asylum seekers, Australia’s health system, Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Election Issues, EMC, environment, Essential Media, Essential Report, Greens, industrial relations system, Interest rates, Labor, Liberal, party trust, population growth, quality education, taxation system, Terrorism, water supply, working families
Q. 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 11th Oct 10 | Total 25th Jan 10 | |
| Management of the economy | 37% | 18% | 10% | 65% | 62% | 63% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 5% | 10% | 11% | 26% | 32% | 23% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 13% | 20% | 16% | 49% | 48% | 48% |
| Protecting the environment | 4% | 3% | 6% | 13% | 12% | 16% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 2% | 4% | 4% | 10% | 11% | * |
| Political leadership | 6% | 5% | 5% | 16% | 16% | 23% |
| Addressing climate change | 3% | 3% | 4% | 10% | 11% | 16% |
| Controlling interest rates | 5% | 8% | 8% | 21% | 17% | 15% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 10% | 8% | 12% | 30% | 30% | 33% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 1% | 2% | 3% | 6% | 6% | 12% |
| Housing affordability | 5% | 5% | 6% | 16% | 17% | 14% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 4% | 6% | 8% | 18% | 16% | 14% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 1% | 2% | 2% | 5% | 6% | 9% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 1% | 2% | 2% | 5% | 5% | * |
| Managing population growth | 2% | 5% | 4% | 11% | 10% | * |
*Not asked
65% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 49% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system and 30% Australian jobs and protection of local industries.
Only 10% rate addressing climate change as one of their three most important issues and 6% rate ensuring a quality water supply.
Over the past 12 months there has been an increase in the importance of controlling interest rates (from 15% to 21%) and a decrease in the importance of addressing climate change (from 16% to 10%).
asylum seekers, Australia’s health system, Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Election Issues, EMC, environment, Essential Media, Essential Report, Greens, industrial relations system, Interest rates, Labor, Liberal, party trust, population growth, quality education, taxation system, Terrorism, water supply, working families
Q. 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)
| Total | Labor | Liberal/ National | Green | |
| Management of the economy | 65% | 63% | 77% | 47% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 26% | 33% | 20% | 24% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 49% | 52% | 47% | 37% |
| Protecting the environment | 13% | 12% | 6% | 42% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 10% | 18% | 5% | 8% |
| Political leadership | 16% | 11% | 25% | 14% |
| Addressing climate change | 10% | 10% | 5% | 22% |
| Controlling interest rates | 21% | 17% | 22% | 19% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 30% | 33% | 32% | 18% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 6% | 4% | 6% | 5% |
| Housing affordability | 16% | 15% | 13% | 21% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 18% | 17% | 19% | 14% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 5% | 5% | 8% | 5% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 5% | 3% | 5% | 15% |
| Managing population growth | 11% | 8% | 12% | 9% |
Compared to the average, Labor voters are more likely to rate ensuring a quality education for all children (33%) and a fair industrial relations system (18%) as important.
Liberal/National voters attach more importance to management of the economy (77%) and political leadership (25%) while Greens voters are more likely to nominate protecting the environment (42%), addressing climate change (22%) and treatment of asylum seekers (15%).
asylum seekers, Australia’s health system, Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Election Issues, EMC, environment, Essential Media, Essential Report, Greens, industrial relations system, Interest rates, Labor, Liberal, party trust, population growth, quality education, taxation system, Terrorism, water supply, working families
Q. And which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?
| Labor | Liberal | Greens | Don’t know | |
| Management of the economy | 33% | 43% | 2% | 22% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 39% | 33% | 4% | 24% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 33% | 33% | 7% | 27% |
| Protecting the environment | 16% | 19% | 40% | 24% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 40% | 30% | 5% | 25% |
| Political leadership | 28% | 37% | 4% | 31% |
| Addressing climate change | 18% | 20% | 34% | 28% |
| Controlling interest rates | 22% | 40% | 2% | 35% |
| Protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 36% | 33% | 4% | 27% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 21% | 28% | 20% | 31% |
| Housing affordability | 26% | 30% | 7% | 37% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 28% | 35% | 4% | 32% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 23% | 37% | 4% | 36% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 20% | 33% | 12% | 35% |
| Standing up for regular Australian working families | 41% | 27% | 6% | 25% |
| Managing population growth | 21% | 36% | 7% | 37% |
| Making sure Australian working people got fair treatment at their workplace | 41% | 29% | 6% | 25% |
Labor is trusted most to handle a fair industrial relations system (40%), ensuring a quality education for all children (39%) and standing up for regular Australian working families (41%).
The Liberals are trusted most to handle management of the economy (43%), controlling interest rates (40%), political leadership (37%) and security and the war on terrorism (37%).
In October, Labor was considered substantially better to handle 5 of the issues surveyed and Liberals 5 issues – compared to this survey where Labor leads on 4 issues and Liberals on 8 issues. The Liberals have now established a lead on political leadership (+9%), water supply (+7%), and taxation (+7%).