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  • Mar, 2012

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    Approval of Tony Abbott

    Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader?

    18 Jan

    2010

    5 Jul

    2010

    20 Dec 2010

    14 Mar

    2011

    14 June

    12 Sept

    17 Oct

    14 Nov

    12 Dec

    16 Jan 2012

    13 Feb

    12 Mar

    Total approve

    37%

    37%

    39%

    38%

    38%

    39%

    40%

    36%

    32%

    35%

    35%

    36%

    Total disapprove

    37%

    47%

    39%

    47%

    48%

    50%

    51%

    52%

    53%

    51%

    53%

    52%

    Strongly approve

    5%

    8%

    9%

    7%

    6%

    8%

    8%

    6%

    6%

    7%

    6%

    7%

    Approve

    32%

    29%

    30%

    31%

    32%

    31%

    32%

    30%

    26%

    28%

    29%

    29%

    Disapprove

    20%

    23%

    21%

    24%

    25%

    23%

    23%

    26%

    25%

    25%

    23%

    23%

    Strongly disapprove

    17%

    24%

    18%

    23%

    23%

    27%

    28%

    26%

    28%

    26%

    30%

    29%

    Don’t know

    26%

    16%

    22%

    16%

    15%

    11%

    9%

    12%

    14%

    13%

    12%

    12%

    Tony Abbott’s approval rating has changed little over the last month. 36% (up 1%) approve of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader and 52% (down 1%) disapprove – a change in net rating from -18 to -16 over the last 4 weeks.

    70% (up 3%) of Coalition voters approve and 21% (no change) disapprove.

    By gender – men 37% approve/54% disapprove, women 36% approve/49% disapprove.

    Comments »

  • Mar, 2012

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    Better Prime Minister

    Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott?

     

    5 Jul 2010

    14 Mar

    14 June

    12 Sept

    17 Oct

    14 Nov

    12 Dec

    16 Jan 2012

    13 Feb

    12 Mar

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Julia Gillard

    53%

    44%

    41%

    36%

    38%

    41%

    39%

    39%

    41%

    40%

    84%

    6%

    74%

    Tony Abbott

    26%

    33%

    36%

    40%

    39%

    36%

    35%

    36%

    34%

    37%

    4%

    76%

    5%

    Don’t know

    21%

    23%

    24%

    24%

    23%

    24%

    26%

    25%

    25%

    23%

    12%

    18%

    21%

    40% (down 1%) believe Julia Gillard would make the better Prime Minister and 37% (up 3%) prefer Tony Abbott – a net change from +7% to +3% for Julia Gillard.

    Both men and women prefer Julia Gillard 40%/37%.

    Comments »

  • Mar, 2012

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    Approval of Bob Carr

    Q. Do you approve or disapprove of former NSW Premier Bob Carr going into the Senate and taking up the position of Foreign Minister?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Total approve

    37%

    60%

    23%

    39%

    Total disapprove

    36%

    15%

    54%

    17%

    Strongly approve

    7%

    17%

    2%

    7%

    Approve

    30%

    43%

    21%

    32%

    Disapprove

    19%

    10%

    27%

    11%

    Strongly disapprove

    17%

    5%

    27%

    6%

    Don’t know

    27%

    25%

    22%

    45%

    Opinions of the former NSW Premier Bob Carr going into the Senate and taking up the position of Foreign Minister were split – 37% approved and 36% disapproved.

    60% of Labor voters approved and 54% of Liberal/National voters disapproved.

    Respondents from New South Wales were a little more positive – 43% approve and 37% disapprove.

