Election, Essential Report, federal politics, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, voting, voting system
Q. If voting at elections was voluntary (i.e. not compulsory) – how likely would you be to vote in the next Federal election?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total definitely/probably vote | 82% | 85% | 89% | 78% |
| Total definitely/probably not vote | 14% | 12% | 9% | 19% |
| Would definitely vote | 59% | 62% | 65% | 61% |
| Would probably vote | 23% | 23% | 24% | 17% |
| Probably wouldn’t vote | 10% | 8% | 7% | 18% |
| Definitely wouldn’t vote | 4% | 4% | 2% | 1% |
| Don’t know | 4% | 3% | 1% | 3% |
82% said they would definitely or probably vote if voting was voluntary. 14% said they definitely or probably would not vote.
Coalition and Labor voters were more likely to vote and Greens voters somewhat less likely.
By age, 73% of those aged under 35 said they would vote compared to 82% of those aged 35-54 and 91% of those aged 55+.
The estimated vote excluding those who would probably or definitely not vote produces a first preference vote of 52% Liberal/National, 30% Labor, 11% Greens and 7% other. The two-party preferred estimate is 58% Liberal/National and 42% Labor (compared to the current estimate of 57%/43%) – suggesting that voluntary voting would only very slightly advantage the Coalition.
Essential Report, Greens, house of representatives, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, voting, voting system
Q. Which of the following voting systems would you prefer when voting for the Federal House of Representatives.
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Preferential | 22% | 31% | 18% | 30% |
| Optional preferential | 26% | 26% | 24% | 33% |
| First past the post | 44% | 40% | 53% | 31% |
| Don’t know | 7% | 4% | 4% | 6% |
Of the three voting options given, 44% favoured “first past the post”, 26% optional preferential and 22% the current preferential system.
Optional preferential was most preferred by those aged under 35 (35%) while older groups strongly favoured first past the post (50% of aged 35-54 and 54% of aged 55+).
Essential Report, foreign aid, Government spending, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. As far as you know, about how much of the Federal budget is spent on foreign aid?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Less than 1% | 7% | 8% | 6% | 15% |
| About 1% | 8% | 10% | 8% | 14% |
| About 2% | 17% | 23% | 17% | 12% |
| About 5% | 11% | 8% | 15% | 10% |
| More than 5% | 16% | 16% | 15% | 7% |
| Don’t know | 41% | 35% | 38% | 42% |
27% think Australia spends 5% or more of the Federal Budget on foreign aid – 15% think it is 1% or less. The majority of respondents who gave an answer over-estimated how much Australia spends on foreign aid – the actual figure for the 2011-12 budget was 1.3%.
Essential Report, foreign aid, Government spending, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. And do you think Australia spends too much or too little on foreign aid?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Spend 1% or less | Spend about 2% | Spend 5% or more | Don’t know spend | |
| Spends too much | 42% | 34% | 52% | 25% | 25% | 28% | 66% | 40% |
| Spends too little | 16% | 20% | 11% | 37% | 36% | 25% | 7% | 9% |
| Spends about the right amount | 21% | 27% | 21% | 21% | 30% | 39% | 19% | 13% |
| Don’t know | 21% | 20% | 15% | 16% | 9% | 8% | 8% | 39% |
42% think Australia spends too much on foreign aid, 21% about the right amount and 16% too little. Opinions are strongly related to perceptions of how much is spent. Those who think Australia spends a higher % of the budget are much more likely to think the spend is too much.
coal industry, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Network Ten, Polling, polls
Q. Do you agree or disagree that Australia’s coal industry should be phased out by 2050? (This question is commissioned by Network Ten).
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Men | Women | Age
18-34 |
Aged
35-54 |
Aged 55+ | |
| Total agree | 37% | 47% | 26% | 66% | 41% | 34% | 40% | 37% | 35% |
| Total disagree | 39% | 28% | 53% | 20% | 44% | 33% | 33% | 35% | 51% |
| Strongly agree | 13% | 19% | 7% | 36% | 17% | 10% | 13% | 14% | 13% |
| Agree | 24% | 28% | 19% | 30% | 24% | 24% | 27% | 23% | 22% |
| Disagree | 26% | 23% | 32% | 12% | 29% | 22% | 25% | 24% | 30% |
| Strongly disagree | 13% | 5% | 21% | 8% | 15% | 11% | 8% | 11% | 21% |
| Don’t know | 24% | 24% | 21% | 14% | 15% | 33% | 27% | 28% | 14% |
Respondents were nearly evenly split over whether Australia’s coal industry should be phased out by 2050 – 37% agreed and 39% disagreed.
Highest levels of agreement were shown by Greens voters (66%), Labor voters (47%) and those aged under 35 (40%)
Highest levels of disagreement were shown by Liberal/National voters (53%) and those aged 55+ (51%).
2PP, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, two party preferred, 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 = 1,883
| First preference/leaning to | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Liberal | 44% | 45% | 45% | 46% | |
| National | 2% | 3% | 3% | 3% | |
| Total Lib/Nat | 43.6 | 46% | 47% | 48% | 49% |
| Labor | 38.0 | 34% | 32% | 32% | 32% |
| Greens | 11.8 | 12% | 12% | 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% | 53% | 55% | 55% | 56% |
| Labor | 50.1% | 47% | 45% | 45% | 44% |
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.
Australian economy, economy, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. Overall, from what you have read and heard, do you think the Australian economy is heading in the right direction or the wrong direction?
| 17 May 10
(Post 2010 budget) |
9 May 11
(Post 2011 budget) |
4 Jul 11 | Vote Labor | Vote Liberal/ National | Vote Greens | |
| The right direction | 51% | 45% | 37% | 66% | 21% | 49% |
| The wrong direction | 25% | 29% | 43% | 15% | 65% | 20% |
| Don’t know | 24% | 25% | 20% | 19% | 14% | 31% |
37% of respondents think that Australia’s economy is heading in the right direction – 43% think it is heading in the wrong direction. Since this question was asked just after the 2011 budget, “right direction” has dropped 8% and “wrong direction” increased 14%.
66% of Labor voters, 21% of Liberal/National voters and 49% of Greens voters think the economy is heading in the right direction.
Australian economy, economy, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. Which party do you think would be best at handling the Australian economy in the interests of you and people like you?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| The Labor Party | 26% | 75% | 2% | 35% |
| The Liberal Party | 43% | 1% | 86% | 11% |
| No difference | 23% | 19% | 9% | 43% |
| Don’t know | 8% | 4% | 3% | 10% |
43% think the Liberal Party would be best at handling the Australian economy in their interests and 26% nominated the Labor Party. 23% think there is no difference.
The Liberal Party is considered better by all income groups , although more by those on higher incomes. Those earning less than $600 per week favour the Liberal Party 37%/29%, while those earning $1,600+ per week favour the Liberal Party 51%/21%.