budget, Budget day, EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, Federal Budget, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. Thinking about the Federal Budget to be announced next week – how interested are you in reading and hearing about the Federal Budget?
| 2010 | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Very interested | 30% | 38% | 41% | 44% | 32% |
| Somewhat interested | 37% | 29% | 32% | 29% | 30% |
| A little interested | 22% | 21% | 19% | 20% | 28% |
| Not at all interested | 8% | 8% | 5% | 6% | 9% |
| Can’t say | 4% | 3% | 2% | * | – |
67% of respondents say they are very or somewhat interested in reading and hearing about the Federal Budget – the same as recorded prior to the 2010 budget. However, those who say they are “very interested” has increased from 30% to 38%.
73% of both Labor and Liberal/National voters say they are interested.
Younger people are less interested – 60% of those under 35 are interested compared to 78% of those aged 55+.
Australian economy, economic conditions, economics, economy, EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, 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?
| 17 May 10
(Post 2010 budget) |
Total | Vote Labor | Vote Liberal/ National | Vote Greens | |
| The right direction | 51% | 45% | 75% | 27% | 51% |
| The wrong direction | 25% | 29% | 7% | 51% | 17% |
| Don’t know | 24% | 25% | 17% | 22% | 33% |
45% of respondents think that Australia’s economy is heading in the right direction – 29% think it is heading in the wrong direction. Since this question was asked just after the 2010 budget, “right direction” has dropped 6% and “wrong direction” increased 4%.
75% of Labor voters, 27% of Liberal/National voters and 51% of Greens voters think the economy is heading in the right direction.
bin Laden, EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Osama bin Laden, Polling, polls, Terrorism
Q. Do you think the death of Osama bin Laden will make the world a safer or less safe place or will it make no difference?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Liberal/ National | Vote Greens | |
| Make the world safer | 12% | 16% | 12% | 8% |
| Make the world less safe | 19% | 17% | 20% | 28% |
| Make no difference | 63% | 60% | 65% | 59% |
| Don’t know | 6% | 7% | 2% | 5% |
The majority (63%) of respondents think that the death of Osama bin Laden will make no difference to making the world safer or less safe. 12% think it will make the world safer and 19% think it will make the world less safe.
28% of Greens voters and 23% of those aged 55+ think it will make the world less safe.
bin Laden, EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Osama bin Laden, Polling, polls, Terrorism, terrorist
Q. Do you think the death of Osama bin Laden will result in less terrorism or more terrorism or will it make no difference?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Liberal/ National | Vote Greens | |
| Result in more terrorism | 37% | 32% | 40% | 40% |
| Result in less terrorism | 7% | 8% | 7% | 9% |
| Make no difference | 48% | 51% | 48% | 45% |
| Don’t know | 8% | 9% | 5% | 6% |
About half (48%) think that the death of Osama bin Laden will make no difference to terrorism. However, 37% think it will result in more terrorism and only 7% think it will result in less terrorism. Views are broadly similar across demographic groups.
Greens and Liberal/National voters (40%) are a little more likely to think it will result in more terrorism than Labor voters (32%).
ADF, afghanistan, Afghanistan War, Australian Defence Force, Australian troops, EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, Troops in Afghanistan
Q. Thinking about the Australian troops in Afghanistan, do you think Australia should –
| 25 Oct 10 | 21 Mar 11 | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Increase the number of troops in Afghanistan | 10% | 5% | 6% | 4% | 8% | 1% |
| Keep the same number of troops in Afghanistan | 30% | 30% | 36% | 37% | 43% | 25% |
| Withdraw our troops from Afghanistan | 47% | 56% | 48% | 49% | 41% | 65% |
| Don’t know | 14% | 9% | 11% | 10% | 8% | 9% |
42% think that the Australian troops in Afghanistan should be increased or maintained and 48% think Australia should withdraw its troops. This is a significant drop (-8%) in support for withdrawal since this question was last asked in March.
EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, Head of State, Network 10, Network Ten, Polling, polls, Prince William
Q. Under the current arrangements, Prince William will be Australia’s Head of State when he becomes King. Would you approve or disapprove of Prince William as Australia’s Head of State?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Men | Women | Age
18-34 |
Aged
35-54 |
Aged 55+ | |
| Total approve | 60% | 58% | 68% | 38% | 56% | 64% | 56% | 60% | 65% |
| Total disapprove | 23% | 26% | 19% | 49% | 27% | 19% | 21% | 25% | 23% |
| Strong approve | 15% | 12% | 20% | 6% | 13% | 18% | 16% | 13% | 19% |
| Approve | 45% | 46% | 48% | 32% | 43% | 46% | 40% | 47% | 46% |
| Disapprove | 13% | 13% | 13% | 30% | 13% | 14% | 14% | 14% | 12% |
| Strongly disapprove | 10% | 13% | 6% | 19% | 14% | 5% | 7% | 11% | 11% |
| Don’t know | 17% | 16% | 13% | 13% | 18% | 17% | 24% | 15% | 12% |
60% approve of Prince William becoming Australia’s head of state and 23% disapprove.
Those most likely to approve are Liberal/National voters (68%), women (64%) and aged 55+ (65%).
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 =1,857
| First preference/leaning to | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Liberal | 43% | 43% | 43% | 44% | |
| National | 3% | 3% | 4% | 3% | |
| Total Lib/Nat | 43.6 | 46% | 47% | 47% | 47% |
| Labor | 38.0 | 36% | 35% | 35% | 35% |
| Greens | 11.8 | 10% | 11% | 10% | 9% |
| Other/Independent | 6.6 | 8% | 8% | 8% | 9% |
| 2PP | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 49.9% | 53% | 54% | 54% | 54% |
| Labor | 50.1% | 47% | 46% | 46% | 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.
EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, federal politics, Greens, Interest in Federal Politics, Interest in Politics, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Politics, Polling, polls
Q. When it comes to following Federal politics, which best describes you?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Aged 18-34 | Aged 35-54 | Aged 55+ | |
| I follow it closely | 10% | 12% | 13% | 8% | 7% | 10% | 17% |
| I follow it enough to know what’s happening | 45% | 46% | 49% | 45% | 30% | 49% | 57% |
| I follow it when something big is happening | 18% | 19% | 20% | 24% | 27% | 14% | 15% |
| I only pay attention when there’s an election | 8% | 7% | 9% | 6% | 13% | 8% | 3% |
| I have no interest in politics | 14% | 14% | 8% | 15% | 17% | 16% | 6% |
| Can’t say | 4% | 2% | 1% | 2% | 6% | 4% | 2% |
55% say they follow Federal politics closely or enough to know what’s happening, 26% follow it only at elections or when something big is happening and 14% have no interest in politics.
Older respondents tended to follow Federal politics more closely than younger respondents – 74% of those aged 55+ follow it closely or enough to know what’s happening compared to only 37% of those aged 18-34. Greens voters (53%) were a little less likely to follow politics than Labor (58%) or Liberal/National voters (62%).