    Comments »

  • Mar, 2012

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    Using Wealth to Influence Opinion and Policy

    QA. The Treasurer Wayne Swan has said some of Australia’s wealthiest individuals are using their wealth to try to influence public opinion and government policy to further their own commercial interests. Do you agree or disagree with the Treasurer’s statement? *

    QB. Do you agree or disagree that some of Australia’s wealthiest individuals are using their wealth to try to influence public opinion and government policy to further their own commercial interests. *

     

    A. Wayne Swan statement

    B. Unattributed statement

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Total agree

    58%

    78%

    36%

    89%

    60%

    67%

    55%

    75%

    Total disagree

    26%

    6%

    51%

    2%

    24%

    18%

    30%

    14%

    Strongly agree

    24%

    38%

    9%

    54%

    27%

    36%

    15%

    50%

    Agree

    34%

    40%

    27%

    35%

    33%

    31%

    40%

    25%

    Disagree

    15%

    4%

    29%

    2%

    12%

    5%

    15%

    3%

    Strongly disagree

    11%

    2%

    22%

    12%

    13%

    15%

    11%

    Don’t know

    16%

    16%

    14%

    9%

    15%

    15%

    16%

    11%

    * each question was asked of half the total sample.

    There was similar majority agreement with this statement – that some of Australia’s wealthiest individuals are using their wealth to try to influence public opinion and government policy to further their own commercial interests – whether or not it was attributed to Wayne Swan. When attributed to Wayne Swan 58% agreed and 26% disagreed. When unattributed, 60% agreed and 24% disagreed.

    When attributed to Wayne Swan, 78% of Labor voters and 89% of Greens voters agreed but 51% of Liberal/National voters disagreed.

    When unattributed, a majority of voters of all parties agreed – although Labor and Greens voters not as strongly.

    Comments »

  • Mar, 2012

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    Opinion of 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

    21 Nov

    20 Feb 2012

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Total approve

    50%

    46%

    51%

    55%

    52%

    76%

    33%

    79%

    Total disapprove

    28%

    34%

    33%

    28%

    34%

    12%

    55%

    12%

    Strongly approve

    13%

    18%

    18%

    23%

    20%

    36%

    7%

    51%

    Approve

    37%

    28%

    33%

    32%

    32%

    40%

    26%

    28%

    Disapprove

    18%

    18%

    20%

    17%

    22%

    9%

    34%

    10%

    Strongly disapprove

    10%

    16%

    13%

    11%

    12%

    3%

    21%

    2%

    Don’t know

    22%

    19%

    15%

    17%

    14%

    13%

    12%

    8%

    52% approve the Government’s proposed mining tax and 34% disapprove. This represents a weakening in support over the last 3 weeks (from net +27% to net +18%) but a similar result to that of November 2011.

    Labor voters (76%) and Greens voters (79%) strongly support the tax – but Liberal/National voters disapprove 55% to 33%.

    Comments »

  • Mar, 2012

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    Income Level to be Middle Income

    Q. What annual income level would you say was “middle income” for a single person?

    What annual income level would you say was “middle income” for a family of 2 parents and 2 children?

     

    Single Person

    Family

     

    Total

    Income under $1,000pw

    Income $1,000 – $1,600pw

    Income $1,600+

    Total

    Income under $1,000pw

    Income $1,000 – $1,600pw

    Income $1,600+

    Less than $40,000

    6%

    13%

    4%

    1%

    1%

    3%

    $40,000-$59,000

    31%

    35%

    34%

    28%

    7%

    14%

    5%

    2%

    $60,000-$79,000

    38%

    32%

    41%

    47%

    21%

    27%

    25%

    15%

    $80,000-$99,000

    15%

    12%

    14%

    17%

    28%

    26%

    33%

    29%

    $100,000-$119,000

    3%

    2%

    4%

    3%

    20%

    14%

    21%

    26%

    $120,000-$149,000

    1%

    1%

    1%

    1%

    11%

    9%

    8%

    17%

    $150,000-$199,000

    *

    1%

    5%

    2%

    4%

    10%

    $200,000 or more

    *

    1%

    1%

    Don’t know

    5%

    5%

    2%

    1%

    5%

    5%

    3%

    1%

    median

    $66,000

    $60,000

    $65,000

    $69,000

    $94,000

    $83,000

    $92,000

    $103,000

    69% of respondents think that “middle income” for a single person is between $40,00 and $79,000 a year. 38% think it is $60,000-$79,000.

    80% of those earning under $1,000 pw think “middle income” for a single person is less than $80,000, while those on more than $1,600 pw are most likely to think it is $60,000-$79,000 (47%). The median (average) income for “middle income” for a single person is $66,000.

