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  • Mar, 2011

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    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 Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Should be allowed to marry 53% 49% 54% 40% 78%
    Should not be allowed to marry 36% 40% 36% 50% 16%
    Don’t know 11% 10% 10% 10% 6%

    Support for same-sex marriage has declined a little since this question was last asked in November. 49% (down 4%) agree people of the same sex should be allowed to marry and 40% (up 4%) disagree.

    By gender – 43% of men support same sex marriage and 47% oppose, while 56% of women support and 34% oppose.

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  • Mar, 2011

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    Territory Rights

    Q. Do you agree or disagree that ACT and the Northern Territory should have the same rights as the states to pass legislation without being over-ruled by a Federal Minister?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total agree 74% 80% 73% 74%
    Total disagree 9% 8% 11% 8%
    Strongly agree 29% 36% 24% 41%
    Agree 45% 44% 49% 33%
    Disagree 6% 5% 7% 8%
    Strongly disagree 3% 3% 4%
    Don’t know 17% 12% 16% 18%

    There is strong majority support for the right of territories to pass legislation without being over-ruled by a Federal Minister.  74% agree and only 9% disagree.

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  • Mar, 2011

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    Carbon Pricing

    Q. Do you support or oppose the Government’s recent announcement to introduce a carbon pricing scheme from 1 July 2012, which will require industries to pay a tax based on the amount of carbon pollution they emit?

    Last week This week Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total support 35% 38% 55% 20% 78%
    Total oppose 48% 49% 32% 73% 11%
    Strongly support 9% 12% 17% 4% 39%
    Support 26% 26% 38% 16% 39%
    Oppose 19% 17% 17% 20% 6%
    Strongly oppose 29% 32% 15% 53% 5%
    Don’t know 18% 13% 13% 8% 11%

    Support for the Government’s proposed carbon pricing scheme has increased a little since this question was asked last week – from 35% to 38%. The change is due to some previously “undecided” respondents forming a view – opposition has increased 1% and “don’t know” decreased by 5%.

    There is majority support from Labor and Greens voters while 73% of Liberal/National voters are opposed.

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  • Mar, 2011

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    Carbon Pricing with Compensation

    Q. Would you support or oppose this carbon pricing scheme if the money paid by big polluting industries was used to compensate low and middle income earners and small businesses for increased prices?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total support 54% 78% 34% 80%
    Total oppose 30% 11% 51% 7%
    Strongly support 17% 29% 6% 39%
    Support 37% 49% 28% 41%
    Oppose 14% 8% 22% 3%
    Strongly oppose 16% 3% 29% 4%
    Don’t know 17% 11% 15% 13%

    There was a substantial shift in opinion of the Government’s carbon pricing scheme when respondents were told that the money paid by big polluting industries would be used to compensate low and middle income earners and small businesses for increased prices.

    Support increased from 38% to 54% and opposition declined from 49% to 30%. The major shift occurred with Labor voters where support increased by 23% to 78%.  Support from Liberal/National voters increased from 20% to 34% while opposition declined 22% to 51%.

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  • Mar, 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 = 1,918

    First preference/leaning to Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week This week
    Liberal 43% 40% 42% 44%
    National 3% 3% 3% 3%
    Total Lib/Nat 43.6 46% 43% 45% 47%
    Labor 38.0 38% 39% 37% 36%
    Greens 11.8 10% 11% 10% 10%
    Other/Independent 6.6 7% 7% 7% 7%
    2PP Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week This week
    Total Lib/Nat 49.9% 51% 49% 52% 53%
    Labor 50.1% 49% 51% 48% 47%

    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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  • Mar, 2011

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    Support for Carbon Pricing

    Q. Do you support or oppose the Government’s recent announcement to introduce a carbon pricing scheme from 1 July 2012, which will require industries to pay a tax based on the amount of carbon pollution they emit?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total support 35% 54% 18% 75%
    Total oppose 48% 25% 72% 13%
    Strongly support 9% 16% 2% 34%
    Support 26% 38% 16% 41%
    Oppose 19% 13% 24% 10%
    Strongly oppose 29% 12% 48% 3%
    Don’t know 18% 21% 9% 11%

    35% support the Government’s recent announcement to introduce a carbon pricing scheme and 48% oppose. The scheme is strongly supported by Greens voters (75%) and has majority support from Labor voters (54%) but is strongly opposed by Coalition voters (72%).

    Respondents aged under 35 were split 36% support/37% oppose while those aged 55+ were more strongly opposed (36% support/56% oppose).

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  • Mar, 2011

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    Leadership or Broken Promise

    Q. Tony Abbott and the opposition claim this is a ‘backflip’ on a promise Prime Minister Gillard made before the 2010 election not to introduce a carbon tax in the next term of parliament. Which of the following statements is closest to your view:

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    The Prime Minister has broken an election promise and should wait until after the next election before introducing a carbon pollution tax 59% 33% 86% 26%
    The Prime Minister is showing strong leadership on an issue of national importance 27% 51% 7% 67%
    Don’t know 13% 16% 7% 7%

    59% agree are more likely to think that the Prime Minister has broken an election promise and should wait until after the next election before introducing a carbon pollution tax and 27% believe she is showing strong leadership on an issue of national importance.

    Opinions are strongly related to voting intention although a substantial minority (33%) of Labor voters agree that the Prime Minister has broken an election promise and should wait.

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  • Mar, 2011

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    Action on Climate Change

    Q. Do you think the Government needs to take action on climate change as soon as possible, should they wait a few years before taking action or don’t they need to take any action at all?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Need to take action as soon as possible 47% 60% 33% 85%
    Can wait a few years before taking action 24% 19% 33% 8%
    Don’t need to take any action 19% 9% 29% 3%
    Don’t know 11% 12% 5% 4%

    Nearly half of respondents (47%) believe that the Government needs to take action on climate change as soon as possible, 24% think they can wait and 19% think they do not need to take any action.

    52% of respondents aged under 35 think they need to take action as soon as possible compared to 44% of those aged 55+.

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