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 2011 |
14 June |
12 Sept |
17 Oct |
14 Nov |
12 Dec |
16 Jan 2012 |
13 Feb |
12 Mar |
Total approve |
52% |
43% |
41% |
34% |
28% |
34% |
37% |
34% |
37% |
36% |
32% |
Total disapprove |
30% |
40% |
46% |
54% |
64% |
59% |
55% |
54% |
52% |
53% |
61% |
Strongly approve |
11% |
10% |
7% |
6% |
5% |
7% |
8% |
6% |
6% |
6% |
8% |
Approve |
41% |
33% |
34% |
28% |
23% |
27% |
29% |
28% |
31% |
30% |
24% |
Disapprove |
17% |
24% |
22% |
29% |
28% |
27% |
25% |
25% |
27% |
26% |
29% |
Strongly disapprove |
13% |
16% |
24% |
25% |
36% |
32% |
30% |
29% |
25% |
27% |
32% |
Don’t know |
18% |
17% |
13% |
13% |
8% |
7% |
9% |
11% |
12% |
11% |
7% |
Julia Gillard’s approval rating has dropped substantially since last month. 32% (down 4%) approve of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister and 61% (up 8%) disapprove – a change in net rating from -17 to -29 over the last 4 weeks. This is her lowest rating since September.
75% of Labor voters approve (down 4%) and 20% disapprove (up 6%).
By gender – men 32% approve/62% disapprove, women 32% approve/60% disapprove.
Approval of Julia Gillard
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister?
19 Jul | 20 Dec | 17 Jan 2011 | 14 Feb | 14 Mar | 11 Apr | 9 May | 14 June | 11 July | 15 Aug | 12 Sept | |
Total approve | 52% | 43% | 51% | 48% | 41% | 37% | 41% | 34% | 29% | 35% | 28% |
Total disapprove | 30% | 40% | 36% | 41% | 46% | 50% | 48% | 54% | 62% | 55% | 64% |
Strongly approve | 11% | 10% | 8% | 9% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 6% | 5% | 6% | 5% |
Approve | 41% | 33% | 43% | 39% | 34% | 30% | 34% | 28% | 24% | 29% | 23% |
Disapprove | 17% | 24% | 24% | 25% | 22% | 25% | 26% | 29% | 30% | 24% | 28% |
Strongly disapprove | 13% | 16% | 12% | 16% | 24% | 25% | 22% | 25% | 32% | 31% | 36% |
Don’t know | 18% | 17% | 14% | 11% | 13% | 13% | 11% | 13% | 9% | 11% | 8% |
After improving last month Julia Gillard’s approval rating has dropped back to a level similar to the July result. 28% (down 7%) approve of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister and 64% (up 9%) disapprove – a change in net rating from -20 to -36 over the last 4 weeks.
66% of Labor voters approve (down 11%) and 26% disapprove (up 13%).
By gender – men 29% approve/65% disapprove, women 27% approve/62% disapprove.
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%).
Approval of Julia Gillard
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister?
Kevin Rudd | Julia Gillard | ||||||||||
31 May
2010 |
19 Jul | 20 Sep | 20 Dec | 17 Jan 2011 | 14 Feb | 14 Mar | 11 Apr | 9 May | 14 June | 11 July | |
Total approve | 41% | 52% | 45% | 43% | 51% | 48% | 41% | 37% | 41% | 34% | 29% |
Total disapprove | 47% | 30% | 37% | 40% | 36% | 41% | 46% | 50% | 48% | 54% | 62% |
Strongly approve | 7% | 11% | 12% | 10% | 8% | 9% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 6% | 5% |
Approve | 34% | 41% | 33% | 33% | 43% | 39% | 34% | 30% | 34% | 28% | 24% |
Disapprove | 25% | 17% | 21% | 24% | 24% | 25% | 22% | 25% | 26% | 29% | 30% |
Strongly disapprove | 22% | 13% | 16% | 16% | 12% | 16% | 24% | 25% | 22% | 25% | 32% |
Don’t know | 12% | 18% | 19% | 17% | 14% | 11% | 13% | 13% | 11% | 13% | 9% |
29% (down 5%) approve of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister and 62% (up 8%) disapprove – a change in net rating from -20 to -33 over the last 4 weeks.
72% of Labor voters approve (down 4%) and 20% disapprove (up 6%).
By gender – men 31% approve/63% disapprove, women 28% approve/61% disapprove.
Approval of Julia Gillard
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister?
