2PP, Essential Report, federal politics, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, 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 = 1,847
| 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.
Approval of opposition leader, Approval of Tony Abbott, Essential Report, federal politics, 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 | 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.
2PP, Essential Report, Federal Government, federal politics, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, 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 = 1,878
| 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.
early election, Election, Essential Report, Federal Government, federal politics, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling
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.
Essential Report, federal politics, Minerals Resource Rent Tax, mining, Mining tax, Polling, Taxing Mining Companies
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%.
economy, Essential Report, federal politics, Mining tax, Polling, Taxing Mining Companies
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).
Essential Report, Federal Government, federal politics, inquiry, manufacturing industry, Polling
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%).
approval of PM, Essential Report, Federal Government, federal politics, Gillard, Greens, healthcare system, Julia Gillard, Labor, Labor Party policies, Liberal, management of the economy, Nationals, pension, Polling, superannuation
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%).