Most Important Issues
Q Which of the following issues are the most important for the Federal Government to address over the next 12 months?
| Total | Change (Oct’19) | Oct’19 | |
| Improve the health system | 38% | +6 | 32% |
| Create jobs and reduce unemployment | 31% | -5 | 36% |
| Protection of the environment | 29% | +2 | 27% |
| Reduce utility bills | 23% | -4 | 27% |
| Promote renewable energy | 22% | +3 | 19% |
| Improve wages and working conditions | 21% | -3 | 24% |
| Limit the amount of migration to Australia | 20% | +1 | 19% |
| Increase housing affordability | 19% | – | 19% |
| Crack-down on tax avoidance by big companies | 17% | +1 | 16% |
| Maintain strong border protection | 15% | +3 | 12% |
| Provide tax cuts | 13% | -2 | 15% |
| Ensure the security of energy supply | 11% | -2 | 13% |
| Combat domestic crime | 11% | +1 | 10% |
| Provide more money for education | 10% | -1 | 11% |
| Combat international crime and terrorism | 7% | -1 | 8% |
| Increase the budget surplus | 6% | – | 6% |
| Improve conditions for refugees and asylum seekers | 5% | -1 | 6% |
| Base (n) | 1,096 | – | 1,088 |
- The top three most important issues for the Federal Government to address over the next 12 months are improving the health system (38%), creating jobs and reducing unemployment (31%) and protecting the environment (29%).
- Improving the health system (now 38%, was 32%) is ahead of creating jobs and reducing unemployment (now 31%, was 36%) compared to October ‘19.
- Reducing utility bills is also less important now (23%) than it was in October ‘19 (27%).
Important issues
Q. Which of the following issues are the most important for the Federal Government to address over the next 12 months?
|
Total |
|
Most import-ant |
2nd most import-ant |
3rd most import-ant |
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote Other |
|
| Improving our health system |
47% |
14% |
18% |
15% |
53% |
46% |
34% |
44% |
||
| Reducing unemployment |
37% |
12% |
13% |
12% |
38% |
33% |
30% |
43% |
||
| Reducing the budget deficit |
32% |
16% |
8% |
8% |
15% |
60% |
14% |
20% |
||
| Tax avoidance by big companies |
27% |
9% |
9% |
9% |
29% |
27% |
30% |
31% |
||
| Protecting workers wages and conditions |
24% |
8% |
7% |
9% |
34% |
16% |
10% |
30% |
||
| National security and terrorism |
23% |
8% |
7% |
8% |
16% |
35% |
6% |
32% |
||
| More funds for education |
23% |
6% |
8% |
9% |
26% |
14% |
30% |
26% |
||
| Housing affordability |
22% |
7% |
8% |
7% |
27% |
15% |
15% |
27% |
||
| Addressing climate change |
20% |
9% |
7% |
4% |
25% |
8% |
60% |
11% |
||
| Investing in public transport |
14% |
3% |
5% |
6% |
14% |
11% |
17% |
12% |
||
| Protecting the environment |
13% |
3% |
5% |
5% |
15% |
5% |
45% |
11% |
||
| Investing in roads |
10% |
3% |
2% |
5% |
6% |
15% |
4% |
12% |
||
| Free trade agreements |
6% |
1% |
3% |
2% |
2% |
12% |
5% |
3% |
The most important issues for the Federal Government to address over the next 12 months were improving our health system (47%), reducing unemployment (37%), reducing the budget deficit (32%) and tax avoidance by big companies (27%).
For Labor voters the most important issues were improving our health system (53%), reducing unemployment (38%) and protecting workers wages and conditions (34%). For Liberal/National voters the most important issues were reducing the budget deficit (60%), improving our health system (46%) and national security and terrorism (35%).
Importance of Craig Thomson Issue
Q. In your opinion, how important is this issue concerning the behaviour of Craig Thomson?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Very important |
30% |
17% |
49% |
7% |
| Quite important |
36% |
38% |
33% |
43% |
| Not very important |
18% |
25% |
10% |
30% |
| Not at all important |
7% |
11% |
2% |
11% |
| Don’t know |
10% |
9% |
6% |
9% |
30% think the Craig Thomson issue is very important and 36% quite important – only 25% think it is not very or not at all important.
Those most likely to think it is very important were aged 55+ (40%), Liberal/National voters (49%) and full-time workers (34%).
58% of those who had read/heard a lot about it thought it was very important.
Only 17% of union members thought it was very important.
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Essential Report
In this week's report:
- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Views towards re-electing the federal Coalition government
- Party trust to handle issues
- Importance of Australia’s international reputation
- Scott Morrison’s impact on Australia’s international reputation
- Views towards Australia’s international reputation
Sign up for updates
Receive the Essential Report in your inbox.Essential Tags
Recent Comments
