Essential Report, Federal Government, federal politics, Health, healthcare system, Polling, polls
Q. And from what you’ve read or heard, do you support or oppose these changes in the health care system proposed by the Federal Government?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Heard a lot / something | Heard a little | |
| Total support | 36% | 59% | 21% | 46% | 50% | 24% |
| Total oppose | 13% | 1% | 22% | 6% | 17% | 9% |
| Strongly support | 8% | 20% | * | 8% | 13% | 3% |
| Support | 28% | 39% | 21% | 38% | 37% | 21% |
| Neither support nor oppose | 36% | 28% | 41% | 27% | 27% | 44% |
| Oppose | 8% | 1% | 13% | 5% | 9% | 7% |
| Strongly oppose | 5% | – | 9% | 1% | 8% | 2% |
| Don’t know | 16% | 11% | 16% | 20% | 7% | 23% |
* based on those who have heard a lot/something/a little.
Of those who had heard a lot/something/a little, 36% support the changes and 13% oppose. Labor voters support the changes 50% to 1% oppose and Greens voters support them 46%/6%. 41% of Liberal/National voters neither support nor oppose, while 21% support and 22% oppose.
Those who have heard a lot/something are more likely to support the changes – 50% compared to 24% of those who have only heard a little.
Australia’s health system, Essential Report, Health, Polling, polls
Q. What are the three most important issues in Australia’s health system for you personally? (Number from 1 to 3)
| Total 3 most important
|
First | Second | Third | |
| Cost of health insurance | 44% | 19% | 11% | 14% |
| Quality of care in hospitals | 39% | 15% | 13% | 11% |
| Cost of primary care i.e. GP, specialists | 34% | 10% | 13% | 11% |
| Access to a GP | 32% | 14% | 11% | 7% |
| Cost of dental services | 32% | 9% | 11% | 12% |
| Access to emergency departments | 30% | 9% | 11% | 10% |
| Elective surgery waiting lists | 26% | 9% | 8% | 9% |
| Cost of hospital care | 19% | 4% | 8% | 7% |
| Availability of mental health services | 12% | 4% | 3% | 5% |
| Support for aged care | 12% | 3% | 4% | 5% |
| Don’t know | 5% | 5% | 1% | 1% |
The most important health issues were thought to be cost of health insurance (44%), quality of care in hospitals (39%) and cost of primary care (34%). Access to a GP (32%), cost of dental services (32%) and access to emergency departments were also important.
Those on lower incomes tended to give greater importance to access to a GP (37% of those earning under $1,000pw) and cost of dental services (42% of those earning under $1,000pw). 24% of those aged 55+ nominated support for aged care as important.
Australia’s health system, Essential Report, Greens, Health, healthcare system, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. Overall, which party do you think would be best at handling Australia’s health system?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| The Labor Party | 26% | 69% | 3% | 39% |
| The Liberal Party | 33% | 2% | 71% | 3% |
| No difference | 27% | 18% | 18% | 39% |
| Don’t know | 14% | 10% | 8% | 19% |
Opinions of party best to handle Australia’s health system very much follow voting preferences. Overall the Liberal Party is favoured over labor by 33% to 26%. 41% either don’t know or think there is no difference. 69% of Labor voters favour the Labor Party and 71% of Liberal/National voters favor the Liberals.
Men favour the Liberals 40% to 27% while women are more evenly divided – 25% Labor, 26% Liberal and 49% no difference/don’t know.
Those on incomes under $600pw favour Labor over the Liberals by 34% to 22% – all other income groups favour the Liberal Party.
America, Barack Obama, culture, economy, EMC, Essential Media, faith, Health, peter lewis, Politics, Sport, The Drum, United States, US influence, US relations, USA, Values, war
First Published on The Drum 16/11/2010
If the mid-term drubbings and G20 currency fisticuffs with China are not enough, Barack Obama will return home with more bad news: Australians think his nation has lost its mojo.
While Julia Gillard and entourage were all smiles at the official photo call, they politely chose not to disclose they were representing a nation that thinks the USA is in decline.
In fact, 60 per cent of all surveyed in this week’s Essential Report see the American Empire’s influence becoming weaker, with just 20 per cent believing the USA’s influence on the world is on the rise.
climate change, economy, Education, Election, environment, Health, immigration, International Relations, Security, Voting intention
