business, Essential Report, federal politics, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, voter interests
Q. Do you think the Liberal Party is more concerned about the interests of big business or voters – or do they balance the interests of both?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| More concerned about big business | 41% | 68% | 18% | 67% |
| More concerned about voters | 13% | 8% | 20% | 3% |
| Balance interests of both | 30% | 8% | 56% | 11% |
| Don’t know | 15% | 16% | 7% | 19% |
41% think the Liberal Party are more concerned about the interests of big business and 13% think they are more concerned about voters’ interests. 30% think they balance the interests of both.
Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, marriage equality, Nationals, Polling, polls, same sex marriage
Q. Do you think people of the same sex should or should not be allowed to marry?
| 15 Nov 2010 | 14 Mar 2011 | 4 Jul 11 | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Should be allowed to marry | 53% | 49% | 54% | 65% | 41% | 85% |
| Should not be allowed to marry | 36% | 40% | 35% | 23% | 48% | 9% |
| Don’t know | 11% | 10% | 11% | 12% | 10% | 6% |
54% think that people of the same sex should be allowed to marry and 35% think they should not. This represents an increase in support for same-sex marriage since this question was asked in March – however, similar to the result from last November.
Strongest support came from women (62%) and those aged under 35 (63%).
balance of power, Greens, Network Ten, Polling, polls, Senate
Q. From July, the Greens will hold the balance of power in the Senate. Do you think this will be good or bad for Australia? (This question was commissioned by Network Ten).
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Men | Women | Age
18-34 |
Aged
35-54 |
Aged 55+ | |
| Total good | 33% | 44% | 13% | 95% | 32% | 36% | 44% | 34% | 22% |
| Total bad | 45% | 29% | 73% | 1% | 52% | 39% | 29% | 45% | 65% |
| Very good | 10% | 11% | 2% | 56% | 9% | 12% | 12% | 11% | 7% |
| Good | 23% | 33% | 11% | 39% | 23% | 24% | 32% | 23% | 15% |
| Bad | 17% | 21% | 19% | 1% | 18% | 16% | 14% | 19% | 17% |
| Very bad | 28% | 8% | 54% | – | 34% | 23% | 15% | 26% | 48% |
| Make no difference | 11% | 15% | 8% | 2% | 9% | 12% | 13% | 10% | 9% |
| Don’t know | 11% | 11% | 5% | 1% | 8% | 14% | 15% | 11% | 5% |
33% think that the Greens holding the balancer of power in the Senate will be good for Australia and 45% think it will be bad – 11% think it will make no difference. Labor voters are more likely to think it will be good (44% good to 29% bad) while Liberal/National voters overwhelmingly think it will be bad (73%).
Women (36% good/39% bad) were somewhat more positive than men (32% good/52% bad) while younger respondents were much more likely to think it would be good than older respondents.
2PP, Essential Report, federal politics, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, 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 = 1,874
| First preference/leaning to | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Liberal | 44% | 44% | 45% | 45% | |
| National | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | |
| Total Lib/Nat | 43.6 | 47% | 46% | 47% | 48% |
| Labor | 38.0 | 34% | 34% | 32% | 32% |
| Greens | 11.8 | 12% | 12% | 12% | 11% |
| Other/Independent | 6.6 | 8% | 8% | 9% | 9% |
| 2PP | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 49.9% | 54% | 54% | 55% | 55% |
| Labor | 50.1% | 46% | 46% | 45% | 45% |
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.
Greens, Julia Gillard, Labor, leadership, Liberal, Liberal Party, Nationals, Network Ten, Polling, polls, Prime Minister
Q. Do you think Australia has become a better or worse place in the year since Julia Gillard became PM? (This question has been commissioned by Network Ten)
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Men | Women | Age
18-34 |
Aged
35-54 |
Aged 55+ | |
| A better place | 13% | 32% | 4% | 22% | 16% | 11% | 16% | 11% | 11% |
| A worse place | 51% | 17% | 82% | 27% | 57% | 46% | 42% | 53% | 61% |
| A much better place | 3% | 9% | 1% | 2% | 5% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 3% |
| A better place | 10% | 23% | 3% | 20% | 11% | 9% | 14% | 8% | 8% |
| A worse place | 32% | 14% | 47% | 24% | 34% | 30% | 31% | 33% | 32% |
| A much worse place | 19% | 3% | 35% | 3% | 23% | 16% | 11% | 20% | 29% |
| No change | 29% | 44% | 12% | 46% | 24% | 34% | 30% | 30% | 25% |
| Don’t know | 7% | 6% | 3% | 5% | 5% | 9% | 12% | 6% | 3% |
Half the people surveyed (51%) think Australia has become a worse place in the year since Julia Gillard became PM. 13% think it has become a better place and 29% say there has been no change.
82% of Liberal/National voters think it has become a worse place while 46% of Greens voters and 44% of Labor voters think there has been no change.
The most negative groups were men (57% worse) and those aged 55+ (61% worse).
economy, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. Australia is currently experiencing a boom in the mining industry. Apart from mining, how would you rate the rest of Australia’s economy?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total good | 31% | 44% | 21% | 49% |
| Total poor | 26% | 12% | 35% | 17% |
| Very good | 4% | 6% | 2% | 8% |
| Good | 27% | 38% | 19% | 41% |
| Average | 40% | 42% | 43% | 34% |
| Poor | 18% | 9% | 23% | 15% |
| Very poor | 8% | 3% | 12% | 2% |
| Don’t know | 3% | 2% | 2% | 1% |
31% rate the Australian economy (excluding mining) as good and 26% rate it poor. 40% rate it average. Labor voters (44% good/26% poor) and Greens voters (49%/17%) are most positive about the economy. Liberal/National voters rate the economy 21% good/35% poor.
36% of those aged 18-34 rate the economy good compared to 25% of those aged 55+.
2PP, Election, Essential Media, Essential Report, federal politics, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, 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 = 2068
| First preference/leaning to | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Liberal | 44% | 44% | 44% | 45% | |
| National | 3% | 2% | 3% | 3% | |
| Total Lib/Nat | 43.6 | 46% | 46% | 46% | 47% |
| Labor | 38.0 | 34% | 34% | 34% | 32% |
| Greens | 11.8 | 12% | 12% | 12% | 12% |
| Other/Independent | 6.6 | 8% | 8% | 8% | 9% |
| 2PP | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 49.9% | 53% | 53% | 54% | 55% |
| Labor | 50.1% | 47% | 47% | 46% | 45% |
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.
approach to asylum seekers, asylum seekers, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Malaysia, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. The Government has proposed sending asylum seekers arriving by boat to Malaysia for processing and the Opposition has proposed sending asylum seekers to Nauru. Which of these two options do you favour?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Malaysia | 16% | 29% | 12% | 9% |
| Nauru | 34% | 18% | 55% | 12% |
| Neither | 30% | 34% | 18% | 61% |
| Don’t know | 20% | 20% | 14% | 18% |
34% favoured sending asylum seekers to Nauru and 16% favoured Malaysia, with a further 30% selecting ‘neither’.
Labor (34%) and Green voters (61%) were most likely to favour ‘neither’ – Liberal/National voters were most likely to favour Nauru (55%).
Males (37%) were more likely than females (31%) to favour Nauru. Females were more likely to select Don’t Know (25%).
Older respondents were more likely to favour Nauru – 48% of those aged 55+.
Younger respondents were more likely to select ‘neither’ – 37% of those aged 18-34.