2PP, Election, EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, federal politics, Greens, Labor, Liberal, two party preferred, 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 = 1,906
| First preference/leaning to | Election
21 Aug 10 |
2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Liberal | 43% | 42% | 42% | |
| National | 3% | 3% | 3% | |
| Total Lib/Nat | 43.6 | 46% | 45% | 45% |
| Labor | 38.0 | 38% | 37% | 37% |
| Greens | 11.8 | 10% | 11% | 11% |
| Other/Independent | 6.6 | 6% | 7% | 7% |
| 2PP | Election
21 Aug 10 |
2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 49.9% | 52% | 51% | 51% |
| Labor | 50.1% | 48% | 49% | 49% |
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.
Channel 10, EMC, ER, Essential Report, Flood Damage, flood levy, flooding, Floods, Network 10, Network Ten, recent floods
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the Government introducing a one-off levy on taxpayers to pay for damage caused by the recent floods? (Question commissioned by Network Ten)
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Queensland | NSW | Victoria | Other states | |
| Total approve | 39% | 63% | 23% | 48% | 46% | 35% | 37% | 43% |
| Total disapprove | 53% | 31% | 73% | 41% | 46% | 57% | 56% | 51% |
| Strongly approve | 12% | 24% | 3% | 19% | 11% | 10% | 12% | 14% |
| Approve | 27% | 39% | 20% | 29% | 35% | 25% | 25% | 27% |
| Disapprove | 24% | 20% | 28% | 21% | 21% | 25% | 27% | 22% |
| Strongly disapprove | 29% | 11% | 45% | 20% | 25% | 32% | 29% | 29% |
| Don’t know | 8% | 6% | 5% | 10% | 9% | 8% | 6% | 9% |
39% approved of the Government introducing a one-off levy on taxpayers to pay for damage caused by the recent floods and 53% disapproved.
63% of Labor voters approved but Liberal/National voters strongly disapproved (73%).
Queensland residents were more likely to approve than residents of other states.
By income, those earning under $52,000 per year disapproved 47% to 44% approved and those earning over $52,000 disapproved 57% to 38% approved.
Question commissioned by Ten network.
EMC, ER, Essential Report, government, Government run services, Private run services, Private Sector
Q. Which of the following are better run by the private sector and which are better run by Government?
| Better run by private sector | Better run by Government | Don’t know | |
| Electricity | 22% | 61% | 17% |
| Water | 15% | 70% | 16% |
| Trains, buses and ferries | 19% | 68% | 13% |
| Motorways | 17% | 70% | 13% |
| Community services such as child protection | 14% | 71% | 15% |
| Broadband services | 53% | 29% | 19% |
| Health insurance services | 48% | 37% | 15% |
| Property insurance | 55% | 27% | 19% |
| Prisons | 10% | 76% | 15% |
| Universities | 20% | 64% | 16% |
A substantial majority believed that the Government is better at running prisons (76%), community services (71%), water (70%) and motorways (70%). However, they are more likely to think that the private sector is better at running property insurance (55%), broadband services (53%) and health insurance (48%).
Although Liberal/National voters were a little more likely to favour the private sector on most issues, they also supported the Government running most services except for broadband services (63% private/24% Government), health insurance (59%/32%) and property insurance (65%/23%). Labor voters favoured the private sector to run broadband (44%/38%) and property insurance (50%/31%) but were split on health insurance (41% private/43% Government).
Support for Government run services was a little higher in NSW than in Victoria – e.g. electricity (64% NSW/59% Vic), water (73%/65%).
EMC, ER, Essential Report, Flood Damage, flooding, Floods, funding flood damage, Government spending, recent floods
Q. Which of the following do you think is the best way for the Government to pay for the damage caused by the recent floods?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Introduce a one-off levy | 22% | 42% | 9% | 22% |
| Sell off Medibank Private | 2% | 1% | 4% | 2% |
| Scrap or postpone the NBN (National Broadband Network) | 28% | 11% | 48% | 10% |
| Postpone returning the budget to surplus | 24% | 26% | 23% | 27% |
| Raise taxes on mining company profits | 10% | 10% | 6% | 23% |
| None of them | 7% | 5% | 7% | 9% |
| Don’t know | 7% | 5% | 3% | 7% |
Overall, there was no clearly preferred means of funding the flood damage. The most supported ways to fund flood damage were to scrap or postpone the NBN (28%), postpone returning the budget to surplus (24%) and introducing a one-off levy (22%). Only 2% favoured selling Medibank Private. Labor voters favoured the levy (42%) and Liberal/National voters favoured scrapping or postponing the NBN (48%).
Greens voters were split between postponing the return to surplus (27%), a tax on mining company profits (23%) and introducing a levy (22%).
Scrapping or postponing the NBN was strongly favoured by those aged 55+ (40%).
EMC, ER, Essential Report, Flood Damage, Floods, Government funding, rebuilding infrastructure
Q. If the Government introduces a levy to pay for flood damage, which of the following should the Government spend those funds on?
| Yes | No | Don’t know | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | ||
| Replace and repair infrastructure – e.g. roads, rail, power, telecommunications | 92% | 3% | 5% | 92% | 95% | 95% | |
| Replace and repair public buildings – e.g. schools, hospitals | 92% | 3% | 5% | 93% | 93% | 95% | |
| Compensate individuals who were not insured for flood damage | 35% | 42% | 22% | 37% | 35% | 34% | |
| Compensate businesses for lost income | 36% | 43% | 20% | 40% | 36% | 33% | |
| Compensate farmers for lost income | 58% | 26% | 16% | 61% | 58% | 54% | |
| Compensate workers for lost wages | 43% | 37% | 20% | 50% | 41% | 36% | |
| Compensation for all people affected – regardless of whether or not they have insurance cover | 30% | 51% | 19% | 32% | 31% | 23% |
Respondents overwhelmingly supported using Government funding for rebuilding infrastructure and public buildings (92%).
