Australian economy, banks, economy, environment, Farming and agriculture, industries, Large companies and corporations, media, mining industry, Past Year, Polling, polls, small business
Q. Thinking about the last 12 months, has it been a good or bad year for each of the following?
| Total good
(Dec 10 |
Total bad
(Dec 10) |
Total good | Total bad | Very good | Good | Neither good nor bad | Bad | Very bad | Don’t know | |
| The banks | 69% | 13% | 71% | 8% | 35% | 36% | 16% | 6% | 2% | 4% |
| The mining industry | 57% | 14% | 68% | 11% | 34% | 34% | 15% | 8% | 3% | 6% |
| Large companies and corporations | 44% | 15% | 40% | 22% | 8% | 32% | 32% | 18% | 4% | 6% |
| The Australian economy | 41% | 20% | 33% | 31% | 4% | 29% | 32% | 24% | 7% | 3% |
| The media | 30% | 14% | 25% | 27% | 6% | 19% | 37% | 19% | 8% | 10% |
| Farming and agriculture | 14% | 50% | 23% | 40% | 2% | 21% | 30% | 28% | 12% | 7% |
| The environment | 14% | 37% | 20% | 33% | 3% | 17% | 41% | 24% | 9% | 6% |
| Small business | 14% | 45% | 10% | 61% | 1% | 9% | 24% | 42% | 19% | 6% |
A majority of respondents think it has been a good year for the banks (71%) and the mining industry (68%). They are also more likely to think it has been a good year for large companies and corporations (40% good/22% bad) and the economy (33%/31%). However, they are more likely to think the year has been bad for small business (61%), farming and agriculture (40%) and the environment (33%).
In terms of the economy, Labor voters (50% good/18% bad) and Greens voters (47%/15%) were more likely to think it has been a good year – while 45% of Liberal/National voters considered it poor and 23% good.
Compared to last years’ results, respondents considered 2011 a better year than 2010 for the mining industry (up 11% to 68% good), farming and agriculture (up 9% to 23%) and the environment (up 6% to 20%). Perceptions of the economy dropped from a net +21% to +2%.
ALP, Greens, Labor Party, Liberal Party, LNP, Past Year, political parties, Polling, polls
Q. Has it been a good or bad year for each of the following political parties?
| Total good
(Dec 10) |
Total bad
(Dec 10) |
Total good | Total bad | Very good | Good | Neither good nor bad | Bad | Very bad | Don’t know | |
| The Greens | 42% | 21% | 33% | 29% | 7% | 26% | 28% | 15% | 14% | 11% |
| The Liberal Party | 33% | 27% | 27% | 30% | 4% | 23% | 34% | 22% | 8% | 9% |
| The Labor Party | 21% | 47% | 16% | 53% | 2% | 14% | 22% | 33% | 21% | 8% |
| 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 | 33% | 29% | 41% | 16% | 23% | 45% | 70% | 3% |
| The Liberal Party | 27% | 30% | 13% | 45% | 45% | 16% | 17% | 45% |
| The Labor Party | 16% | 53% | 35% | 32% | 7% | 73% | 11% | 48% |
Respondents were more likely to think it has been a good year for the Greens (33%) than the Liberal Party (27%) or the Labor Party (16%).
Among their own voters 70% think it has been a good year for the Greens, 45% the Liberal Party and 35% the Labor Party.
Compared to last year’s results, all parties figures have declined – The Greens net +21% to +4%, Liberals from net +6% to -3% and Labor from net -26% to -37%.
Bob Brown, Julia Gillard, kevin rudd, malcolm turnbull, Past Year, politicians, Polling, polls, tony abbott
Q. Has it been a good or bad year for each of the following politicians?
| Total good
(Dec 10) |
Total bad
(Dec 10) |
Total good | Total bad | Very good | Good | Neither good nor bad | Bad | Very bad | Don’t know | |
| Julia Gillard | 49% | 25% | 21% | 57% | 3% | 18% | 16% | 35% | 22% | 6% |
| Bob Brown | 38% | 21% | 32% | 27% | 8% | 24% | 26% | 14% | 13% | 16% |
| Tony Abbott | 30% | 33% | 21% | 38% | 2% | 19% | 32% | 25% | 13% | 8% |
| Malcolm Turnbull | 10% | 43% | 17% | 23% | 2% | 15% | 45% | 16% | 7% | 17% |
| Kevin Rudd | 10% | 70% | 31% | 30% | 5% | 26% | 31% | 22% | 8% | 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 | |
| Julia Gillard | 21% | 57% | 41% | 36% | 10% | 77% | 29% | 43% |
| Bob Brown | 32% | 27% | 37% | 19% | 25% | 40% | 66% | 4% |
| Tony Abbott | 21% | 38% | 9% | 57% | 39% | 18% | 7% | 64% |
| Malcolm Turnbull | 17% | 23% | 18% | 21% | 18% | 23% | 23% | 22% |
| Kevin Rudd | 31% | 30% | 37% | 24% | 31% | 38% | 29% | 25% |
Overall, only Bob Brown (32%/27%) was thought to have had a good year. Respondents were divided on whether Kevin Rudd has had a good year (31%/30%). Only 21% thought Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott had a good year in 2011. 2011 was considered worse than 2010 for each of the party leaders. Malcolm Turnbull and Kevin Rudd were considered to have had a somewhat better year compared to 2010.
Among their own voters thought, 66% (down 2%) thought Bob Brown had a good year, 41% (down 28%) thought Julia Gillard had a good year and 39% (down 5%) thought Tony Abbott has had a good year.
