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  • May, 2010

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    Important Election Issues

    Q8. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election? (Number from 1 to 3 where 1 is the most important, 2 the second most important, etc)

      One Two Three Total Total

    25 Jan 10

    Difference
    Management of the economy 34% 18% 10% 62% 63% -1%
    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system  14% 20% 16% 50% 48% +2%
    Australian jobs and protection of local industries 8% 10% 11% 29% 33% -4%
    Ensuring a fair taxation system 5% 8% 9% 22% 18% +4%
    Ensuring a quality education for all children 3% 7% 9% 19% 23% -4%
    Housing affordability 6% 5% 6% 17% 14% +3%
    Controlling interest rates 5% 5% 6% 16% 15% +1%
    Managing population growth 3% 4% 7% 14% *  
    Protecting the environment 3% 5% 5% 13% 16% -3%
    Political leadership 5% 3% 4% 12% 23% -11%
    Addressing climate change 4% 4% 4% 12% 16% -4%
    Fair immigration policies 3% 4% 3% 10% *  
    A fair industrial relations system 2% 4% 3% 9% 10% -1%
    Ensuring a quality water supply 2% 2% 3% 7% 12% -5%
    Security and the war on terrorism 2% 2% 3% 7% 9% -2%

    *Not asked in January 2010 poll

     62% of people surveyed rate management of the economy is one of their three most important issues, followed by 50% that rate ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system and 29% that rate Australian jobs and protection of local industries as one of their three most important issues.

     Only 9% rate a fair industrial relations system as one of their three most important issues and 7% rate security and the war on terrorism and ensuring a quality water supply. 

     The major change since the previous survey in January, was a drop in the importance of political leadership from 23% to 12%. Ensuring a fairer tax system has risen slightly from 18% to 22%. Comments »

  • Apr, 2010

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    Federal Health Agreement

    Q4. Do you approve or disapprove of the agreement over health funding between the Federal Government and the State Governments?

    Total approve 48%
    Total disapprove 25%
    Strongly approve 13%
    Approve 35%
    Disapprove 16%
    Strongly disapprove 9%
    Don’t know 27%

    48% of respondents approved of the agreement over health funding between the Federal Government and the State Governments and 25% disapproved. 71% of Labor voters approved and 7% disapproved. Liberal/National voters split 36% approve/46% disapprove.

    Respondents from NSW and Queensland were more likely to approve than respondents from Victoria – NSW 50% approve/22% disapprove, Queensland 48%/20%, Victoria 45%/28%. Comments »

  • Apr, 2010

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    Effect of Health Agreement on Health Services

    Q5. From what you have heard, do you think that as a result of this agreement, health services in your state will get better or worse?

    Total better 43%
    Total worse 15%
    Get a lot better 10%
    Get a little better 34%
    Get a little worse 6%
    Get a lot worse 9%
    Stay much the same 25%
    Don’t know 17%

    43% think that as a result of this agreement, health services in their state will get better – 15% think they will get worse and 25% think they will stay much the same. 65% of Labor voters think health services will get better and 6% worse. Liberal/National voters split 28% better/24% worse/40% stay the same.

    There were no significant differences between the states in terms of whether health services will get better or worse. Comments »

  • Apr, 2010

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    Government Performance

    Q6. How would you rate the Federal Government’s performance in handling the following issues?

      Total good Total poor Very good Good Poor Very poor   Not sure
    Stimulating the economy to address the economic crisis 63% 29% 21% 42% 19% 10% 8%
    Handling the economy in such a way as to minimize job losses during the recent economic crisis 59% 29% 15% 44% 18% 11% 12%
    Trying to find ways to improve the health care system 50% 39% 10% 39% 24% 15% 12%
    Replacing the Workchoices industrial laws 44% 36% 13% 31% 22% 14% 20%
    Standing up for Australian working families 43% 45% 9% 34% 24% 21% 13%
    Balancing the interests of business and Australian workers 39% 43% 5% 34% 25% 18% 18%
    The school buildings program 31% 56% 5% 25% 29% 27% 14%
    Introducing an emissions trading scheme 28% 57% 3% 25% 28% 29% 15%
    Handling the issue of asylum seekers 18% 72% 3% 15% 28% 43% 10%

     A majority of respondents rated the Government’s performance good or very good for  “Stimulating the economy to address the economic crisis” (63%), “Handling the economy in such a way as to minimize job losses during the recent economic crisis” (59%) and “Trying to find ways to improve the health care system” (50%).

     A majority rated the Government’s performance poor or very poor for “Handling the issue of asylum seekers” (72%), “Introducing an emissions trading scheme” (57%) and “The school buildings program” (56%).

