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  • Nov, 2011

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    International Trade

    Q. Should another country’s political system and human rights record influence Australia’s trade with that country or should we trade with any country regardless of their political system or human rights record?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Political system and human rights record should influence trade 66% 71% 64% 83%
    Should trade with any country 18% 18% 24% 9%
    Don’t know 16% 11% 13% 7%

    66% believe that another country’s political system and human rights record should influence Australia’s trade with that country and 18% think we should trade with any country regardless of their political system or human rights record.

    The position that political system and human rights record should influence trade was supported by 75% of women and 57% of men.

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  • Nov, 2011

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    Return to Surplus

    Q. Do you think it is more important for the Government to return the budget to surplus by 2012/13 as planned – which may mean cutting services and raising taxes – OR should they delay the return to surplus and maintain services and invest in infrastructure?

    April 4 Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Return to surplus by 2012/13, cut services, raise taxes 14% 13% 13% 19% 7%
    Delay return to surplus, maintain services, invest in infrastructure 69% 71% 76% 68% 82%
    Don’t know 17% 15% 11% 13% 11%

    13% support the return to surplus by 2012/13 if it means cutting services and raising taxes and 69% think the Government should delay the return to surplus and maintain services and investment. Opinions are unchanged since this question was asked in April.

    No more than 19% of any demographic or voter group supported the return to surplus by 2012/13.

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  • Nov, 2011

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    Measures Government should take to Return to Surplus

    Q. In order to meet their commitment to return to surplus in 2012-13, which measures should the Government take?

    April 4 Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Increase taxes for big corporations 63% 72% 81% 65% 86%
    Reduce tax breaks for high income earners 51% 59% 63% 57% 64%
    Reduce defence spending 32% 37% 32% 37% 67%
    Cut “middle class welfare” such as the Baby Bonus, first home buyers grant and Family Tax Benefit payments 36% 35% 31% 40% 29%
    Cut spending on unemployment and disability benefits 21% 21% 15% 28% 13%
    It does not need to return to surplus so quickly 38% 58% 65% 56% 61%

    The most favoured measures for returning the budget to surplus were increasing taxes for big corporations (72%) and reducing tax breaks for high-income earners (59%).

    Labor voters were more likely to support increasing taxes for big corporations (81%).

    Liberal/National voters were more likely to support cutting spending on unemployment and welfare benefits (28%), and cutting “middle class welfare” (40%).

    Since this question was last asked in April, support has increased for increasing taxes for big corporations (+9%) and reducing tax breaks for high income earners (+8%).

    However, the major change since April has been a substantial increase in support for the position that the Government does not need to return to surplus so quickly – up 20% to 58%. This position is supported by 65% of Labor voters and 56% of Liberal/National voters.

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  • Nov, 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 = 1,902 respondents

    First preference/leaning to Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week This week
    Liberal 45% 43% 44% 46%
    National 3% 3% 3% 3%
    Total Lib/Nat 43.6% 48% 46% 47% 48%
    Labor 38.0% 32% 35% 35% 34%
    Greens 11.8% 11% 9% 10% 10%
    Other/Independent 6.6% 8% 9% 8% 7%
    2PP Election

    21 Aug 10

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

    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.

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  • Nov, 2011

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    Australian troops in Afghanistan

    Q.  Thinking about the Australian troops in Afghanistan, do you think Australia should –

    25 Oct 2010 21 Mar 2011 29 Aug 2011 Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Increase the number of troops in Afghanistan 10% 5% 4% 3% 3% 4% 3%
    Keep the same number of troops in Afghanistan 30% 30% 26% 22% 21% 29% 11%
    Withdraw our troops from Afghanistan 47% 56% 64% 64% 66% 57% 76%
    Don’t know 14% 9% 7% 11% 10% 10% 10%

    64% (no change) think Australia should withdraw our troops from Afghanistan, 22% (down 4%) think we should maintain troop numbers and 3% (down 1%) think we should increase them.

    Since October last year, support for withdrawal of Australian troops has increased from 47% to 64%. There was majority support for withdrawal by all voting groups – 57% of Lib/Nat voters, 66% Labor and 76% Greens. Support for withdrawal was also similar across age groups but women were more likely than men to support withdrawal of troops (72% to 55%).

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  • Nov, 2011

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    Mining Tax

    Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the proposed mining tax (called the Minerals Resource Rent Tax) on large profits of mining companies?

    12 Jul 2010 5 Sep 2011 Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total approve 50% 46% 51% 74% 32% 85%
    Total disapprove 28% 34% 33% 13% 55% 7%
    Strongly approve 13% 18% 18% 32% 5% 51%
    Approve 37% 28% 33% 42% 27% 34%
    Disapprove 18% 18% 20% 11% 30% 7%
    Strongly disapprove 10% 16% 13% 2% 25%
    Don’t know 22% 19% 15% 12% 12% 9%

    51% approve the Government’s proposed mining tax and 33% disapprove. This represents a strengthening in support since this question was asked in September (from net +12% to net +18%).

    Labor voters (74%) and Greens voters (85%) strongly support the tax – but Liberal/National voters disapprove 55% to 32%.

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  • Nov, 2011

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    Carbon Tax

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

    7 March 18 April 23 May 14 June 18 July 1 Aug 19 Sep 17 Oct Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total support 35% 39% 41% 38% 39% 39% 37% 39% 38% 66% 13% 86%
    Total oppose 48% 49% 44% 49% 49% 51% 52% 53% 53% 26% 80% 11%
    Strongly support 9% 13% 14% 13% 15% 15% 14% 14% 14% 28% 1% 48%
    Support 26% 26% 27% 25% 24% 24% 23% 25% 24% 38% 12% 38%
    Oppose 19% 15% 15% 19% 16% 19% 17% 17% 17% 11% 22% 5%
    Strongly oppose 29% 34% 29% 30% 33% 32% 35% 36% 36% 15% 58% 6%
    Don’t know 18% 12% 15% 13% 12% 10% 12% 9% 10% 9% 7% 2%

    Views on the carbon pricing scheme have changed very little since June and there has been no significant change since the legislation was passed. 38% support the scheme (down 1% since October) and 53% oppose (no change).

    The only demographic group to support the scheme were aged under 35’s – 45% support/40% oppose. Among those aged 55+, 37% support and 59% oppose.

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  • Nov, 2011

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    Liberal Party and WorkChoices

    Q. If they won the next election, how likely do you think it would be that Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party would try to bring back industrial laws similar to WorkChoices?

    31 May 10 12 July 10 Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total likely 58% 56% 51% 75% 33% 78%
    Total unlikely 21% 24% 27% 13% 44% 11%
    Very likely 28% 26% 22% 45% 4% 41%
    Quite likely 30% 30% 29% 30% 29% 37%
    Not very likely 18% 18% 19% 9% 31% 8%
    Not at all likely 3% 6% 8% 4% 13% 3%
    Don’t know 20% 20% 22% 11% 23% 11%

    Respondents were less likely to think that Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party would try to bring back industrial laws similar to WorkChoices than when a similar question was asked last year. 51% (down 5%) think it is likely that Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party would try to bring back industrial laws similar to WorkChoices if they won the next election and 27% (up 3%) think it is unlikely.

    75% of Labor voters and 78% of Greens voters think it is likely, while Liberal/National voters are split 33% likely to 44% unlikely.

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