%).
Men prefer Tony Abbott 42%/38% and women favour Julia Gillard 38%/36%.
carbon pollution, carbon pricing scheme, Carbon Tax, ER, Essential Report, Greens, industries, Labor, Liberals
Q. Do you support or oppose the Government’s proposal 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 | 18 April | 23 May | 14 June | 18 July | 1 Aug | 19 Sep | 17 Oct | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total support | 35% | 39% | 41% | 38% | 39% | 39% | 37% | 39% | 66% | 15% | 80% |
| Total oppose | 48% | 49% | 44% | 49% | 49% | 51% | 52% | 53% | 24% | 81% | 16% |
| Strongly support | 9% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 15% | 15% | 14% | 14% | 25% | 2% | 45% |
| Support | 26% | 26% | 27% | 25% | 24% | 24% | 23% | 25% | 41% | 13% | 35% |
| Oppose | 19% | 15% | 15% | 19% | 16% | 19% | 17% | 17% | 14% | 19% | 10% |
| Strongly oppose | 29% | 34% | 29% | 30% | 33% | 32% | 35% | 36% | 10% | 62% | 6% |
| Don’t know | 18% | 12% | 15% | 13% | 12% | 10% | 12% | 9% | 10% | 4% | 3% |
Views on the carbon pricing scheme have changed very little since June. 39% support the scheme (up 2% since September) and 53% oppose (up 1%).
The only demographic group to support the scheme were aged under 35’s – 46% support/43% oppose. Among those aged 55+, 33% support and 63% oppose.
asylum seekers, ER, Essential Report, Julia Gillard, leaders, Malaysia solution, political leaders, tony abbott
Q. Regardless of how you vote, what words would you use to describe the positions taken by Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott on the issue of asylum seekers, including the recent attempt at legislating the deal with Malaysia?
| Julia Gillard | Tony Abbott | Difference | |
| Just playing politics | 46% | 47% | -1 |
| Stubborn | 26% | 20% | +6 |
| Unethical | 24% | 14% | +10 |
| Too soft | 21% | 7% | +14 |
| Populist | 13% | 14% | -1 |
| Cruel | 13% | 9% | +4 |
| Responsible | 11% | 16% | -5 |
| Fair | 10% | 15% | -5 |
| Too hard | 10% | 6% | +4 |
| Balanced | 7% | 11% | -4 |
| Principled | 6% | 11% | -5 |
| Visionary | 6% | 5% | +1 |
Nearly half the respondents believe that both Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott have been “just playing politics” over the issue of asylum seekers.
The main differences between the leaders positions on asylum seekers were that Julia Gillard was more likely to be considered “too soft” (21% to 7%) and “unethical” (24% to 14%). Julia Gillard was also a little more likely to be considered “stubborn” (26% to 20%).
Australian economy, Economic Prosperity, economy, ER, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberals, Prosperity
Q. Which one of the following do you believe will be the most important factor in Australia’s economic prosperity over the next 20 years?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| A strong resources sector | 29% | 29% | 35% | 18% |
| Continued growth in China and India | 21% | 23% | 22% | 24% |
| Investment in skills | 20% | 22% | 16% | 23% |
| Prioritising innovation and technology | 18% | 18% | 13% | 31% |
| A strong banking and finance sector | 12% | 9% | 13% | 5% |
29% believe that a strong resources sector will be the most important factor in Australia’s economic prosperity over the next 20 years and 21% nominate the continued growth in China and India. Labor and Coalition voters were more likely to niominate “a strong resources sector” while 31% of Greens voters nominated “prioritising innovation and technology”.
Those on higher incomes were more likely to nominate “a strong resources sector “ – 36% of those on income $1,600+ pw.
There were no major differences by age group.
