2PP, asylum seekers, climate change, economy, Election, Election Issues, Essential Report, fair industrial relations system, Greens, Labor, leadership, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, voting, Voting intention
Q. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election?
| One | Two | Three | Total | 24 Jan 11 | 11 Oct 10 | 25 Jan 10 | |
| Management of the economy | 34% | 18% | 9% | 61% | 65% | 62% | 63% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 6% | 10% | 10% | 26% | 26% | 32% | 23% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 15% | 15% | 19% | 49% | 49% | 48% | 48% |
| Protecting the environment | 4% | 6% | 5% | 15% | 13% | 12% | 16% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 2% | 3% | 3% | 8% | 10% | 11% | * |
| Political leadership | 6% | 6% | 5% | 17% | 16% | 16% | 23% |
| Addressing climate change | 6% | 4% | 5% | 15% | 10% | 11% | 16% |
| Controlling interest rates | 3% | 5% | 5% | 13% | 21% | 17% | 15% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 9% | 11% | 12% | 32% | 30% | 30% | 33% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 1% | 1% | 3% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 12% |
| Housing affordability | 4% | 6% | 6% | 16% | 16% | 17% | 14% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 3% | 6% | 8% | 17% | 18% | 16% | 14% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 2% | 2% | 4% | 8% | 5% | 6% | 9% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 1% | 2% | 2% | 5% | 5% | 5% | * |
| Managing population growth | 2% | 4% | 6% | 12% | 11% | 10% | * |
*Not asked
61% 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 32% Australian jobs and protection of local industries.
Since January, there has been an increase in the importance of addressing climate change (from 10% to 15%) and a decrease in the importance of controlling interest rates (from 21% to 13%).
approach to asylum seekers, asylum seekers, climate change, Election Issues, Essential Report, fair industrial relations system, federal politics, Greens, Labor, Liberal, management of the economy, Nationals, political leadership, Polling, polls, population growth, protecting the environment, quality education for all children, quality of Australia’s health system, Security, taxation
Q. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election?
| Total | Labor | Liberal/ National | Green | |
| Management of the economy | 61% | 60% | 76% | 28% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 26% | 29% | 24% | 27% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 49% | 50% | 50% | 51% |
| Protecting the environment | 15% | 17% | 10% | 52% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 8% | 12% | 4% | 4% |
| Political leadership | 17% | 16% | 20% | 16% |
| Addressing climate change | 15% | 23% | 6% | 45% |
| Controlling interest rates | 13% | 15% | 13% | 6% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 32% | 28% | 36% | 12% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 5% | 5% | 3% | 7% |
| Housing affordability | 16% | 16% | 13% | 16% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 17% | 14% | 19% | 16% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 8% | 4% | 13% | 1% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 5% | 3% | 5% | 12% |
| Managing population growth | 12% | 12% | 12% | 9% |
There were few substantial differences between voters on issues they considered important. Compared to the average, Labor voters are more likely to rate addressing climate change (23%) as important.
Liberal/National voters attach more importance to management of the economy (76%) and security and the war on terrorism (13%) while Greens voters are more likely to nominate protecting the environment (52%), addressing climate change (45%) and treatment of asylum seekers (12%).
2PP, Essential Report, fair industrial relations system, federal politics, Greens, Labor, leadership, Liberal, management of the economy, Nationals, party trust, political leadership, Polling, polls, preferred PM, protecting the environment, quality education for all children, trust, two party preferred
Q. And which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?
| Labor | Liberal | Greens | Don’t know | |
| Management of the economy | 29% | 47% | 3% | 22% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 38% | 35% | 5% | 23% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 33% | 35% | 6% | 25% |
| Protecting the environment | 18% | 21% | 39% | 23% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 40% | 31% | 4% | 24% |
| Political leadership | 26% | 38% | 5% | 31% |
| Addressing climate change | 21% | 24% | 29% | 26% |
| Controlling interest rates | 26% | 44% | 3% | 28% |
| Protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 35% | 35% | 4% | 26% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 21% | 28% | 22% | 29% |
| Housing affordability | 26% | 34% | 4% | 35% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 29% | 37% | 4% | 30% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 25% | 40% | 3% | 32% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 19% | 39% | 11% | 31% |
| Managing population growth | 21% | 36% | 7% | 36% |
Labor is the most trusted party on only one issue – a fair industrial relations system. There is little difference between Labor and the Liberals for ensuring a quality education for all children, ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system and protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries.
This represents a weakening in Labor’s position over the last few months. In January Labor was trusted most to handle ensuring a quality education for all children and in October Labor also had a significant lead on protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries.
asylum seekers, climate change, controlling interest rates, Election Issues, fair industrial relations system, management of the economy, population growth, protecting the environment, quality education for all children, quality of Australia’s health system
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 | Green | |
| Management of the economy | 62% | 59% | 74% | 46% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 32% | 37% | 26% | 23% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 48% | 53% | 47% | 43% |
| Protecting the environment | 12% | 12% | 8% | 27% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 11% | 18% | 6% | 14% |
| Political leadership | 16% | 16% | 17% | 10% |
| Addressing climate change | 11% | 15% | 4% | 35% |
| Controlling interest rates | 17% | 11% | 22% | 12% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 30% | 34% | 27% | 15% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 6% | 4% | 8% | 13% |
| Housing affordability | 17% | 12% | 16% | 20% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 16% | 12% | 20% | 16% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 6% | 3% | 8% | 2% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 5% | 3% | 5% | 10% |
| Managing population growth | 10% | 7% | 13% | 9% |
Labor voters are more likely to rate ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system (53%), ensuring a quality education for all children (37%) and a fair industrial relations system (18%) as important.
Liberal/National voters attach more importance to management of the economy (74%) and controlling interest rates (22%) while Greens voters are more likely to nominate addressing climate change (35%) and protecting the environment (27%).
controlling interest rates, Election Issues, fair industrial relations system, management of the economy, quality education for all children, Security, war on terrorism
Q. And which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?
| Labor | Liberal | Greens | Don’t know | |
| Management of the economy | 37% | 42% | 2% | 19% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 42% | 31% | 4% | 23% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 36% | 35% | 5% | 25% |
| Protecting the environment | 19% | 20% | 40% | 21% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 44% | 30% | 4% | 22% |
| Political leadership | 34% | 36% | 5% | 25% |
| Addressing climate change | 21% | 22% | 31% | 26% |
| Controlling interest rates | 28% | 42% | 2% | 29% |
| Protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 41% | 33% | 3% | 23% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 24% | 27% | 21% | 29% |
| Housing affordability | 31% | 31% | 4% | 34% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 35% | 35% | 3% | 28% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 27% | 35% | 4% | 34% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 26% | 33% | 9% | 33% |
| Standing up for regular Australian working families | 44% | 28% | 4% | 23% |
| Managing population growth | 28% | 33% | 7% | 33% |
| Making sure Australian working people got fair treatment at their workplace | 45% | 29% | 3% | 23% |
Labor is trusted most to handle a fair industrial relations system (44%), ensuring a quality education for all children (42%) and protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries (41%).
The Liberals are trusted most to handle management of the economy (42%), controlling interest rates (42%) and security and the war on terrorism (35%).