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  • Dec, 2010

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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 = 1,909

    First preference/leaning to Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week This week
    Liberal 42% 42% 43% 43%
    National 3% 3% 3% 3%
    Total Lib/Nat 43.6 45% 45% 46% 46%
    Labor 38.0 38% 38% 37% 38%
    Greens 11.8 10% 11% 10% 10%
    Other/Independent 6.6 8% 6% 7% 7%
    2PP Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week

    This week
    Total Lib/Nat 49.9% 51% 51% 52% 52%
    Labor 50.1% 49% 49% 48% 48%

    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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  • Dec, 2010

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    2011 Outlook – Political Parties

    Q. Do you think 2011 will be a good or bad year for each of the following political parties?

    Total good Total poor Very good Good Neither good nor bad Bad Very bad Don’t know
    The Liberal Party 35% 18% 7% 28% 34% 14% 4% 13%
    The Labor Party 19% 40% 4% 15% 29% 29% 11% 12%
    The Greens 22% 29% 4% 18% 35% 16% 13% 14%

    Respondents expect that 2011 is likely to be a good year for the Liberal Party (35% good/18% bad) and a bad year for the Labor Party (19%/40%).

    Comparing these results with last week’s questions about 2010, respondents expect the Liberal Party to have a better year  – 2010 33% good/27% bad compared to 2011 35%/18%.

    Also, although the Greens were assessed to have had a good 2010 (42% good/21% bad) expectations are not so positive for 2011 (22%/29%).

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  • Dec, 2010

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    2011 Outlook – Politicians

    Q. Do you think 2011 will be a good or bad year for each of the following politicians?

    Total good Total poor Very good Good Neither good nor bad Bad Very bad Don’t know
    Julia Gillard 28% 36% 5% 23% 23% 26% 10% 12%
    Tony Abbott 29% 27% 5% 24% 32% 20% 7% 13%
    Kevin Rudd 21% 30% 3% 18% 35% 21% 9% 14%
    Malcolm Turnbull 20% 21% 3% 17% 41% 17% 4% 18%
    Bob Brown 20% 30% 4% 16% 31% 18% 12% 19%

    There were no strong expectations one way or the other that 2011 would be good or bad for politicians.

    Overall, there were negative expectations for Julia Gillard (-8% net), Kevin Rudd (-9%) and Bob Brown (-10%) while respondents were divided over Tony Abbott (+2%) and Malcolm Turnbull (-1%).

    Comparing these results with last week’s questions, respondents expect 2011 to be worse than 2010 for Julia Gillard (net +24% in 2010 compared to

    -8% in 2011) and Bob Brown (+17% in 2010/-10% in 2011).

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  • Dec, 2010

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    Wikileaks – Release of Material

    Q. The online organisation Wikileaks, which is headed by the Australian Julian Assange, has released diplomatic material leaked to it by an American source.  It has also provided this material to other media which have also published information about the leaks. Do you approve or disapprove of Wikileaks and media outlets releasing this material?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total approve 53% 55% 51% 80%
    Total disapprove 25% 30% 30% 5%
    Strongly approve 20% 21% 17% 35%
    Approve 33% 34% 34% 45%
    Disapprove 14% 16% 18% 3%
    Strongly disapprove 11% 14% 12% 2%
    Don’t know 22% 16% 19% 15%

    53% approve Wikileaks and other media outlets releasing leaked US diplomatic material and 25% disapprove – 22% do not have an opinion.  There was majority approval from supporters of each major party.

    There was also majority approval from all age groups – aged under 35 54% approve/17% disapprove, aged 35-54 51% approve/26% disapprove, aged 55+ 56% apperove/34% disapprove.

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  • Dec, 2010

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    Wikileaks – Australian Government Response

    Q. The Australian Government has condemned the release of the Wikileaks material and the Prime Minister Julia Gillard has called it “grossly irresponsible” and “illegal”. Do you approve or disapprove of the response of the Prime Minister and the Australian Government to the publication of the Wikileaks material?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total approve 32% 45% 28% 17%
    Total disapprove 46% 38% 54% 66%
    Strongly approve 11% 18% 8% 1%
    Approve 21% 27% 20% 16%
    Disapprove 27% 24% 31% 32%
    Strongly disapprove 19% 14% 23% 34%
    Don’t know 21% 17% 17% 17%

    46% disapprove of the Australian Government’s response to the publication of the Wikileaks material and 32% approve – 21% have no opinion. A majority of Coalition (54%) and Greens voters (66%) disapproved while Labor voters were more likely to approve (45%/38%).

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  • Dec, 2010

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    Wikileaks – Australian Government Support for Julian Assange

    Q. The US Government is reportedly intending to lay charges against Julian Assange as head of Wikileaks. Should Julian Assange receive support and assistance from the Australian Government if he is charged with an offence by the US or another country?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Should receive support and assistance 50% 52% 50% 76%
    Should not receive support and assistance 26% 29% 27% 14%
    Don’t know 24% 19% 23% 10%

    50% believe that Julian Assange should receive support and assistance from the Australian Government if he is charged with an offence by the US or another country and 26% think he should not – 24% have no opinion. A majority of voters for each of the major parties believed that Government support should be given.

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  • Dec, 2010

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    Nuclear Power

    Q. Do you support or oppose Australia developing nuclear power plants for the generation of electricity?

    27 Jan 09 20 Dec 10 Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total support 43% 43% 41% 56% 25%
    Total oppose 35% 37% 41% 31% 65%
    Strongly support 14% 16% 16% 22% 5%
    Support 29% 27% 25% 34% 20%
    Oppose 21% 21% 23% 20% 33%
    Strongly oppose 14% 16% 18% 11% 32%
    Don’t know 22% 19% 17% 13% 10%

    43% support Australia developing nuclear power plants for the generation of electricity and 35% oppose. These figures are almost identical to the results obtained when this question was last asked in January 2009.

    Coalition voters show majority support (56%/31%), Greens voters are strongly opposed (25%/65%) and Labor voters split 41%/41%.

    There are substantial differences by gender – 63% of men support and 26% oppose but women oppose 48% to 25%.

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  • Dec, 2010

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    The Past Year – Political Parties

    Q. Has it been a good or bad year for each of the following political parties?

    Total good Total bad Very good Good Neither good nor bad Bad Very bad Don’t know
    The Greens 42% 21% 9% 33% 28% 12% 9% 8%
    The Liberal Party 33% 27% 8% 25% 33% 20% 7% 7%
    The Labor Party 21% 47% 3% 18% 24% 33% 14% 7%

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total good Total bad Total good Total bad Total good Total bad Total good Total bad
    The Greens 42% 21% 49% 9% 38% 35% 70% 4%
    The Liberal Party 33% 27% 23% 37% 52% 16% 18% 45%
    The Labor Party 21% 47% 36% 27% 16% 67% 18% 53%

    Respondents were more likely to think it has been a good year for the Greens (42%) than the Liberal Party (33%) or the Labor Party (21%).

    Among their own voters 70% think it has been a good year for the Greens, 52% the Liberal Party and 36% the Labor Party.

    Men (40% good/27% bad) are more likely than women (26%/28%) to think it has been a good year for the Liberal Party Comments »

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