budget, Budget Surplus, ER, Essential Report, Federal Budget, Federal Budget Surplus, Federal Government, poll, Polling, surplus
Q. Do you think it is more important for the Government to return the budget to surplus by 2012/13 as planned – which may mean cutting services and raising taxes – OR should they delay the return to surplus and maintain services and invest in infrastructure?
| April 4 | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Return to surplus by 2012/13, cut services, raise taxes | 14% | 13% | 13% | 19% | 7% |
| Delay return to surplus, maintain services, invest in infrastructure | 69% | 71% | 76% | 68% | 82% |
| Don’t know | 17% | 15% | 11% | 13% | 11% |
13% support the return to surplus by 2012/13 if it means cutting services and raising taxes and 69% think the Government should delay the return to surplus and maintain services and investment. Opinions are unchanged since this question was asked in April.
No more than 19% of any demographic or voter group supported the return to surplus by 2012/13.
budget, Budget Surplus, ER, Essential Report, Federal Budget, Federal Budget Surplus, Federal Government, poll, Polling, surplus
Q. In order to meet their commitment to return to surplus in 2012-13, which measures should the Government take?
| April 4 | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Increase taxes for big corporations | 63% | 72% | 81% | 65% | 86% |
| Reduce tax breaks for high income earners | 51% | 59% | 63% | 57% | 64% |
| Reduce defence spending | 32% | 37% | 32% | 37% | 67% |
| Cut “middle class welfare” such as the Baby Bonus, first home buyers grant and Family Tax Benefit payments | 36% | 35% | 31% | 40% | 29% |
| Cut spending on unemployment and disability benefits | 21% | 21% | 15% | 28% | 13% |
| It does not need to return to surplus so quickly | 38% | 58% | 65% | 56% | 61% |
The most favoured measures for returning the budget to surplus were increasing taxes for big corporations (72%) and reducing tax breaks for high-income earners (59%).
Labor voters were more likely to support increasing taxes for big corporations (81%).
Liberal/National voters were more likely to support cutting spending on unemployment and welfare benefits (28%), and cutting “middle class welfare” (40%).
Since this question was last asked in April, support has increased for increasing taxes for big corporations (+9%) and reducing tax breaks for high income earners (+8%).
However, the major change since April has been a substantial increase in support for the position that the Government does not need to return to surplus so quickly – up 20% to 58%. This position is supported by 65% of Labor voters and 56% of Liberal/National voters.
2PP, ER, Essential Report, 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 = 1,902 respondents
| First preference/leaning to | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Liberal | 45% | 43% | 44% | 46% | |
| National | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | |
| Total Lib/Nat | 43.6% | 48% | 46% | 47% | 48% |
| Labor | 38.0% | 32% | 35% | 35% | 34% |
| Greens | 11.8% | 11% | 9% | 10% | 10% |
| Other/Independent | 6.6% | 8% | 9% | 8% | 7% |
| 2PP | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 49.9% | 55% | 54% | 54% | 55% |
| Labor | 50.1% | 45% | 46% | 46% | 45% |
NB. The data in the above tables comprise 2-week averages derived from 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.
ER, Essential Report, Exporting Uranium, Greens, India, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, trade, Uranium, uranium export
Q. Do you support or oppose the proposal for Australia to export uranium to India?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total support | 30% | 31% | 35% | 17% |
| Total oppose | 45% | 40% | 47% | 66% |
| Strongly support | 7% | 6% | 10% | 1% |
| Support | 23% | 25% | 25% | 16% |
| Oppose | 24% | 25% | 25% | 30% |
| Strongly oppose | 21% | 15% | 22% | 36% |
| Don’t know | 25% | 28% | 17% | 17% |
30% support the proposal for Australia to export uranium to India and 45% oppose – 25% had no opinion. All voter groups were more likely to oppose the sale of uranium to India.
