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  • Nov, 2011

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    Return to 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.

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  • Nov, 2011

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    Measures Government should take to Return to 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.

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  • Nov, 2011

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    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 = 1,902 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.

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  • Nov, 2011

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    Exporting Uranium to India

    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.

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  • Nov, 2011

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    Nuclear Power Plants

    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.

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  • Nov, 2011

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    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 = 1,898 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.

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  • Nov, 2011

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    Approval of Julia Gillard

    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.

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  • Nov, 2011

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    Approval of 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.

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