Kevin Rudd | Julia Gillard | |||||||||
31 May
2010 |
19 Jul | 20 Sep | 20 Dec | 17 Jan 2011 | 14 Feb | 14 Mar | 11 Apr | 9 May | 14 June | |
Total approve | 41% | 52% | 45% | 43% | 51% | 48% | 41% | 37% | 41% | 34% |
Total disapprove | 47% | 30% | 37% | 40% | 36% | 41% | 46% | 50% | 48% | 54% |
Strongly approve | 7% | 11% | 12% | 10% | 8% | 9% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 6% |
Approve | 34% | 41% | 33% | 33% | 43% | 39% | 34% | 30% | 34% | 28% |
Disapprove | 25% | 17% | 21% | 24% | 24% | 25% | 22% | 25% | 26% | 29% |
Strongly disapprove | 22% | 13% | 16% | 16% | 12% | 16% | 24% | 25% | 22% | 25% |
Don’t know | 12% | 18% | 19% | 17% | 14% | 11% | 13% | 13% | 11% | 13% |
34% (down 7%) approve of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister and 54% (up 6%) disapprove – a change in net rating from -7 to -20 over the last 5 weeks.
76% of Labor voters approve (down 10%) and 14% disapprove (up 4%).
By gender – men 34% approve/57% disapprove, women 35% approve/49% disapprove.
The Past Year – Politicians
Q. Has it been a good or bad year for each of the following politicians?
Total good | Total bad | Very good | Good | Neither good nor bad | Bad | Very bad | Don’t know | |
Julia Gillard | 49% | 25% | 14% | 35% | 22% | 17% | 8% | 4% |
Bob Brown | 38% | 21% | 9% | 29% | 28% | 11% | 10% | 13% |
Tony Abbott | 30% | 33% | 4% | 26% | 32% | 25% | 8% | 6% |
Malcolm Turnbull | 10% | 43% | 1% | 9% | 35% | 30% | 13% | 11% |
Kevin Rudd | 10% | 70% | 2% | 8% | 15% | 36% | 34% | 5% |
Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |||||
Total good | Total bad | Total good | Total bad | Total good | Total bad | Total good | Total bad | |
Julia Gillard | 49% | 25% | 69% | 8% | 36% | 43% | 57% | 17% |
Bob Brown | 38% | 21% | 40% | 17% | 35% | 31% | 68% | 6% |
Tony Abbott | 30% | 33% | 19% | 45% | 44% | 21% | 17% | 54% |
Malcolm Turnbull | 10% | 43% | 6% | 50% | 15% | 42% | 6% | 50% |
Kevin Rudd | 10% | 70% | 14% | 64% | 8% | 81% | 11% | 73% |
Overall, Julia Gillard (49% good/25% bad) and Bob Brown (38%/21%) are thought to have had a good year. Respondents were divided on whether Tony Abbott has had a good year (30%/33%).
A majority of their own voters thought Julia Gillard (69%) and Bob Brown (68%) have had a good year but only 44% of Liberal/National voters think Tony Abbott has had a good year. There is a substantial gender difference on the assessment of Tony Abbott – men split 37% good/30% bad and women 23% good/36% bad. Comments »
Approval of Julia Gillard
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister?
Kevin Rudd | Julia Gillard | ||||||||
31 May | 5 Jul | 19 Jul | 26 Jul | 2 Aug | 9 Aug | 16 Aug | 20 Sep | 18 Oct | |
Total approve | 41% | 48% | 52% | 49% | 46% | 45% | 46% | 45% | 45% |
Total disapprove | 47% | 27% | 30% | 33% | 38% | 40% | 40% | 37% | 37% |
Strongly approve | 7% | 14% | 11% | 12% | 10% | 13% | 13% | 12% | 10% |
Approve | 34% | 34% | 41% | 37% | 36% | 32% | 33% | 33% | 36% |
Disapprove | 25% | 13% | 17% | 19% | 23% | 24% | 24% | 21% | 20% |
Strongly disapprove | 22% | 14% | 13% | 14% | 15% | 16% | 16% | 16% | 17% |
Don’t know | 12% | 26% | 18% | 17% | 15% | 15% | 13% | 19% | 18% |
45% approve of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister and 37% disapprove – showing no change from last months ratings.
89% of Labor voters approve and 3% disapprove.
By gender – men 45% approve/41% disapprove, women 45% approve/35% disapprove. Comments »
Better Prime Minister
Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott?
5 Jul 10 | 19 Jul 10 | 26 Jul 10 | 2 Aug 10 | 9 Aug 10 | 16 Aug 10 | 20 Sep 10 | 18 Oct 10 | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Kevin Rudd v Tony Abbott21 Jun 10 | ||
Julia Gillard | 53% | 50% | 51% | 48% | 45% | 46% | 47% | 49% | 92% | 9% | 81% | 47% | |
Tony Abbott | 26% | 27% | 26% | 30% | 33% | 35% | 35% | 33% | 2% | 75% | 4% | 30% | |
Don’t know | 21% | 23% | 23% | 22% | 21% | 19% | 18% | 17% | 6% | 16% | 15% | 23% |
49% believe Julia Gillard would make the better Prime Minister and 33% prefer Tony Abbott – a widening of the gap from 12% to 16% since last month’s figures. This is the largest gap since the 2 August survey.
Men favour Julia Gillard over Tony Abbott 50%/34% and women 49%/33%. Comments »

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