2011, family, Past Year, Personal financial situation, Polling, polls, workplace
Q. Has it been a good or bad year for each of the following?
| Total good
(Dec 10) |
Total bad
(Dec 10) |
Total good | Total bad | Very good | Good | Neither good nor bad | Bad | Very bad | Don’t know | |
| Your personal financial situation | 28% | 28% | 30% | 32% | 5% | 25% | 37% | 22% | 10% | 1% |
| Your workplace * | 43% | 21% | 43% | 23% | 8% | 35% | 33% | 18% | 5% | 2% |
| You and your family overall | 43% | 19% | 44% | 20% | 8% | 36% | 34% | 15% | 5% | 1% |
* based on working people
Respondents were evenly divided over whether it has been a good or bad year financially. Those most likely to say it was a good year were full-time workers (38% good/28% bad), aged under 35 (37%/28%) and incomes over $1,600pw (41%/25%).
Respondents were more positive about their workplace (43%/23%) and overall for themselves and their family (44%/20%). Younger respondents were a little more positive about themselves and their family– those aged under 35 split 50% good/15% bad.
On these measures 2011 was considered very similar to 2010.
ABC TV, Blogs, Commercial TV, current affairs, media, Newspapers, Polling, polls, radio talkback, trust in media, TV news
Q. How much trust do you have in what you read or hear in the following media?
| Total a lot/some
15 Mar 10 |
Total a lot /some
25 Jul 11 |
Total a lot /some | A lot of trust | Some trust | Not much trust | No trust at all | Don’t know | Don’t use | |
| News and opinion in daily newspapers | 62% | 53% | 46% | 3% | 43% | 32% | 13% | 3% | 5% |
| News and opinion in local newspapers | – | 54% | 52% | 4% | 48% | 29% | 11% | 3% | 5% |
| Commercial TV news and current affairs | 64% | 48% | 43% | 5% | 38% | 34% | 19% | 3% | 2% |
| ABC TV news and current affairs | 70% | 71% | 72% | 23% | 49% | 14% | 6% | 3% | 5% |
| Commercial radio news and current affairs | 54% | 46% | 45% | 4% | 41% | 30% | 15% | 3% | 6% |
| ABC radio news and current affairs | 62% | 67% | 67% | 19% | 48% | 14% | 6% | 3% | 10% |
| Commercial radio talkback programs | 38% | 33% | 33% | 5% | 28% | 32% | 22% | 3% | 10% |
| ABC radio talkback programs | 45% | 47% | 47% | 7% | 40% | 28% | 9% | 3% | 13% |
| News and opinion websites | 49% | 41% | 38% | 3% | 35% | 36% | 14% | 4% | 9% |
| Internet blogs | 20% | 20% | 17% | 1% | 16% | 37% | 25% | 5% | 15% |
Since July, trust in media has dropped for daily newspapers (-7%) and commercial TV news and current affairs (-5%).
ABC TV news and current affairs has the highest number of people who have a lot/some trust (72%). This is followed by ABC radio news and current affairs (67%).
The lowest level of trust was recorded for internet blog (17%). This was followed by commercial radio talkback programs (33%).
Australian Press Council, magazines, media, media industry, Newspaper Regulation, Newspapers, Polling, polls, press, Press Council
Q. Newspapers and magazines are regulated by the Australian Press Council which was established by the media industry and comprises representatives of media organisations and as well as independent members.
From what you read, do you think that the Press Council is doing a good or poor job of regulating newspapers in Australia?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total good | 20% | 22% | 25% | 14% |
| Total poor | 25% | 26% | 22% | 37% |
| Very good job | 1% | 3% | 1% | – |
| Good job | 19% | 19% | 24% | 14% |
| Neither good nor poor | 38% | 38% | 40% | 31% |
| Poor job | 17% | 15% | 16% | 24% |
| Very poor job | 8% | 11% | 6% | 13% |
| Don’t know | 17% | 14% | 13% | 18% |
20% believed that the Press Council is doing a good job of regulating newspapers and 25% thought it is doing a poor job. 38% say they are doing neither a good nor poor job and 17% don’t know.
Those most likely to think they are doing a good job were aged under 35 (25%) and Liberal/National voters (25%). Those most likely to think they are doing a poor job were aged 55+ (35%) and Greens voters (37%).
2PP, ER, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, two party preferred, 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 = 1,922 respondents
| First preference/leaning to | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Liberal | 43% | 46% | 45% | 44% | |
| National | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | |
| Total Lib/Nat | 43.6% | 46% | 48% | 48% | 47% |
| Labor | 38.0% | 35% | 34% | 34% | 34% |
| Greens | 11.8% | 9% | 10% | 11% | 10% |
| Other/Independent | 6.6% | 9% | 7% | 8% | 9% |
| 2PP | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 49.9% | 54% | 55% | 54% | 54% |
| Labor | 50.1% | 46% | 45% | 46% | 46% |
NB. The data in the above tables comprise 2-week averages derived from 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.
2013, 2013 election, early election, Election, Federal Election, Greens, Labor, Labor Government, Liberals, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. Do you think the Labor Government should run its full term until 2013 when the next Federal election is due or should a new election be held now?
| 5 Sept 11 | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Should run to 2013 | 40% | 47% | 89% | 20% | 73% |
| Should hold election now | 48% | 41% | 7% | 74% | 16% |
| Don’t know | 12% | 12% | 4% | 6% | 11% |
47% think that the Labor Government should be allowed to run its full term trough to 2013 and 41% think a new election should be held. This is almost exactly the reverse of the results when this question was previously asked in September when 48% thought an election should be held now and 40% thought the Government should run its full term.
Support for the Government to run its full term has increased among Labor voters (from 82% to 89%) and Liberal/National voters (11% to 20%) but dropped from 80% to 73% for Greens voters.