All age groups were more likely to oppose the proposal – and men were split 43% support to 41% oppose, compared to women 18% support/49% oppose.
electricity, ER, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Nuclear Power, nuclear power plants, Polling
Q. Do you support or oppose Australia developing nuclear power plants for the generation of electricity?
| 27 Jan 2009 | 20 Dec 2010 | 21 Mar 2011 | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total support | 43% | 43% | 35% | 39% | 31% | 50% | 27% |
| Total oppose | 35% | 37% | 53% | 45% | 53% | 37% | 68% |
| Strongly support | 14% | 16% | 12% | 13% | 7% | 20% | 9% |
| Support | 29% | 27% | 23% | 26% | 24% | 30% | 18% |
| Oppose | 21% | 21% | 21% | 22% | 27% | 18% | 25% |
| Strongly oppose | 14% | 16% | 32% | 23% | 26% | 19% | 43% |
| Don’t know | 22% | 19% | 13% | 16% | 16% | 13% | 6% |
45% oppose Australia developing nuclear power plants for the generation of electricity and 39% support. This is a considerable shift in opinion since this question was last asked in March following the problems with the nuclear power plants in Japan after the tsunami. However, there remains net opposition to nuclear power plants – compared to net support in surveys conducted in 2009 and 2010.
Those that intend to vote Lib/Nat were more likely to support (50%) than oppose (37%) Australia developing nuclear power plants for the generation of electricity.
There was majority opposition from Labor (53% oppose or strongly oppose) and the Greens (68% oppose or strongly oppose).
There is a considerable difference between the attitudes of males and females towards nuclear power plants – 56% of males, compared to just 24% of females support or strongly support Australia developing nuclear power plants for the generation of electricity.
2PP, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, 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 = 1,898 respondents
| First preference/leaning to | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Liberal | 45% | 44% | 43% | 44% | |
| National | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | |
| Total Lib/Nat | 43.6% | 48% | 47% | 46% | 47% |
| Labor | 38.0% | 33% | 34% | 35% | 35% |
| Greens | 11.8% | 11% | 10% | 9% | 10% |
| Other/Independent | 6.6% | 8% | 9% | 9% | 8% |
| 2PP | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 49.9% | 55% | 55% | 54% | 54% |
| Labor | 50.1% | 45% | 45% | 46% | 46% |
NB. The data in the above tables comprise 2-week averages derived from 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.
approval of PM, Essential Report, Julia Gillard, Labor, Polling
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister?
| 19 Jul 2010 | 20 Dec 2010 | 14 Mar | 14 June | 12 Sept | 17 Oct | 14 Nov | |
| Total approve | 52% | 43% | 41% | 34% | 28% | 34% | 37% |
| Total disapprove | 30% | 40% | 46% | 54% | 64% | 59% | 55% |
| Strongly approve | 11% | 10% | 7% | 6% | 5% | 7% | 8% |
| Approve | 41% | 33% | 34% | 28% | 23% | 27% | 29% |
| Disapprove | 17% | 24% | 22% | 29% | 28% | 27% | 25% |
| Strongly disapprove | 13% | 16% | 24% | 25% | 36% | 32% | 30% |
| Don’t know | 18% | 17% | 13% | 13% | 8% | 7% | 9% |
Julia Gillard’s approval rating has continued the improvement shown last month. 37% (up 3%) approve of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister and 55% (down 4%) disapprove – a change in net rating from -25 to -18 over the last 4 weeks. This represents Julia Gillard’s best ratings since May.
81% of Labor voters approve (up 7%) and 16% disapprove (down 5%).
By gender – men 37% approve/57% disapprove, women 36% approve/52% disapprove.
Approval of opposition leader, Essential Report, Liberal, Polling, tony abbott
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader?
| 18 Jan
2010 |
5 Jul
2010 |
20 Dec 2010 | 14 Mar | 14 June | 12 Sept | 17 Oct | 14 Nov | |
| Total approve | 37% | 37% | 39% | 38% | 38% | 39% | 40% | 36% |
| Total disapprove | 37% | 47% | 39% | 47% | 48% | 50% | 51% | 52% |
| Strongly approve | 5% | 8% | 9% | 7% | 6% | 8% | 8% | 6% |
| Approve | 32% | 29% | 30% | 31% | 32% | 31% | 32% | 30% |
| Disapprove | 20% | 23% | 21% | 24% | 25% | 23% | 23% | 26% |
| Strongly disapprove | 17% | 24% | 18% | 23% | 23% | 27% | 28% | 26% |
| Don’t know | 26% | 16% | 22% | 16% | 15% | 11% | 9% | 12% |
Tony Abbott’s approval rating has fallen over the last month. 36% (down 4%) approve of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader and 52% (up 1%) disapprove – a change in net rating from -11 to -16 over the last 4 weeks. This is the lowest rating recorded for Tony Abbott since he became opposition leader.
73% (down 5%) of Coalition voters approve and 19% (up 3%) disapprove.
By gender – men 39% approve/52% disapprove, women 33% approve/51% disapprove.