    Estimates are more broadly spread when it comes to “middle income” families – 69% think it would be between $60,000 and $119,000. 65% think it would be at least $80,000. The median (average) income for “middle income” for a family is $94,000.

    Comments »

  • Mar, 2012

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    Income Level to be Well Off

    Q. What annual income level would you say was the minimum to be “well off” for a single person?

    What annual income level would you say was the minimum to be “well off” for a family of 2 parents and 2 children?

    Single Person

    Family

     

    Total

    Income under $1,000pw

    Income $1,000 – $1,600pw

    Income $1,600+

    Total

    Income under $1,000pw

    Income $1,000 – $1,600pw

    Income $1,600+

    $40,000

    9%

    15%

    7%

    5%

    1%

    2%

    *

    1%

    $60,000

    26%

    28%

    31%

    23%

    6%

    13%

    5%

    2%

    $80,000

    28%

    25%

    27%

    33%

    15%

    21%

    17%

    10%

    $100,000

    19%

    15%

    20%

    24%

    17%

    19%

    19%

    15%

    $120,000

    7%

    5%

    6%

    9%

    16%

    12%

    19%

    17%

    $150,000

    3%

    3%

    3%

    5%

    21%

    16%

    18%

    29%

    $200,000

    1%

    *

    1%

    1%

    12%

    5%

    14%

    18%

    $300,000

    1%

    2%

    *

    1%

    3%

    3%

    2%

    5%

    $500,000

    *

    *

    1%

    2%

    3%

    1%

    1%

    $1 million

    1%

    1%

    1%

    1%

    1%

    1%

    1%

    Don’t know

    5%

    6%

    4%

    1%

    5%

    5%

    4%

    1%

    median

    $69,000

    $63,000

    $67,000

    $73,000

    $111,000

    $93,000

    $107,000

    $123,000

    63% think that a single person earning $80,000 would be considered “well off”. The average (median) minimum income for a single person to be considered “well off” was $69,000.

    55% think that a family earning $120,000 would be considered “well off”. The average (median) minimum income for a family to be considered “well off” was $111,000.

    Comments »

  • Mar, 2012

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    Income Level to be Wealthy

    Q. What annual income level would you say was the minimum to be “wealthy” for a single person?

    What annual income level would you say was the minimum to be “wealthy” for a family of 2 parents and 2 children?

    Single Person

    Family

     

    Total

    Income under $1,000pw

    Income $1,000 – $1,600pw

    Income $1,600+

    Total

    Income under $1,000pw

    Income $1,000 – $1,600pw

    Income $1,600+

    $40,000

    2%

    3%

    1%

    1%

    1%

    $60,000

    6%

    10%

    4%

    6%

    2%

    2%

    3%

    *

    $80,000

    15%

    17%

    20%

    10%

    4%

    7%

    3%

    2%

    $100,000

    21%

    19%

    25%

    23%

    9%

    13%

    10%

    5%

    $120,000

    14%

    11%

    15%

    17%

    9%

    10%

    13%

    6%

    $150,000

    17%

    18%

    13%

    22%

    19%

    17%

    22%

    20%

    $200,000

    10%

    8%

    10%

    11%

    22%

    20%

    16%

    32%

    $300,000

    4%

    3%

    4%

    4%

    15%

    10%

    15%

    19%

    $500,000

    4%

    3%

    6%

    3%

    9%

    9%

    11%

    7%

    $1 million

    3%

    3%

    1%

    3%

    5%

    4%

    4%

    7%

    Don’t know

    5%

    4%

    2%

    1%

    5%

    5%

    3%

    1%

    median

    $106,000

    $102,000

    $98,000

    $113,000

    $159,000

    $146,000

    $147,000

    $182,000

    58% think that a single person earning $120,000 would be considered “wealthy”. The average (median) minimum income for a single person to be considered “wealthy” was $106,000.

    66% think that a family earning $200,000 would be considered “wealthy”. The average (median) minimum income for a family to be considered “wealthy” was $159,000.

    Comments »

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