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  • Sep, 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 = 1,847

    First preference/leaning to Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week This week
    Liberal 46% 46% 46% 46%
    National 4% 3% 3% 3%
    Total Lib/Nat 43.6 50% 49% 49% 49%
    Labor 38.0 31% 32% 30% 32%
    Greens 11.8 10% 10% 11% 10%
    Other/Independent 6.6 9% 8% 10% 10%
    2PP Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week This week
    Total Lib/Nat 49.9% 57% 56% 57% 56%
    Labor 50.1% 43% 44% 43% 44%

    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.

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  • Sep, 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 20 Dec 17 Jan 2011 14 Feb 14 Mar 11 Apr 9 May 14 June 11 July 15 Aug 12 Sept
    Total approve 37% 37% 39% 42% 38% 38% 36% 42% 38% 39% 37% 39%
    Total disapprove 37% 47% 39% 37% 46% 47% 48% 44% 48% 49% 50% 50%
    Strongly approve 5% 8% 9% 7% 8% 7% 7% 8% 6% 6% 8% 8%
    Approve 32% 29% 30% 35% 30% 31% 29% 34% 32% 33% 29% 31%
    Disapprove 20% 23% 21% 22% 24% 24% 25% 25% 25% 24% 25% 23%
    Strongly disapprove 17% 24% 18% 15% 22% 23% 23% 19% 23% 25% 25% 27%
    Don’t know 26% 16% 22% 20% 16% 16% 17% 14% 15% 11% 13% 11%

    Tony Abbott’s approval rating has been at a similar level for the past 4 months. 39% (up 2%) approve of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader and 50% (no change) disapprove – a change in net rating from -13 to -11 over the last 4 weeks.

    74% (up 2%) of Coalition voters approve and 18% (down 2%) disapprove.

    By gender – men 42% approve/52% disapprove, women 36% approve/48% disapprove.

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  • Sep, 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 = 1,878

    First preference/leaning to Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week This week
    Liberal 47% 46% 46% 46%
    National 3% 4% 3% 3%
    Total Lib/Nat 43.6 50% 50% 49% 49%
    Labor 38.0 30% 32% 32% 30%
    Greens 11.8 10% 10% 10% 11%
    Other/Independent 6.6 10% 8% 8% 10%
    2PP Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week This week
    Total Lib/Nat 49.9% 57% 56% 56% 57%
    Labor 50.1% 43% 44% 44% 43%

    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.

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  • Sep, 2011

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    Federal Election

    Q. Do you think the Labor Government should run its full term until 2013 when the next Federal election is due or should a new election be held now?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Should run to 2013 40% 82% 11% 80%
    Should hold election now 48% 9% 84% 13%
    Don’t know 12% 9% 5% 7%

    40% think that the Labor Government should run its full term and 48% think there should be an election held now.

    Opinions closely follow voting preference – 82% of Labor voters and 80% of Greens voters think the Government should run its full term while 84% of Liberal/National voters want an election now.

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  • Sep, 2011

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    Mining Tax

    Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the proposed mining tax (called the Minerals Resource Rent Tax) on large profits of mining companies?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens 12 Jul 2010
    Total approve 46% 72% 27% 82% 50%
    Total disapprove 34% 13% 57% 2% 28%
    Strongly approve 18% 33% 7% 43% 13%
    Approve 28% 39% 20% 39% 37%
    Disapprove 18% 10% 29% 1% 18%
    Strongly disapprove 16% 3% 28% 1% 10%
    Don’t know 19% 15% 17% 16% 22%

    46% approve the Government’s proposed mining tax and 34% disapprove. This represents a weakening in support since this question was asked in July 2010.

    Labor voters (72%) and Greens voters (82%) strongly support the tax – but Liberal/National voters disapprove 57% to 27%.

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  • Sep, 2011

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    Attitudes to Mining Tax

    Q. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the proposed mining tax?