     The only issue on which less than half Labor voters rated the Government performance as good/very good was “Handling the issue of asylum seekers” (34% good/58% poor). Comments »

  • Apr, 2010

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    Federal takeover of hospitals and health services

     Q. Do you think the State Governments should or should not agree to the Federal Government’s health plan to take control of funding hospitals and health services?

      Total Vote Labor Vote Liberal/National Vote Greens
    Should agree to health plan 56% 73% 40% 65%
    Should not agree to health plan 26% 11% 45% 21%
    Don’t know 18% 16% 15% 14%

     A majority (56%) think the State Governments should agree to the Federal Government’s health plan to take control of funding hospitals and health services – 26% think they should not agree.

     States most likely to agree are South Australia (75%) and Queensland (64%). 55% of NSW respondents agree and 45% of Victorians agree (32% of Victorians disagree). Comments »

  • Mar, 2010

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    Federal takeover of hospitals and health services

    Q. Do you support or oppose the Federal Government’s plan to take over the responsibility for funding hospitals and health services from the State Governments?

                %
    Total support 58%
    Total oppose 12%
    Strongly support 25%
    Support            33%
    Neither support nor oppose 21%
    Oppose            7%
    Strongly oppose          5%
    Don’t know 9%

    Over half (58%) of those surveyed support the Federal Government’s plan to take over the responsibility for funding hospitals and health services from the State Governments, 12% oppose, 21% neither support nor oppose and 9% don’t know.

    79% of Labor voters, 46% of Coalition voters and 55% of Green voters support a Federal takeover for funding of hospitals and health services from the State Governments.  27% of Coalition voters neither support nor oppose the plan and 22% oppose it. 

    Males were more likely than females to support the plan (61% v 56%). 

    Support for a Federal takeover was highest amongst 55 – 64 year olds (67%). 

    People in NSW were more likely than those in other states to support a Federal takeover (64%). 55% of people in Queensland and 52% in Victoria support the plan. 

    In February this year we asked the Australian public whether they support or oppose a Federal takeover of hospitals. We found that 58% supported a Federal takeover, 10% opposed it, 19% neither supported nor opposed and 13% didn’t know.  Comments »

  • Mar, 2010

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    Means testing the private health insurance rebate

    Q. The Government proposes to phase out the 30 per cent rebate on private health insurance for singles on incomes over $75,000 and couples on $150,000-plus. Do you support or oppose means testing the heath insurance rebate for people on higher incomes?

      Total

    %

    Voter ID Weekly income
    Labor Coalition Green < $600

    per week

    $600 – $1000 per week $1000 – $1600 per week $1600 +

    per week

    Total support 51% 66% 39% 57% 63% 60% 53% 41%
    Total oppose 34% 20% 50% 32% 24% 25% 28% 50%
    Strongly support 23% 33% 14% 28% 36% 25% 24% 14%
    Support 28% 33% 25% 29% 27% 35% 29% 27%
    Oppose 17% 11% 23% 20% 16% 13% 15% 19%
    Strongly oppose 17% 9% 27% 12% 8% 12% 13% 31%
    Don’t know 15% 13% 11% 11% 14% 15% 19% 10%

     When it comes to the Government’s proposed plan to phase out the 30 per cent rebate on private health insurance for singles on incomes over $75 000 and couples on $150,000 plus, just over half (51%) support means testing the health insurance rebate for people on higher incomes. 34% oppose means testing for people on higher incomes and 15% don’t know.

     Labor voters were more likely to support means testing the health insurance rebate for people on higher incomes (66%), while Coalition voters were more likely to oppose it (50%).

     Support for a means test decreased as weekly income increased – people earning less than $600 per week were more likely to support means testing the health insurance rebate for people on higher incomes (63%), while those earning $1600 per were more likely to oppose (50%). 

     People not working were more likely to support the means test (57%), while those in full-time work were more likely to oppose (37%).  Comments »

  • Feb, 2010

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    Federal takeover of hospitals from the State Government

    Q. Would you support or oppose the Federal Government taking over the responsibility for hospitals from the State Governments?

      %
    Total support 58%
    Total oppose   10%
    Strongly support 26%
    Support 32%
    Neither support nor oppose 19%
    Oppose 7%
    Strongly oppose 3%
    Don’t know 13%

     Over half (58%) of those surveyed support the Federal Government taking over responsibility for hospitals from the State Governments, 10% disapprove, 19% neither support nor oppose and 13% don’t know. 

     People aged 55 years and over were more likely that those in other age groups to support a Federal Government takeover of hospitals (79%).

     People in NSW were more likely than those in any other states to support a hospitals takeover (67%), while people in Western Australia (18%) and South Australia (17%) were more likely to oppose such a move. 

     Males were more likely than females to support a hospital takeover by the Federal Government (65% v 52%). 

     Support for a Federal Government takeover of hospitals from the State Government was highest amongst Labor voters (70%), followed by Coalition voters (63%) and then Green voters (54%). Comments »

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