A majority (58%) also supported compensating farmers for lost income. However, they were more likely to oppose compensating businesses or those who were not insured for flood damage. Only 30% supported Government funding for anyone affected.
There were relatively small differences between voter groups – except for compensating workers for lost wages which 50% of Labor voters supported compared to 41% of Lib/Nat voters and 36% of Greens voters.
Australian Military, Australian people, banks, EMC, ER, Essential Report, Federal Government, Floods, insurance industry, Performance, Performance of Groups, Performance of Organisations, QLD State Government
Q. And from what you have seen and heard, how would you rate each of the following in terms of how they have responded to the floods?
| Total good | Total poor | Very good | Good | Average | Poor | Very poor | Don’t know | |
| The Federal Labor Government | 48% | 15% | 15% | 33% | 26% | 7% | 8% | 11% |
| The Federal Coalition Opposition | 29% | 19% | 6% | 23% | 37% | 12% | 7% | 15% |
| The Queensland State Government | 78% | 3% | 48% | 30% | 10% | 1% | 2% | 9% |
| The Queensland State Government (Qld only) | 79% | 3% | 51% | 28% | 11% | 1% | 2% | 7% |
| The Victorian State Government | 48% | 4% | 14% | 34% | 22% | 3% | 1% | 26% |
| The Victorian State Government (Vic only) | 53% | 8% | 13% | 40% | 23% | 6% | 2% | 16% |
| The NSW State Government | 33% | 12% | 8% | 25% | 27% | 8% | 4% | 27% |
| The NSW State Government (NSW only) | 26% | 22% | 5% | 21% | 33% | 13% | 9% | 20% |
| The Australian military | 78% | 2% | 49% | 29% | 8% | 1% | 1% | 10% |
| State emergency services | 88% | 2% | 71% | 17% | 4% | 1% | 1% | 7% |
| The media | 61% | 9% | 26% | 35% | 23% | 5% | 4% | 7% |
| The banks | 22% | 26% | 6% | 16% | 30% | 17% | 9% | 23% |
| The insurance industry | 10% | 53% | 2% | 8% | 22% | 25% | 28% | 14% |
| Australian businesses overall | 48% | 8% | 13% | 35% | 30% | 6% | 2% | 14% |
| The Australian people overall | 85% | 2% | 56% | 29% | 7% | 1% | 1% | 6% |
Groups with highest ratings for their response to the floods were state emergency services (88% good), the Australian people overall (85%), the Queensland State Government (78%) and the Australian military (78%).
The Federal Government’s response was rated 48% good/15% poor/26% average while the Federal Opposition was rated 29% good/19% poor/37% average.
The only groups with overall negative ratings were the insurance industry (53% poor/10% good) and the banks (26% poor/22% good).
2PP, Election, EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, federal politics, Greens, Labor, Liberal, two party preferred, 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 = 1,896
| First preference/leaning to | Election
21 Aug 10 |
Last week | This week |
| Liberal | 43% | 42% | |
| National | 3% | 3% | |
| Total Lib/Nat | 43.6 | 46% | 45% |
| Labor | 38.0 | 38% | 37% |
| Greens | 11.8 | 10% | 11% |
| Other/Independent | 6.6 | 6% | 7% |
| 2PP | Election
21 Aug 10 |
Last week | This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 49.9% | 52% | 51% |
| Labor | 50.1% | 48% | 49% |
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.
asylum seekers, Australia’s health system, Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Election Issues, EMC, environment, Essential Media, Essential Report, Greens, industrial relations system, Interest rates, Labor, Liberal, party trust, population growth, quality education, taxation system, Terrorism, water supply, working families
Q. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election? (Number from 1 to 3 where 1 is the most important, 2 the second most important, etc)
| One | Two | Three | Total | Total 11th Oct 10 | Total 25th Jan 10 | |
| Management of the economy | 37% | 18% | 10% | 65% | 62% | 63% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 5% | 10% | 11% | 26% | 32% | 23% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 13% | 20% | 16% | 49% | 48% | 48% |
| Protecting the environment | 4% | 3% | 6% | 13% | 12% | 16% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 2% | 4% | 4% | 10% | 11% | * |
| Political leadership | 6% | 5% | 5% | 16% | 16% | 23% |
| Addressing climate change | 3% | 3% | 4% | 10% | 11% | 16% |
| Controlling interest rates | 5% | 8% | 8% | 21% | 17% | 15% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 10% | 8% | 12% | 30% | 30% | 33% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 1% | 2% | 3% | 6% | 6% | 12% |
| Housing affordability | 5% | 5% | 6% | 16% | 17% | 14% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 4% | 6% | 8% | 18% | 16% | 14% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 1% | 2% | 2% | 5% | 6% | 9% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 1% | 2% | 2% | 5% | 5% | * |
| Managing population growth | 2% | 5% | 4% | 11% | 10% | * |
*Not asked
65% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 49% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system and 30% Australian jobs and protection of local industries.
Only 10% rate addressing climate change as one of their three most important issues and 6% rate ensuring a quality water supply.
Over the past 12 months there has been an increase in the importance of controlling interest rates (from 15% to 21%) and a decrease in the importance of addressing climate change (from 16% to 10%).