Australian economy, economic impact, economic issues, Essential Report, GFC, global financial crisis, Polling, polls
Q. How much impact do you think the economies of other countries have on Australia’s economy?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| A lot | 47% | 44% | 49% | 46% |
| Some | 41% | 44% | 42% | 48% |
| A little | 8% | 10% | 7% | 6% |
| None | * | – | – | – |
| Don’t know | 3% | 2% | 2% | – |
47% think that the economies of other countries have a lot of impact on the Australian economy and 41% think they have some impact. Only 8% think they have little or no impact. There were no major differences across demographic groups.
economy, Essential Report, GFC, global financial crisis, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, the economy
Q. Which party would you trust most to handle the economy if there was another Global Financial Crisis (GFC)?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| The Labor Party | 27% | 77% | 3% | 41% |
| The Liberal Party | 43% | 6% | 86% | 3% |
| No difference | 19% | 13% | 9% | 42% |
| Don’t know | 10% | 4% | 2% | 13% |
43% said they would trust the Liberal Party most to handle the economy if there was another GFC, 27% would trust the Labor Party most and 19% said there was no difference.
Those aged under 35 were more likely to think there was no difference (25%) while those aged 55+ were more likely to prefer the Liberal Party (54%)
asylum seekers, Essential Report, Polling, polls
Q. How concerned are you about the number of asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Very concerned | 43% | 36% | 54% | 12% |
| Somewhat concerned | 24% | 27% | 27% | 17% |
| A little concerned | 15% | 17% | 11% | 26% |
| Not at all concerned | 15% | 19% | 7% | 44% |
| Don’t know | 2% | 1% | 1% | 2% |
43% were very concerned and 24% somewhat concerned about the number of asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat. 30% were only a little or not concerned.
60% of those aged 55+ were very concerned compared to 26% of those aged under 35.
asylum, asylum seekers, Essential Report, Polling, polls
Q. As far as you know, has the number of asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat, increased or decreased over the last 12 months?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total increased | 62% | 51% | 74% | 36% |
| Total decreased | 7% | 10% | 5% | 11% |
| Increased a lot | 36% | 24% | 50% | 7% |
| Increased a little | 26% | 27% | 24% | 29% |
| Stayed about the same | 20% | 28% | 14% | 33% |
| Decreased a little | 6% | 8% | 5% | 9% |
| Decreased a lot | 1% | 2% | * | 2% |
| Don’t know | 11% | 11% | 6% | 20% |
62% believe that the number of asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat has increased over the last 12 months, 20% think it has stayed the same and 7% think it has decreased. 74% of Liberal/National voters think it has increased compared to 51% of Labor voters and 36% of Greens voters.
Of those who think it has increased, 59% said they were very concerned (in answer to the previous question) – and of those who think it has stayed the same or decreased, only 18% were very concerned.
asylum seeker issue, asylum seekers, boat people, Essential Report, Polling, polls
Q. Actually, the number of asylum seekers reaching Australia by boat has fallen by more than half in 2011 compared to 2010. Based on that information, now how concerned are you about the number of asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Very concerned | 33% | 24% | 43% | 9% |
| Somewhat concerned | 25% | 27% | 30% | 11% |
| A little concerned | 20% | 23% | 17% | 26% |
| Not at all concerned | 19% | 25% | 8% | 50% |
| Don’t know | 3% | 2% | 1% | 3% |
When told that the number of asylum seekers arriving by boat had fallen by more than half, 33% said they were very concerned (down 10% from the earlier question), 25% somewhat concerned (up 1%) and 39% a little or not concerned (up 9%).
The shifts were similar across all demographic groups.
carbon pricing scheme, Carbon Tax, climate change, Essential Report, federal politics, Polling, polls
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 | 14 March | 28 March | 18 April | 23 May | 30 May | 14 June | 11 July | 18 July | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total support | 35% | 38% | 34% | 39% | 41% | 38% | 38% | 35% | 39% | 39% | 77% | 12% | 82% |
| Total oppose | 48% | 49% | 51% | 49% | 44% | 48% | 49% | 53% | 49% | 51% | 14% | 83% | 11% |
| Strongly support | 9% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 14% | 14% | 13% | 11% | 15% | 15% | 33% | 2% | 42% |
| Support | 26% | 26% | 22% | 26% | 27% | 24% | 25% | 24% | 24% | 24% | 44% | 10% | 40% |
| Oppose | 19% | 17% | 19% | 15% | 15% | 19% | 19% | 19% | 16% | 19% | 9% | 26% | 6% |
| Strongly oppose | 29% | 32% | 32% | 34% | 29% | 29% | 30% | 34% | 33% | 32% | 5% | 57% | 5% |
| Don’t know | 18% | 13% | 15% | 12% | 15% | 15% | 13% | 12% | 12% | 10% | 9% | 5% | 7% |
Opinions of the Government’s carbon pricing scheme have changed little the last time this was surveyed two weeks ago. 39% support (no change) and 51% oppose (down 2%).
82% of Greens voters and 77% of Labor voters support the scheme and 83% of Liberal/National voters oppose.
Those aged under 35 are more likely to support the scheme (46% support/39% oppose) and those aged over 55 oppose (36% support/57% oppose).
carbon pricing scheme, Carbon Tax, climate change, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, Voting intention
Q. How important is the issue of the carbon pricing scheme in deciding which party you would vote for?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Very important | 30% | 25% | 39% | 33% |
| Somewhat important | 29% | 28% | 31% | 35% |
| A little important | 21% | 25% | 16% | 18% |
| Not at all important | 13% | 18% | 12% | 8% |
| Don’t know | 7% | 3% | 2% | 6% |
30% say that the carbon pricing scheme is very important to their voting decision and 29% say it is somewhat important. Liberal/National voters are more likely to consider it very important (39%).
The carbon pricing issue is more important to those who are opposed than those who support it. 68% of those who oppose the scheme say it is very/somewhat important compared to 58% of those who support it.
climate change, environment, Essential Report, federal politics, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, tony abbott
Q. What do you think Tony Abbott actually believes about climate change?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Does not believe in climate change | 19% | 28% | 14% | 34% |
| Does believe in climate change | 27% | 13% | 46% | 8% |
| Doesn’t care whether climate change is real or not | 31% | 48% | 17% | 42% |
| Don’t know | 22% | 11% | 22% | 16% |
31% of respondents think that Tony Abbott doesn’t care whether climate change is real or not, 27% think he believes in climate change and 19% think he doesn’t.
46% of Liberal/National voters think he believes in climate change compared to only 13% of Labor voters and 8% of Greens voters. 34% of Greens voters think he does not believe in climate change and 48% of Labor voters think he doesn’t care whether climate change is real or not.