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)
| Total | Labor | Liberal/ National | Green | |
| Management of the economy | 65% | 63% | 77% | 47% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 26% | 33% | 20% | 24% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 49% | 52% | 47% | 37% |
| Protecting the environment | 13% | 12% | 6% | 42% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 10% | 18% | 5% | 8% |
| Political leadership | 16% | 11% | 25% | 14% |
| Addressing climate change | 10% | 10% | 5% | 22% |
| Controlling interest rates | 21% | 17% | 22% | 19% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 30% | 33% | 32% | 18% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 6% | 4% | 6% | 5% |
| Housing affordability | 16% | 15% | 13% | 21% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 18% | 17% | 19% | 14% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 5% | 5% | 8% | 5% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 5% | 3% | 5% | 15% |
| Managing population growth | 11% | 8% | 12% | 9% |
Compared to the average, Labor voters are more likely to rate ensuring a quality education for all children (33%) and a fair industrial relations system (18%) as important.
Liberal/National voters attach more importance to management of the economy (77%) and political leadership (25%) while Greens voters are more likely to nominate protecting the environment (42%), addressing climate change (22%) and treatment of asylum seekers (15%).
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. And which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?
| Labor | Liberal | Greens | Don’t know | |
| Management of the economy | 33% | 43% | 2% | 22% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 39% | 33% | 4% | 24% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 33% | 33% | 7% | 27% |
| Protecting the environment | 16% | 19% | 40% | 24% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 40% | 30% | 5% | 25% |
| Political leadership | 28% | 37% | 4% | 31% |
| Addressing climate change | 18% | 20% | 34% | 28% |
| Controlling interest rates | 22% | 40% | 2% | 35% |
| Protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 36% | 33% | 4% | 27% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 21% | 28% | 20% | 31% |
| Housing affordability | 26% | 30% | 7% | 37% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 28% | 35% | 4% | 32% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 23% | 37% | 4% | 36% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 20% | 33% | 12% | 35% |
| Standing up for regular Australian working families | 41% | 27% | 6% | 25% |
| Managing population growth | 21% | 36% | 7% | 37% |
| Making sure Australian working people got fair treatment at their workplace | 41% | 29% | 6% | 25% |
Labor is trusted most to handle a fair industrial relations system (40%), ensuring a quality education for all children (39%) and standing up for regular Australian working families (41%).
The Liberals are trusted most to handle management of the economy (43%), controlling interest rates (40%), political leadership (37%) and security and the war on terrorism (37%).
In October, Labor was considered substantially better to handle 5 of the issues surveyed and Liberals 5 issues – compared to this survey where Labor leads on 4 issues and Liberals on 8 issues. The Liberals have now established a lead on political leadership (+9%), water supply (+7%), and taxation (+7%).
Anna Bligh, Campbell Newman, EMC, Essential Media, Essential Report, flooding, Floods, Julia Gillard, Kristina Keneally, leadership, Mayor of Brisbane, Queensland, Queensland Premier, Ted Bailieu, tony abbott
Q. Thinking about the recent floods across Australia, how would you rate each of the following for providing leadership in dealing with the floods?
| Total good | Total poor | Very good | Good | Average | Poor | Very poor | Don’t know | |
| Prime Minister Julia Gillard | 42% | 23% | 15% | 27% | 28% | 10% | 13% | 7% |
| Opposition leader Tony Abbott | 19% | 32% | 4% | 15% | 36% | 19% | 13% | 13% |
| Queensland Premier Anna Bligh | 77% | 6% | 52% | 25% | 11% | 3% | 3% | 6% |
| Queensland Premier Anna Bligh (Qld) | 71% | 9% | 48% | 23% | 17% | 2% | 7% | 3% |
| Brisbane Mayor Campbell Newman | 61% | 4% | 28% | 33% | 16% | 2% | 2% | 19% |
| Brisbane Mayor Campbell Newman (Qld) | 75% | 7% | 46% | 29% | 14% | 2% | 5% | 4% |
| Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu | 34% | 8% | 8% | 26% | 26% | 4% | 4% | 32% |
| Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu (Victoria) | 47% | 12% | 10% | 37% | 27% | 6% | 6% | 14% |
| NSW Premier Kristina Keneally | 21% | 23% | 4% | 17% | 28% | 11% | 12% | 29% |
| NSW Premier Kristina Keneally (NSW) | 13% | 40% | 4% | 9% | 30% | 18% | 22% | 18% |
Nationally, 42% think the Prime Minister Julia Gillard provided good leadership and 23% poor – while the Opposition leader Tony Abbott was rated good by 19% and poor by 32%. In Queensland Julia Gillard rated 42% good/26% poor.
Nationally the Queensland Premier Anna Bligh was rated 77% good/6% poor and in Queensland 71% good/9% poor. The Mayor of Brisbane Campbell Newman was rated a little lower nationally (61%/4%) but slightly higher in Queensland (75%/7%).
