banking regulation, debt, Housing affordability, inflation, party best at, pension, salaries, superannuation, tax, unemployment, wages
Q. Between Liberal and Labor, which party do you think would be best at managing each of the following issues?
| Labor | Liberal | No difference | Don’t know | Labor-Liberal difference | |
| Improving wages for low income earners | 34% | 20% | 34% | 13% | +14 |
| The age pension | 27% | 23% | 37% | 13% | +4 |
| Executive salaries | 22% | 20% | 44% | 14% | +2 |
| Unemployment | 24% | 25% | 38% | 13% | -1 |
| Regulation of large corporations | 21% | 24% | 41% | 14% | -3 |
| Affordability of housing | 19% | 24% | 44% | 13% | -5 |
| Jobs going overseas | 18% | 24% | 44% | 14% | -6 |
| Superannuation | 18% | 27% | 40% | 15% | -9 |
| Petrol and energy prices | 16% | 26% | 45% | 13% | -10 |
| Regulation of banks | 19% | 29% | 39% | 14% | -10 |
| Interest rates | 17% | 30% | 41% | 13% | -13 |
| Food prices and inflation generally | 18% | 31% | 38% | 13% | -13 |
| Taxation | 18% | 32% | 37% | 13% | -14 |
| Government debt | 15% | 42% | 31% | 12% | -27 |
The only substantial lead for the Labor Party is on improving wages for low income earners (34% to 20%).
Liberal Party strengths are in managing Government debt (42%/15%), taxation (32%/18%), food prices and inflation (31%/18%) and interest rates (30%/17%).
Although overall opinions are closely related to voting intention, the Liberal Party generally performs better among its voters than the Labor Party does with its voters. On Government debt Labor voters split 35% Labor/14% Liberal/42% no difference and on petrol and energy prices 37%/2%/50%. Comments »
Q. Which of the major parties – Labor or Liberal – do you think is the best party when it comes to –
| Labor | Liberal | Don’t know | Labor margin | |
| Making sure large companies pay their fair share of taxation | 47% | 25% | 28% | +22 |
| Looking after the needs of low income earners and pensioners | 42% | 23% | 34% | +19 |
| Understanding the needs of the average Australian | 43% | 28% | 29% | +15 |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 42% | 27% | 31% | +15 |
| Handling environmental and climate change issues | 38% | 24% | 38% | +14 |
| Handling the economy in a way that helps working people in Australia | 44% | 35% | 21% | +9 |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 38% | 29% | 33% | +9 |
| Representing the interests of you and people like you | 43% | 35% | 22% | +8 |
| Having a vision for Australia’s future | 36% | 33% | 31% | +3 |
| Providing strong leadership | 33% | 33% | 34% | – |
| Handling Australia’s relations with other countries | 33% | 38% | 29% | -5 |
| Handling Australia’s economy | 38% | 44% | 18% | -6 |
| Being a stable and reliable Government | 30% | 38% | 31% | -8 |
| Dealing with the issue of immigration | 25% | 43% | 32% | -18 |
Main strengths for Labor are making sure large companies pay their fair share of taxation, looking after the needs of low income earners and pensioners, understanding the needs of the average Australian, ensuring a quality education for all children and handling environmental and climate change issues.
The Liberal Party is considered to be best at dealing with the issue of immigration, being a stable and reliable Government and handling Australia’s economy. Comments »
Australian jobs, budget, economy, Industrial Relations, inflation, Interest rates, Labor, Liberal, party best at
Q. Which party – Labor or Liberal – would by best at the following –
| Labor | Liberal | No difference | Don’t know | |
| Being on the side of Australian working people when it comes to issues affecting them at the workplace | 48% | 18% | 24% | 10% |
| Handling the economy in a way that best protects ordinary working people in Australia | 39% | 30% | 20% | 11% |
| Creating jobs for Australian workers | 36% | 27% | 26% | 11% |
| Representing you and people like you | 35% | 30% | 24% | 11% |
| Handling the economy | 30% | 37% | 23% | 10% |
| Controlling inflation | 24% | 35% | 31% | 11% |
| Keeping interest rates low | 23% | 29% | 35% | 13% |
| Dealing with the budget and keeping government spending down in general | 22% | 42% | 26% | 10% |
Just under half (48%) of those surveyed think that Labor is the best party at being on the side of Australian working people when it comes to issues affecting them at the workplace, 39% think Labor is best at handling the economy in a way that protects ordinary working people in Australia.
The Liberal Party score highest in terms of dealing with the budget and keeping government spending down in general (42%) and handling the economy (37%).
In terms of being on the side of Australian working people when it comes to issues affecting them at the workplace, under half (46%) of Coalition voters surveyed think the Liberal Party is best at handling this, 33% of these voters think there is no difference and 16% of Coalition voters think Labor is best at being on the side of Australian working people when it comes to workplace issues. Comments »
Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Education, environment, Health, Industrial Relations, Interest rates, Labor, Liberal, party best at, tax, Terrorism, Water
Q. Which party do you think is best at handling each of the following issues?
| Labor | Liberal | Labor margin | No difference | Don’t know | Labor margin Oct 09 | |
| A fair industrial relations system | 42% | 23% | +19% | 19% | 16% | +27% |
| Addressing climate change | 35% | 16% | +19% | 29% | 19% | +18% |
| Protecting the environment | 32% | 15% | +17% | 34% | 19% | +21% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 35% | 22% | +13% | 26% | 17% | +17% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 32% | 20% | +12% | 32% | 17% | +17% |
| Political leadership | 36% | 25% | +11% | 23% | 16% | +20% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 24% | 17% | +7% | 38% | 20% | +13% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 27% | 21% | +6% | 34% | 19% | +10% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 30% | 24% | +6% | 28% | 18% | +8% |
| Housing affordability | 23% | 19% | +4% | 38% | 20% | +9% |
| Management of the economy | 28% | 35% | -7% | 20% | 16% | – |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 18% | 25% | -7% | 38% | 19% | +2% |
| Controlling interest rates | 20% | 28% | -8% | 34% | 18% | – |
Labor has its strongest lead over the Liberal Party when it comes to a fair industrial relations system (+19%), addressing climate change (+19%) and protecting the environment (+17%). Labor trails the Liberal Party in terms of controlling interest rates (-8%), security and the war on terrorism (-7%) and management of the economy (-7%).
Since October 2009, Labor has lost the margin it had over the Liberal Party in some areas, most significantly in the areas of political leadership (-9%), a fair industrial relations system (-8%), ensuring a quality water supply (-6%).
Results followed party lines with Labor voters tending to favour the Labor Party and Liberal voters favouring the Liberal Party. Comments »