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  • Jul, 2011

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    Statements about Carbon Pricing Scheme

    Q. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the Government’s carbon pricing scheme?

    Total agree Total disagree Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know
    The Government has got the balance right in compensating households for a carbon price 31% 48% 6% 25% 23% 25% 22%
    A carbon price will lead to a big rise in the cost of living 68% 22% 32% 36% 18% 4% 11%
    The carbon price scheme won’t reduce our carbon emissions 51% 34% 25% 26% 24% 10% 15%
    There’s too much compensation for industry in the package 33% 32% 9% 24% 26% 6% 35%
    There’s not enough compensation for households in the carbon price scheme 49% 29% 20% 29% 25% 4% 22%
    Politicians should just get on with taking action on climate change 59% 27% 23% 36% 15% 12% 15%
    The cost of living increases are less than I expected 26% 52% 5% 21% 29% 23% 23%
    The cost of living increases are less than I expected 46% 33% 14% 32% 21% 11% 22%
    The government’s carbon pricing scheme won’t have much effect on me and my family 25% 57% 3% 22% 31% 26% 18%
    Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party are more interested in votes than tackling climate change 54% 32% 31% 23% 17% 15% 14%

    These responses suggest that the main concern about the carbon pricing scheme is the cost of living increases. The statement with the highest level of agreement is that a carbon price will lead to a big rise in the cost of living (68% agree/22% disagree). Only 25% agree that the government’s carbon pricing scheme won’t have much effect on me and my family. And 26% agree that the cost of living increases are less than I expected.

    The only positive aspect of the scheme is that 46% agree that the cost of living increases are less than I expected.

    Regarding the opposition, 54% agree that Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party are more interested in votes than tackling climate change.

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  • Jul, 2011

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    Most Effective Policy

    Q. Which approach do you think would be most effective in reducing carbon emissions – the Government’s carbon pricing scheme or the Coalition’s proposal to pay companies to reduce emissions?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Government carbon pricing scheme 34% 72% 10% 64%
    Coalition’s proposal to pay companies 28% 5% 52% 6%
    Don’t know 37% 23% 38% 31%

    34% think that the Government’s carbon pricing scheme would be the most effective in reducing emissions and 28% think the Coalition’s proposal would be more effective.

    Strongest support for the Government’s scheme was shown by men (40%) and those aged under 35 (38%).

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  • Jul, 2011

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    Most Cost Effective Policy

    Q.Which approach do you think would be the most cost effective – the Government’s carbon pricing scheme or the Coalition’s proposal to pay companies to reduce emissions?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Government carbon pricing scheme 33% 69% 10% 60%
    Coalition’s proposal to pay companies 27% 3% 51% 6%
    Don’t know 40% 27% 39% 34%

    33% think that the Government’s carbon pricing scheme would be the most cost effective and 27% think the Coalition’s proposal would be more cost effective.

    Strongest support for the Government’s scheme was shown by men (38%) and those aged under 35 (38%).

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  • Jul, 2011

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    Federal politics – 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 = 1,899

    First preference/leaning to Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week This week
    Liberal 44% 45% 46% 47%
    National 3% 3% 3% 3%
    Total Lib/Nat 43.6 46% 48% 49% 50%
    Labor 38.0 34% 32% 32% 30%
    Greens 11.8 12% 11% 11% 11%
    Other/Independent 6.6 8% 9% 9% 9%
    2PP Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week This week
    Total Lib/Nat 49.9% 54% 55% 56% 57%
    Labor 50.1% 46% 45% 44% 43%

    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.

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  • Jul, 2011

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    Approval of Julia Gillard

    Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister?

    Kevin Rudd Julia Gillard
    31 May

    2010

    19 Jul 20 Sep 20 Dec 17 Jan 2011 14 Feb 14 Mar 11 Apr 9 May 14 June 11 July
    Total approve 41% 52% 45% 43% 51% 48% 41% 37% 41% 34% 29%
    Total disapprove 47% 30% 37% 40% 36% 41% 46% 50% 48% 54% 62%
    Strongly approve 7% 11% 12% 10% 8% 9% 7% 7% 7% 6% 5%
    Approve 34% 41% 33% 33% 43% 39% 34% 30% 34% 28% 24%
    Disapprove 25% 17% 21% 24% 24% 25% 22% 25% 26% 29% 30%
    Strongly disapprove 22% 13% 16% 16% 12% 16% 24% 25% 22% 25% 32%
    Don’t know 12% 18% 19% 17% 14% 11% 13% 13% 11% 13% 9%

    29% (down 5%) approve of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister and 62% (up 8%) disapprove – a change in net rating from -20 to -33 over the last 4 weeks.

