anti-government rallies, Carbon Tax, Essential Report, federal politics, Polling
Q. Do the recent rallies in Canberra – the no carbon tax rally and the trucking convoy – represent your views about the Government?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Yes | 40% | 14% | 66% | 10% |
| No | 38% | 73% | 13% | 75% |
| Don’t know | 22% | 13% | 22% | 15% |
40% say the recent rallies in Canberra represent their views about the Government, 38% say they do not represent their views.
Those most likely to say the rallies represent their views were Liberal/National voters (66%), aged 65+ (60%) and full-time workers (46%).
Those most likely to say the rallies do not represent their views were Labor voters (73%), Greens voters (75%) and those aged under 35 (45%).
anti-government rallies, Essential Report, federal politics, Liberal, Polling, tony abbott
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of Tony Abbott giving his support to these rallies?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total approve | 38% | 14% | 68% | 8% |
| Total disapprove | 36% | 65% | 9% | 75% |
| Strongly approve | 18% | 3% | 37% | 1% |
| Approve | 20% | 11% | 31% | 7% |
| Disapprove | 15% | 25% | 8% | 14% |
| Strongly disapprove | 21% | 40% | 1% | 61% |
| No opinion | 26% | 21% | 22% | 18% |
38% approve and 36% disapprove of Tony Abbott giving his support to the Canberra rallies. Views are closely associated with voting intention.
Groups most likely to approve were aged 65+ (54%) and full-time workers (45%).
Australian involvement in Afghanistan, Essential Report, Polling, Troops in Afghanistan
Q. Thinking about the Australian troops in Afghanistan, do you think Australia should –
| 25 Oct 2010 | 21 Mar 2011 | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Increase the number of troops in Afghanistan | 10% | 5% | 4% | 5% | 3% | 3% |
| Keep the same number of troops in Afghanistan | 30% | 30% | 26% | 26% | 32% | 15% |
| Withdraw our troops from Afghanistan | 47% | 56% | 64% | 61% | 60% | 75% |
| Don’t know | 14% | 9% | 7% | 7% | 5% | 6% |
64% (up 8%) think Australia should withdraw our troops from Afghanistan, 26% (down 4%) think we should maintain troop numbers and 4% (down 1%) think we should increase them.
Since October last year, support for withdrawal of Australian troops has increased from 47% to 64%. There was majority support for withdrawal by all voting groups – 60% of Lib/Nat voters, 61% labor and 75% Greens. Support for withdrawal was also similar across age, gender and income.
2PP, 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 = 1,846
| First preference/leaning to | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Liberal | 45% | 47% | 46% | 46% | |
| National | 3% | 3% | 4% | 4% | |
| Total Lib/Nat | 43.6 | 48% | 50% | 50% | 50% |
| Labor | 38.0 | 32% | 30% | 31% | 32% |
| Greens | 11.8 | 11% | 10% | 10% | 10% |
| Other/Independent | 6.6 | 9% | 10% | 9% | 8% |
| 2PP | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 49.9% | 55% | 57% | 57% | 56% |
| Labor | 50.1% | 45% | 43% | 43% | 44% |
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.
Essential Report, Federal Government, federal politics, Health, healthcare system, Polling, polls
Q. How much have you read and heard about the recent Federal Government changes concerning funding and delivery of health services?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| A lot | 8% | 10% | 8% | 16% |
| Something | 21% | 22% | 24% | 19% |
| A little | 36% | 38% | 37% | 32% |
| Nothing | 28% | 25% | 28% | 30% |
| Don’t know | 7% | 5% | 4% | 3% |
Only 29% say they have heard a lot or something about the recent Federal Government changes concerning funding and delivery of health services, 36% say they have heard a little and 28% have heard nothing.
Those most likely to have heard a lot/something were aged 55+ (39%).
Essential Report, Health, healthcare system, Polling, polls
Q. What impact do you think these changes will have on the delivery of health services in Australia?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Heard a lot / something | Heard a little | |
| A big impact | 15% | 17% | 12% | 21% | 24% | 7% |
| A moderate impact | 35% | 46% | 28% | 42% | 42% | 29% |
| A small impact | 27% | 22% | 32% | 15% | 19% | 34% |
| No impact | 10% | 3% | 15% | 6% | 11% | 10% |
| Don’t know | 13% | 11% | 12% | 16% | 4% | 20% |
* based on those who have heard a lot/something/a little.
Of those who had heard a lot/something/a little, 50% think the health system changes will have a big or moderate impact on the delivery of health services in Australia, 27% think they will have small impact and 10% think they will have no impact.
Those who have heard more about the changes are more likely to think they will have an impact – 66% of those who have heard a lot/something think they will have a big/moderate impact compared to 36% of those who have only heard a little.
Essential Report, Health, healthcare system, Polling, polls
Q. What impact do you think these changes will have on you and your family?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Heard a lot / something | Heard a little | |
| A big impact | 8% | 6% | 9% | 13% | 13% | 5% |
| A moderate impact | 23% | 32% | 19% | 20% | 30% | 18% |
| A small impact | 30% | 33% | 25% | 40% | 27% | 33% |
| No impact | 26% | 18% | 35% | 16% | 24% | 27% |
| Don’t know | 12% | 12% | 12% | 11% | 5% | 18% |
* based on those who have heard a lot/something/a little.
Respondents were less likely to think the changes will have an impact on their family. Of those who had heard a lot/something/a little, 31% think the health system changes will have a big or moderate impact on them, 30% think they will have small impact and 26% think they will have no impact.
43% of those who have heard a lot/something think they will have a big/moderate impact compared to 23% of those who have only heard a little.
Essential Report, Federal Government, federal politics, Health, healthcare system, Polling, polls
Q. And from what you’ve read or heard, do you support or oppose these changes in the health care system proposed by the Federal Government?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Heard a lot / something | Heard a little | |
| Total support | 36% | 59% | 21% | 46% | 50% | 24% |
| Total oppose | 13% | 1% | 22% | 6% | 17% | 9% |
| Strongly support | 8% | 20% | * | 8% | 13% | 3% |
| Support | 28% | 39% | 21% | 38% | 37% | 21% |
| Neither support nor oppose | 36% | 28% | 41% | 27% | 27% | 44% |
| Oppose | 8% | 1% | 13% | 5% | 9% | 7% |
| Strongly oppose | 5% | – | 9% | 1% | 8% | 2% |
| Don’t know | 16% | 11% | 16% | 20% | 7% | 23% |
* based on those who have heard a lot/something/a little.
Of those who had heard a lot/something/a little, 36% support the changes and 13% oppose. Labor voters support the changes 50% to 1% oppose and Greens voters support them 46%/6%. 41% of Liberal/National voters neither support nor oppose, while 21% support and 22% oppose.
Those who have heard a lot/something are more likely to support the changes – 50% compared to 24% of those who have only heard a little.