Andrew Wilkie, Bob Katter, ER, Essential Report, Independents, Performance of Independents, Rob Oakeshott, Tony Windsor
Q. Regardless of how you vote in federal elections, how would you rate the performance of the following Independent MPs in federal parliament?
| Total Good | Total Bad | Very Good | Good | Bad | Very Bad | Don’t know | ||
| Rob Oakeshott | 23% | 34% | 3% | 20% | 16% | 18% | 42% | |
| Tony Windsor | 23% | 32% | 4% | 19% | 18% | 14% | 44% | |
| Andrew Wilkie | 24% | 34% | 3% | 21% | 16% | 18% | 42% | |
| Bob Katter | 27% | 36% | 6% | 21% | 19% | 17% | 37% |
Respondents struggle to rate the performance of the Independents, with the most common response being ‘don’t know’. However, in the case of Bob Katter, respondents are more likely to have a view, with the ‘don’t knows’ dropping 5 points from about 42% to 37% in Katter’s case.
The performance of Rob Oakeshott, Tony Windsor and Andrew Wilkie are rated as more or less the same with about 23% of respondents regarding their performance as good and 33% regarding it as bad. Bob Katter came out on top by a fraction, with 27% rating his performance as good.
However, in all instances, more respondents rate the performance of the Independents as bad, with Katter also earning the most criticism (36% bad).
Ratings do not vary greatly by state or territory, save that respondents in Queensland are significantly more likely to rate the performance of Bob Katter as good (38% total good). Respondents in NSW are somewhat more likely to rate the performance of Tony Windsor as good (27% total good).
balance of power, ER, Essential Report, Greens, Independents, Parliament, power in Parliament
Q. Do you think the independents and Greens holding the balance of power in Parliament has been good or bad for Australia?
| 7 Mar 11 | 6 Jun 2011 | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total good | 27% | 28% | 22% | 32% | 9% | 72% |
| Total bad | 41% | 39% | 50% | 30% | 76% | 7% |
| Very good | 7% | 9% | 5% | 8% | 1% | 30% |
| Good | 20% | 19% | 17% | 24% | 8% | 42% |
| Neither good nor bad | 33% | 33% | 28% | 38% | 15% | 21% |
| Bad | 22% | 21% | 23% | 22% | 27% | 5% |
| Very bad | 19% | 18% | 27% | 8% | 49% | 2% |
The majority of respondents seem to regard the independents and the Greens holding the balance of power in Parliament as bad for Australia (50% bad), whilst 22% regard it is good for the country.
Enthusiasm for the independents and the Greens in federal Parliament fell 6 points since last polled in June 2011, from 28% to 22% of respondents regarding it as good for the country.
At the same time, disdain for the situation has risen considerably since June 2011: from 39% to 50% this time around.
Labor voters are almost equally split on the issue of the independents and Greens holding the balance of power, with 32% regarding it to be a good thing, and 30% viewing it as bad.
Lib/Nat voters are the most likely to regard the situation as bad (76%), whereas Greens voters are by far the most likely to regard it as good (72%).
Respondents aged 18-24 (38%) and 25-34 (33%) were significantly more likely to regard the situation as good.
ER, Essential Report, Gambling, gambling reforms, poker machines, pokies, Pokies Legislation
Q. The Federal Government has proposed gambling reforms which include “pre-commitment” technology that will require pokies 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?
| 18 Apr 2011 | 12 Sept 2011 | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total support | 65% | 67% | 61% | 73% | 52% | 82% |
| Total oppose | 21% | 25% | 30% | 21% | 41% | 10% |
| Strongly support | 32% | 34% | 29% | 38% | 20% | 53% |
| Support | 33% | 33% | 32% | 35% | 32% | 29% |
| Oppose | 12% | 13% | 15% | 13% | 20% | 5% |
| Strongly oppose | 9% | 12% | 15% | 8% | 21% | 5% |
| Don’t know | 13% | 9% | 9% | 6% | 7% | 8% |
The majority of respondents support the proposed gambling reforms to include pre-commitment technology on pokies machines around Australia.
However, support for the reform has fallen 6 points to 61% this week, with opposition climbing from 25% to 30% at the same time.
Greens voters are the most likely to support the reform (82%) followed by Labor voters (73%). Whilst Coalition voters were the least likely to do so, the majority of them nonetheless support the reforms (52%).
Looking at the responses by age, respondents aged 18-24 are the most likely to support the reforms (74%) whilst those aged 55-64 are the most likely to oppose them (42%).
Looking are responses by state and territory, respondents in NSW are the most likely to oppose the reforms, with 37% stating they are either strongly opposed or opposed to the proposed legislation.