economy, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. Australia is currently experiencing a boom in the mining industry. Apart from mining, how would you rate the rest of Australia’s economy?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total good | 31% | 44% | 21% | 49% |
| Total poor | 26% | 12% | 35% | 17% |
| Very good | 4% | 6% | 2% | 8% |
| Good | 27% | 38% | 19% | 41% |
| Average | 40% | 42% | 43% | 34% |
| Poor | 18% | 9% | 23% | 15% |
| Very poor | 8% | 3% | 12% | 2% |
| Don’t know | 3% | 2% | 2% | 1% |
31% rate the Australian economy (excluding mining) as good and 26% rate it poor. 40% rate it average. Labor voters (44% good/26% poor) and Greens voters (49%/17%) are most positive about the economy. Liberal/National voters rate the economy 21% good/35% poor.
36% of those aged 18-34 rate the economy good compared to 25% of those aged 55+.
2PP, Election, Essential Media, Essential Report, federal politics, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, voting, 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 = 2068
| First preference/leaning to | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Liberal | 44% | 44% | 44% | 45% | |
| National | 3% | 2% | 3% | 3% | |
| Total Lib/Nat | 43.6 | 46% | 46% | 46% | 47% |
| Labor | 38.0 | 34% | 34% | 34% | 32% |
| Greens | 11.8 | 12% | 12% | 12% | 12% |
| Other/Independent | 6.6 | 8% | 8% | 8% | 9% |
| 2PP | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 49.9% | 53% | 53% | 54% | 55% |
| Labor | 50.1% | 47% | 47% | 46% | 45% |
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.
approach to asylum seekers, asylum seekers, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Malaysia, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. The Government has proposed sending asylum seekers arriving by boat to Malaysia for processing and the Opposition has proposed sending asylum seekers to Nauru. Which of these two options do you favour?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Malaysia | 16% | 29% | 12% | 9% |
| Nauru | 34% | 18% | 55% | 12% |
| Neither | 30% | 34% | 18% | 61% |
| Don’t know | 20% | 20% | 14% | 18% |
34% favoured sending asylum seekers to Nauru and 16% favoured Malaysia, with a further 30% selecting ‘neither’.
Labor (34%) and Green voters (61%) were most likely to favour ‘neither’ – Liberal/National voters were most likely to favour Nauru (55%).
Males (37%) were more likely than females (31%) to favour Nauru. Females were more likely to select Don’t Know (25%).
Older respondents were more likely to favour Nauru – 48% of those aged 55+.
Younger respondents were more likely to select ‘neither’ – 37% of those aged 18-34.
animal welfare, cattle, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, live exports, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. Do you support or oppose the Government’s recent decision to suspend all live export of cattle to Indonesia?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total support | 58% | 69% | 48% | 73% |
| Total oppose | 28% | 17% | 42% | 14% |
| Strongly support | 26% | 32% | 19% | 43% |
| Support | 32% | 37% | 29% | 30% |
| Oppose | 19% | 13% | 28% | 11% |
| Strongly oppose | 9% | 4% | 14% | 3% |
| Don’t know | 14% | 13% | 9% | 14% |
58% supported the Government’s decision to to suspend all live export of cattle to Indonesia and 28% opposed the decision. The decision was most strongly supported by Labor voters (69%) and Greens voters (73%).
62% of women supported the decision compared to 53% of men.
animal welfare, cattle, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, live exports, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. Should the Federal Government pay compensation to cattle farmers who are financially affected by the suspension of live cattle exports to Indonesia?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Should pay compensation | 61% | 57% | 68% | 55% |
| Should not pay compensation | 21% | 26% | 17% | 23% |
| Don’t know | 18% | 17% | 14% | 23% |
61% believe that the Federal Government should pay compensation to cattle farmers who are financially affected by the decision and 21% think they should not be compensated. Compensation is favoured by a majority of all voter and demographic groups.
Those most likely to support compensation were Liberal/National voters (68%) and those aged 55+ (66%).
Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, mining, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. Do you think the current mining boom in Australia has benefited you personally?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Yes | 16% | 18% | 18% | 19% |
| No | 69% | 67% | 69% | 72% |
| Don’t know | 14% | 15% | 13% | 9% |
Only 16% agree that they have personally benefited from the mining boom and 69% think they have not benefited.
There was little difference across voter groups.
Those on higher incomes are a little more likely to say they have benefited – 24% of those earning $1,600+ per week compared to 13% of those earning less than $1,000 per week.
climate change, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, science
Q. Do you agree or disagree that the current public campaign against action on climate change in Australia is undermining the credibility of scientists and science research in general?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total agree | 32% | 43% | 26% | 44% |
| Total disagree | 23% | 14% | 29% | 31% |
| Strongly agree | 12% | 15% | 10% | 22% |
| Agree | 20% | 28% | 16% | 22% |
| Neither agree nor disagree | 30% | 29% | 33% | 19% |
| Disagree | 15% | 10% | 18% | 21% |
| Strongly disagree | 8% | 4% | 11% | 10% |
| Don’t know | 15% | 13% | 12% | 6% |
32% agree that the current public campaign against action on climate change in Australia is undermining the credibility of scientists and science research in general and 23% disagree. 45% either don’t know or neither agree nor disagree.
Those most likely to agree were Labor voters (43%), Greens voters (44%) and those aged 18-34 (39%).
climate change, earth’s climate, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, science
Q. Which of the following statements best reflects your attitude to doubts recently expressed by opponents of action on climate change about the science evidence?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Doubts are valid because nothing is certain in science | 15% | 14% | 18% | 9% |
| Doubts are valid because man made climate change has not been proven | 29% | 15% | 43% | 11% |
| Doubts are misleading because the science evidence of man made climate change is overwhelming | 21% | 33% | 14% | 36% |
| Doubts are misleading because the science evidence has been rigorously tested and reviewed | 11% | 15% | 7% | 27% |
| Don’t know | 23% | 24% | 17% | 17% |
Overall, 44% believe doubts about the science evidence for climate change are valid (mainly because man made climate change has not been proven) and 33% think doubts are misleading (mainly because the science evidence of man made climate change is overwhelming).
Those most likely to think the doubts are valid were Liberal/National voters (61%), men (50%), aged 55+ (59%) and incomes under $600pw (54%).
Those most likely to think doubts are misleading were Greens voters (63%), Labor voters (48%) and those on incomes over $1,600pw (41%).