    72% of Labor voters approve (down 4%) and 20% disapprove (up 6%).

    By gender – men 31% approve/63% disapprove, women 28% approve/61% disapprove.

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  • Jul, 2011

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    Approval of Tony Abbott

    Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader?

    18 Jan

    2010

    29 Mar 5 Jul 20 Sep 20 Dec 17 Jan 2011 14 Feb 14 Mar 11 Apr 9 May 14 June 11 July
    Total approve 37% 33% 37% 43% 39% 42% 38% 38% 36% 42% 38% 39%
    Total disapprove 37% 50% 47% 37% 39% 37% 46% 47% 48% 44% 48% 49%
    Strongly approve 5% 8% 8% 12% 9% 7% 8% 7% 7% 8% 6% 6%
    Approve 32% 25% 29% 31% 30% 35% 30% 31% 29% 34% 32% 33%
    Disapprove 20% 28% 23% 21% 21% 22% 24% 24% 25% 25% 25% 24%
    Strongly disapprove 17% 22% 24% 16% 18% 15% 22% 23% 23% 19% 23% 25%
    Don’t know 26% 16% 16% 19% 22% 20% 16% 16% 17% 14% 15% 11%

    39% (up 1%) approve of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader and 49% (up 1%) disapprove – no change in net rating (-10%) over the last 4 weeks.

    73% of Coalition voters approve and 19% disapprove.

    By gender – men 44% approve/48% disapprove, women 35% approve/51% disapprove.

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  • Jul, 2011

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    Better Prime Minister

    Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott?

    5 Jul 2010 17 Jan 2011 14 Feb 14 Mar 11 Apr 9 May 14 June 11 July Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens Kevin Rudd v Tony Abbott

    21 Jun 10

    Julia Gillard 53% 47% 48% 44% 42% 43% 41% 37% 85% 6% 68% 47%
    Tony Abbott 26% 32% 31% 33% 33% 35% 36% 39% 5% 75% 9% 30%
    Don’t know 21% 21% 20% 23% 24% 22% 24% 24% 10% 19% 24% 23%

    37% believe Julia Gillard would make the better Prime Minister and 39% prefer Tony Abbott – the first time that Tony Abbott has been preferred over Julia Gillard – a net decrease for Julia Gillard of 7% on last month’s figures (from +5% to -2%).

    Men prefer Tony Abbott 42%/36% and women favour Julia Gillard 38%/36%.

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  • Jul, 2011

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    Support for Carbon Pricing

    Q. Do you support or oppose the Government’s proposal to introduce a carbon pricing scheme from 1 July 2012, which will require industries to pay a tax based on the amount of carbon pollution they emit?

    7 March 14 March 28 March 18 April 23 May 30 May 14 June 11 July Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total support 35% 38% 34% 39% 41% 38% 38% 35% 65% 15% 73%
    Total oppose 48% 49% 51% 49% 44% 48% 49% 53% 20% 79% 21%
    Strongly support 9% 12% 12% 13% 14% 14% 13% 11% 23% 3% 35%
    Support 26% 26% 22% 26% 27% 24% 25% 24% 42% 12% 38%
    Oppose 19% 17% 19% 15% 15% 19% 19% 19% 15% 23% 16%
    Strongly oppose 29% 32% 32% 34% 29% 29% 30% 34% 5% 56% 5%
    Don’t know 18% 13% 15% 12% 15% 15% 13% 12% 16% 7% 7%

    35% (down 3%) support the Government’s proposed carbon pricing scheme and 53% (up 4%) oppose. It is supported by 65% of Labor voters and 73% of Greens voters but opposed by 79% of coalition voters.

    By age, those aged under 35 split 40% support/43% oppose, and those aged 55+ split 33% support/59% oppose.

    • note that these result reflect opinions prior to the announcement of the details of carbon pricing.

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