    Total agree Total disagree Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know
    A mining tax is needed so that more of the profits of mining companies are kept in Australia instead of being sent overseas. 57% 24% 26% 31% 15% 9% 19%
    A mining tax will hurt business and undermine the country’s economic recovery. 36% 44% 13% 23% 29% 15% 20%
    It’s about time all corporations, including the miners, started paying their fair share of taxes. 62% 19% 26% 36% 13% 6% 18%
    A miners’ tax is just another example of the Gillard ALP’s anti-business attitude. 34% 45% 16% 18% 24% 21% 21%
    The mining companies make huge profits from resources which belong to all Australians, so all Australians should benefit from these large profits. 67% 15% 34% 33% 12% 3% 18%

    There was strong agreement that all corporations, including the miners, started paying their fair share of taxes (62%) and that all Australians should benefit from the large profits of mining companies (67%). Respondents were more likely to disagree that a mining tax will hurt business and undermine the country’s economic recovery (44% disagree/36% agree) and that the tax is just another example of the Gillard ALP’s anti-business attitude (45% disagree/34% agree).

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  • Sep, 2011

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    Manufacturing Industry Inquiry

    Q. Do you think the Government needs to hold an inquiry into the future of Australia’s manufacturing industry?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Yes 49% 45% 55% 48%
    No 19% 22% 17% 27%
    Don’t know 32% 33% 28% 25%

    49% agree that the Government needs to hold an inquiry into the future of Australia’s manufacturing industry. Support for an inquiry is highest among Liberal/National voters (55%) and people aged 55+ (57%).

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  • Aug, 2011

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    Government Decisions and Policies

    Q. Thinking about what the Labor Government has done over the last few years, do you approve or disapprove of the following Government actions?

    Total approve Total disapprove Strongly approve Approve Disapprove Strongly disapprove Don’t know
    Increased funding of health services 89% 5% 42% 47% 3% 2% 6%
    Increasing the age pension 78% 14% 34% 44% 8% 6% 8%
    Increasing superannuation to 12% 75% 13% 28% 47% 9% 4% 12%
    Managing the economy to keep unemployment and interest rates low 70% 21% 21% 49% 12% 9% 10%
    Spending on new school buildings 68% 24% 19% 49% 15% 9% 8%
    Introducing a national disability insurance scheme 63% 13% 18% 45% 9% 4% 24%
    Stimulus spending to tackle the GFC 61% 28% 21% 40% 15% 13% 11%
    Paid parental leave 60% 30% 19% 41% 17% 13% 10%
    Introducing a tax on large profits of mining companies 58% 29% 27% 31% 16% 13% 13%
    Building the NBN (National Broadband Network) 54% 34% 19% 35% 17% 17% 12%
    Stopping live cattle exports until welfare concerns were addressed 53% 34% 24% 29% 17% 17% 12%
    Abolished WorkChoices 51% 33% 23% 28% 21% 12% 16%
    Sending asylum seekers to Malaysia 39% 45% 17% 22% 20% 25% 16%
    Introducing a carbon tax to tackle climate change 33% 53% 15% 18% 14% 39% 14%

    Government decisions and policies with highest approval were increased funding of health services (89% approve), increasing the age pension (78%) and increasing superannuation to 12% (75%).

    Only two of the actions listed received less than majority approval – sending asylum seekers to Malaysia was 39% approve/45% disapprove and introducing a carbon tax to tackle climate change was 33% approve/53% disapprove.

    Labor voters showed majority approval of all decisions and policies, Greens voters showed majority approval for all except sending asylum seekers to Malaysia (21% approve/63% disapprove).

    Liberal/National voters approved of half the items listed – increased funding of health services (89% approve), increasing the age pension (79%), increasing superannuation to 12% (71%), managing the economy to keep unemployment and interest rates low (54%), spending on new school buildings (54%), introducing a national disability insurance scheme (60%) and paid parental leave (52%).

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