In Victoria, the Premier Ted Bailieu was rated 47% good/12% poor and in NSW, Premier Kristina Keneally was rated 13% good/40% poor
2PP, EMC, ER, Essential Report, federal politics, Greens, Labor, Liberal, two party preferred, Voting intention
Federal politics – 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 = 1,903
| First preference/leaning to | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | This week |
| Liberal | 43% | 43% | |
| National | 3% | 3% | |
| Total Lib/Nat | 43.6 | 46% | 46% |
| Labor | 38.0 | 38% | 38% |
| Greens | 11.8 | 10% | 10% |
| Other/Independent | 6.6 | 7% | 6% |
| 2PP | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 49.9% | 52% | 52% |
| Labor | 50.1% | 48% | 48% |
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.
ALP, EMC, Essential Report, Julia Gillard, Julia Gillard approval, Labor, PM, Prime Minister
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister?
| Kevin Rudd | Julia Gillard | ||||||||
| 31 May | 5 Jul | 19 Jul | 16 Aug | 20 Sep | 18 Oct | 22 Nov | 20 Dec | 17 Jan 2011 | |
| Total approve | 41% | 48% | 52% | 46% | 45% | 45% | 43% | 43% | 51% |
| Total disapprove | 47% | 27% | 30% | 40% | 37% | 37% | 38% | 40% | 36% |
| Strongly approve | 7% | 14% | 11% | 13% | 12% | 10% | 7% | 10% | 8% |
| Approve | 34% | 34% | 41% | 33% | 33% | 36% | 36% | 33% | 43% |
| Disapprove | 25% | 13% | 17% | 24% | 21% | 20% | 23% | 24% | 24% |
| Strongly disapprove | 22% | 14% | 13% | 16% | 16% | 17% | 15% | 16% | 12% |
| Don’t know | 12% | 26% | 18% | 13% | 19% | 18% | 18% | 17% | 14% |
51% (up 8%) approve of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister and 36% (down 4%) disapprove – a change in net rating from +3 to +15 over the last 4 weeks.
89% of Labor voters approve and 6% disapprove.
By gender – men 51% approve/37% disapprove, women 50% approve/35% disapprove.
EMC, Essential Report, Liberals, Opposition leader, tony abbott, Tony Abbott approval
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader?
| 18 Jan | 29 Mar | 5 Jul | 16 Aug | 20 Sep | 18 Oct | 22 Nov | 20 Dec | 17 Jan 2011 | |
| Total approve | 37% | 33% | 37% | 41% | 43% | 39% | 40% | 39% | 42% |
| Total disapprove | 37% | 50% | 47% | 44% | 37% | 45% | 40% | 39% | 37% |
| Strongly approve | 5% | 8% | 8% | 9% | 12% | 8% | 6% | 9% | 7% |
| Approve | 32% | 25% | 29% | 32% | 31% | 31% | 34% | 30% | 35% |
| Disapprove | 20% | 28% | 23% | 22% | 21% | 22% | 22% | 21% | 22% |
| Strongly disapprove | 17% | 22% | 24% | 22% | 16% | 23% | 18% | 18% | 15% |
| Don’t know | 26% | 16% | 16% | 15% | 19% | 17% | 19% | 22% | 20% |
42% (up 3%) approve of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader and 37% (down 2%) disapprove – a net change from last month of +5%
74% of Coalition voters approve and 14% disapprove.
By gender – men 46% approve/40% disapprove, women 39% approve/35% disapprove.
Better Prime Minister, EMC, ER, Essential Report, Julia Gillard, 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 | 16 Aug | 20 Sep | 18 Oct | 22 Nov | 20 Dec | 17 Jan 2011 | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Kevin Rudd v Tony Abbott
21 Jun 10 |
||
| Julia Gillard | 53% | 46% | 47% | 49% | 45% | 45% | 47% | 89% | 10% | 78% | 47% | |
| Tony Abbott | 26% | 35% | 35% | 33% | 34% | 34% | 32% | 2% | 70% | 3% | 30% | |
| Don’t know | 21% | 19% | 18% | 17% | 21% | 21% | 21% | 9% | 20% | 19% | 23% |
47% believe Julia Gillard would make the better Prime Minister and 32% prefer Tony Abbott – a net increase for Julia Gillard of 4% on last month’s figures (from +11% to +15%).
Men favour Julia Gillard over Tony Abbott 48%/33% and women 47%/31%.
Australian companies, EMC, ER, Essential Report, GST, online purchasing, overseas companies, purchasing frequency
Q. About how often have you purchased items and products on-line in the last 12 months (for example – books, clothing, computers, electrical appliances)?
| Once | 6% |
| 2 or 3 times | 25% |
| 4-6 times | 21% |
| 7-12 times | 15% |
| More than 12 times | 20% |
| Total purchased online in last 12 months | 88% |
| Not in last 12 months | 12% |
88% of respondents said they had purchased items and products online in the last 12 months. 35% had purchased online more than six times in the last 12 months.
44% of those aged 25-34 and 43% of those aged 35-44 said they had purchased online more than six times.