Approval of opposition leader, approval of PM, Essential Report, Julia Gillard, Labor, Liberal, Polling, preferred 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 | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Julia Gillard | 53% | 47% | 48% | 44% | 42% | 43% | 41% | 37% | 38% | 36% | 81% | 5% | 69% |
| Tony Abbott | 26% | 32% | 31% | 33% | 33% | 35% | 36% | 39% | 36% | 40% | 5% | 79% | 8% |
| Don’t know | 21% | 21% | 20% | 23% | 24% | 22% | 24% | 24% | 26% | 24% | 13% | 16% | 23% |
36% believe Julia Gillard would make the better Prime Minister and 40% prefer Tony Abbott – a net improvement for Tony Abbott of 6% on last month’s figures (from -2% to +4%).
Men prefer Tony Abbott 43%/37% and women favour Tony Abbott 37%/36%.
approach to asylum seekers, asylum seekers, boat people, Essential Report, Polling, Processing Asylum Seekers
Q. Thinking about the issue of asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat – do you think they should be processed in Australia or should they be sent to another country for processing?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Process in Australia | 36% | 44% | 27% | 73% |
| Sent to another country | 53% | 44% | 65% | 15% |
| Don’t know | 11% | 12% | 8% | 12% |
53% favour sending asylum seekers to another country for processing and 36% favour processing them in Australia. Liberal/National voters strongly favour sending them to another country (65%), Greens voters strongly favour processing them in Australia (73%) and Labor voters are split (44%/44%).
Respondents aged under 35 are split (43% Australia/41% another country) but older respondents strongly favour processing overseas (aged 55+ = 62% another country/32% Australia).
Essential Report, Federal Government, Gambling Reform, pokie players, pokies, Polling
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?
| 18 Apr | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total support | 65% | 67% | 80% | 59% | 78% |
| Total oppose | 21% | 25% | 15% | 34% | 9% |
| Strongly support | 32% | 34% | 44% | 27% | 43% |
| Support | 33% | 33% | 36% | 32% | 35% |
| Oppose | 12% | 13% | 9% | 18% | 7% |
| Strongly oppose | 9% | 12% | 6% | 16% | 2% |
| Don’t know | 13% | 9% | 6% | 7% | 12% |
The strong support for the Government’s “pokies” legislation has changed little since this question was last asked in April. 67% support (up 2%) and 21% oppose (up 4%) the proposal.
Voters of all parties support the proposed legislation – although support from Liberal/National voters was somewhat lower at 59%.
Support is strongest from younger respondents – 73% of those aged under 35 support the proposal compared to 66% of those aged 35-54 and 61% of those aged 55+.
employment, Essential Report, Industrial Relations, Polling, productivity
Q. Some business leaders have recently claimed that to increase productivity, industrial relations laws need to be changed to give businesses more flexibility around how they employ workers, including re-introducing individual contracts. Do you agree or disagree?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total agree | 40% | 27% | 59% | 17% |
| Total disagree | 42% | 61% | 24% | 61% |
| Strongly agree | 11% | 6% | 19% | 2% |
| Agree | 29% | 21% | 40% | 15% |
| Disagree | 22% | 29% | 17% | 23% |
| Strongly disagree | 20% | 32% | 7% | 38% |
| Don’t know | 18% | 11% | 17% | 21% |
Opinions about the need for changes to industrial laws to increase productivity were divided. 40% agreed with the need to change IR laws and 42% disagreed. 61% of Labor voters and Greens voters disagreed, while 59% of Liberal/National voters agreed.
Those aged 35-54 tended to disagree (35% agree/47% disagree) while those aged under 35 (40%/34%) and 55+ (48%/42%) were more likely to agree. 46% of full-time workers disagreed and 43% agreed.
2PP, Essential Report, Federal Government, federal politics, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, 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 = 1,878
| First preference/leaning to | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Liberal | 47% | 46% | 46% | 46% | |
| National | 3% | 4% | 3% | 3% | |
| Total Lib/Nat | 43.6 | 50% | 50% | 49% | 49% |
| Labor | 38.0 | 30% | 32% | 32% | 30% |
| Greens | 11.8 | 10% | 10% | 10% | 11% |
| Other/Independent | 6.6 | 10% | 8% | 8% | 10% |
| 2PP | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 49.9% | 57% | 56% | 56% | 57% |
| Labor | 50.1% | 43% | 44% | 44% | 43% |
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.
early election, Election, Essential Report, Federal Government, federal politics, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling
Q. Do you think the Labor Government should run its full term until 2013 when the next Federal election is due or should a new election be held now?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Should run to 2013 | 40% | 82% | 11% | 80% |
| Should hold election now | 48% | 9% | 84% | 13% |
| Don’t know | 12% | 9% | 5% | 7% |
40% think that the Labor Government should run its full term and 48% think there should be an election held now.
Opinions closely follow voting preference – 82% of Labor voters and 80% of Greens voters think the Government should run its full term while 84% of Liberal/National voters want an election now.
economy, Essential Report, GFC, global financial crisis, Greens, Joe Hockey, Julia Gillard, kevin rudd, Labor, leadership, Liberal, malcolm turnbull, Nationals, Polling, tony abbott
Q. If there was another global financial crisis or a recession, which of the following would be best to lead Australia?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Kevin Rudd | 24% | 34% | 13% | 37% |
| Tony Abbott | 20% | 4% | 44% | – |
| Julia Gillard | 13% | 42% | 1% | 18% |
| Malcolm Turnbull | 13% | 7% | 17% | 17% |
| Joe Hockey | 7% | 1% | 11% | 3% |
| Don’t know | 22% | 12% | 15% | 25% |
24% think Kevin Rudd would be best to lead Australia if there was another GFC and 20% favour Tony Abbott.
Among Labor voters Julia Gillard is preferred over Kevin Rudd 42% to 34%. Support for the current party leaders among their own voters is very similar – 42% of Labor voters prefer Julia Gillard and 44% of Liberal/National voters prefer Tony Abbott.
Essential Report, federal politics, Minerals Resource Rent Tax, mining, Mining tax, Polling, Taxing Mining Companies
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the proposed mining tax (called the Minerals Resource Rent Tax) on large profits of mining companies?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | 12 Jul 2010 | ||
| Total approve | 46% | 72% | 27% | 82% | 50% | |
| Total disapprove | 34% | 13% | 57% | 2% | 28% | |
| Strongly approve | 18% | 33% | 7% | 43% | 13% | |
| Approve | 28% | 39% | 20% | 39% | 37% | |
| Disapprove | 18% | 10% | 29% | 1% | 18% | |
| Strongly disapprove | 16% | 3% | 28% | 1% | 10% | |
| Don’t know | 19% | 15% | 17% | 16% | 22% |
46% approve the Government’s proposed mining tax and 34% disapprove. This represents a weakening in support since this question was asked in July 2010.
Labor voters (72%) and Greens voters (82%) strongly support the tax – but Liberal/National voters disapprove 57% to 27%.