Q. How important are the following in deciding which party you will vote for?
| Top priority | Very important | Quite important | Not so important | Don’t know | |
| Better at handling Australia’s economy | 37% | 48% | 10% | 1% | 4% |
| They have better policies on things like education and health | 31% | 47% | 16% | 1% | 4% |
| They are more capable of governing effectively than the other parties | 30% | 47% | 16% | 1% | 6% |
| They are more likely to represent the interests of all Australians | 30% | 45% | 18% | 3% | 5% |
| They will do things that help me and my family | 28% | 42% | 21% | 4% | 5% |
| They have better policies on things like national security and immigration | 24% | 42% | 22% | 6% | 5% |
| Better at looking after the interests people like me | 23% | 47% | 22% | 4% | 4% |
| They have better policies on things like industrial relations and supporting Australian workers | 23% | 44% | 24% | 4% | 5% |
| More trustworthy than the other parties | 22% | 44% | 21% | 5% | 8% |
| They have better policies on things like environment and climate change | 21% | 41% | 23% | 9% | 5% |
| They have a better leader | 16% | 40% | 28% | 8% | 7% |
| I always vote for them | 9% | 15% | 24% | 42% | 10% |
Key factors in deciding which party to vote for are handling the economy (37% top priority), policies on education and health (31%), capable of governing effectively (30%) and representing the interests of all Australians (30%). Comments »
economy, Education, Election, Health, immigration, International Relations, Security, Voting intention
Q. How important are the following in deciding which party you will vote for?
| Top priority | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens |
| Better at handling Australia’s economy | 37% | 33% | 51% | 19% |
| They have better policies on things like education and health | 31% | 41% | 25% | 35% |
| They are more capable of governing effectively than the other parties | 30% | 30% | 35% | 18% |
| They are more likely to represent the interests of all Australians | 30% | 36% | 25% | 25% |
| They will do things that help me and my family | 28% | 32% | 27% | 17% |
| They have better policies on things like national security and immigration | 24% | 24% | 29% | 20% |
| Better at looking after the interests people like me | 23% | 27% | 21% | 22% |
| They have better policies on things like industrial relations and supporting Australian workers | 23% | 36% | 17% | 20% |
| More trustworthy than the other parties | 22% | 23% | 23% | 21% |
| They have better policies on things like environment and climate change | 21% | 26% | 13% | 46% |
| They have a better leader | 16% | 24% | 14% | 13% |
| I always vote for them | 9% | 11% | 11% | 6% |
The most important issues for Labor voters are policies on education and health (41% top priority), representing the interests of all Australians (36%), policies on industrial relations and supporting workers (36%) and doing things to help me and my family (32%).
For Liberal/National voters the key issues are handling the economy (51% top priority), capable of governing effectively (35%) and policies on national security and immigration (29%).
The major issue for Greens voters is policies on the environment and climate change (46%). Comments »
asylum seekers, Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Education, Election, environment, Health, Housing, Interest rates, leadership, population, tax
Q. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election?
| First | Second | Third | Total | Total
10 May 10 |
Difference | |
| Management of the economy | 38% | 18% | 7% | 63% | 62% | +1% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 16% | 20% | 19% | 55% | 50% | +5% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 7% | 8% | 9% | 24% | 29% | -5% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 4% | 11% | 9% | 24% | 19% | +5% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 4% | 6% | 8% | 18% | 22% | -4% |
| Protecting the environment | 5% | 5% | 5% | 15% | 13% | +2% |
| Political leadership | 6% | 3% | 4% | 13% | 12% | +1% |
| Housing affordability | 4% | 4% | 5% | 13% | 17% | -4% |
| Addressing climate change | 4% | 4% | 4% | 12% | 12% | – |
| Controlling interest rates | 3% | 5% | 4% | 12% | 16% | -4% |
| Managing population growth | 1% | 4% | 7% | 12% | 14% | -2% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 4% | 3% | 4% | 11% | * | |
| A fair industrial relations system | 2% | 4% | 5% | 11% | 9% | +2% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 1% | 2% | 5% | 8% | 7% | +1% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 1% | 1% | 4% | 6% | 7% | -1% |
*Not asked in May 2010 poll
The most important election issues were management of the economy, the quality of the health system, jobs and local industry and a quality education for all children.
Since this issue was last polled in May, health and education have increased in importance (both +5%) and Australian jobs and protection of local industry declined 5%. Comments »
asylum seekers, Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Education, Election Issues, environment, Health, Housing, Industrial Relations, Interest rates, leadership, population, Security, tax, Terrorism, Water
Q. And which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?
| Labor | Liberal | Greens | Don’t know | |
| A fair industrial relations system | 45% | 24% | 5% | 26% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 41% | 25% | 4% | 29% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 42% | 28% | 3% | 27% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 38% | 27% | 4% | 31% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 36% | 28% | 4% | 32% |
| Housing affordability | 30% | 24% | 4% | 41% |
| Political leadership | 33% | 30% | 5% | 33% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 23% | 23% | 22% | 32% |
| Managing population growth | 24% | 27% | 9% | 40% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 25% | 30% | 3% | 42% |
| Management of the economy | 32% | 38% | 3% | 27% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 23% | 29% | 11% | 37% |
| Controlling interest rates | 28% | 35% | 2% | 35% |
| Addressing climate change | 18% | 16% | 36% | 29% |
| Protecting the environment | 17% | 13% | 47% | 23% |
Labor have a substantial lead over the Liberal Party as the best party to handle a fair industrial relations system (+21%), quality education for all (+16%), Australian jobs and protection of industries (+14%) and ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system (+11%).
The Liberal Party’s main strengths were controlling interest rates (+7%), treatment of asylum seekers (+6%) and management of the economy (+6%).
The Greens were thought to be the best party for protecting the environment (47%) and addressing climate change (36%). Comments »