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  • Aug, 2011

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    Impact of other Economies on Australia

    Q. How much impact do you think the economies of other countries have on Australia’s economy?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    A lot 47% 44% 49% 46%
    Some 41% 44% 42% 48%
    A little 8% 10% 7% 6%
    None *
    Don’t know 3% 2% 2%

    47% think that the economies of other countries have a lot of impact on the Australian economy and 41% think they have some impact. Only 8% think they have little or no impact. There were no major differences across demographic groups.

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  • Aug, 2011

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    Trust to Handle Economy

    Q. Which party would you trust most to handle the economy if there was another Global Financial Crisis (GFC)?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    The Labor Party 27% 77% 3% 41%
    The Liberal Party 43% 6% 86% 3%
    No difference 19% 13% 9% 42%
    Don’t know 10% 4% 2% 13%

    43% said they would trust the Liberal Party most to handle the economy if there was another GFC, 27% would trust the Labor Party most and 19% said there was no difference.

    Those aged under 35 were more likely to think there was no difference (25%) while those aged 55+ were more likely to prefer the Liberal Party (54%)

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  • Aug, 2011

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    Concern about Asylum Seekers

    Q. How concerned are you about the number of asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Very concerned 43% 36% 54% 12%
    Somewhat concerned 24% 27% 27% 17%
    A little concerned 15% 17% 11% 26%
    Not at all concerned 15% 19% 7% 44%
    Don’t know 2% 1% 1% 2%

    43% were very concerned and 24% somewhat concerned about the number of asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat. 30% were only a little or not concerned.

    60% of those aged 55+ were very concerned compared to 26% of those aged under 35.

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  • Aug, 2011

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    Awareness of Arrival of Asylum Seekers

    Q. As far as you know, has the number of asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat, increased or decreased over the last 12 months?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total increased 62% 51% 74% 36%
    Total decreased 7% 10% 5% 11%
    Increased a lot 36% 24% 50% 7%
    Increased a little 26% 27% 24% 29%
    Stayed about the same 20% 28% 14% 33%
    Decreased a little 6% 8% 5% 9%
    Decreased a lot 1% 2% * 2%
    Don’t know 11% 11% 6% 20%

    62% believe that the number of asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat has increased over the last 12 months, 20% think it has stayed the same and 7% think it has decreased. 74% of Liberal/National voters think it has increased compared to 51% of Labor voters and 36% of Greens voters.

    Of those who think it has increased, 59% said they were very concerned (in answer to the previous question) – and of those who think it has stayed the same or decreased, only 18% were very concerned.

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  • Aug, 2011

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    Concern about Asylum Seekers (based on information about arrivals)

    Q.  Actually, the number of asylum seekers reaching Australia by boat has fallen by more than half in 2011 compared to 2010. Based on that information, now how concerned are you about the number of asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Very concerned 33% 24% 43% 9%
    Somewhat concerned 25% 27% 30% 11%
    A little concerned 20% 23% 17% 26%
    Not at all concerned 19% 25% 8% 50%
    Don’t know 3% 2% 1% 3%

    When told that the number of asylum seekers arriving by boat had fallen by more than half, 33% said they were very concerned (down 10% from the earlier question), 25% somewhat concerned (up 1%) and 39% a little or not concerned (up 9%).

    The shifts were similar across all demographic groups.

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  • Aug, 2011

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    Preferred Leader of the Labor Party

    Q. If you were able to choose any politician to be leader of the Labor Party, which of the following would you prefer? (This question was commissioned by Network Ten).

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens Men Women Age

    18-34

    Aged

    35-54

    Aged 55+
    Kevin Rudd 37% 43% 36% 35% 40% 33% 40% 39% 30%
    Julia Gillard 12% 31% 2% 24% 10% 13% 12% 12% 12%
    Malcolm Turnbull 11% 6% 17% 7% 12% 10% 10% 9% 15%
    Stephen Smith 7% 6% 9% 2% 7% 6% 3% 6% 12%
    Bob Brown 3% 2% 2% 11% 3% 3% 2% 3% 4%
    Greg Combet 2% 2% 1% 2% 3% 2% 2% 1% 3%
    Bill Shorten 1% 1% 2% 1% 2% 1% 1% 2% 2%
    Don’t know 28% 9% 32% 18% 22% 33% 31% 28% 22%

    37% of respondents prefer Kevin Rudd as leader of the Labor Party, 12% prefer Julia Gillard and 11% Malcolm Turnbull.

    Among Labor voters, 43% prefer Kevin Rudd and 31% Julia Gillard.

    Kevin Rudd is more preferred by younger respondents while those aged 55+ were more likely than the average to prefer Malcolm Turnbull (15%) and Stephen Smith (12%).

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  • Aug, 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 = 1,899

    First preference/leaning to Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week This week
    Liberal 46% 46% 45% 46%
    National 3% 3% 3% 3%
    Total Lib/Nat 43.6 49% 49% 48% 49%
    Labor 38.0 32% 31% 32% 31%
    Greens 11.8 11% 11% 11% 11%
    Other/Independent 6.6 9% 9% 9% 9%
    2PP Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week This week
    Total Lib/Nat 49.9% 56% 56% 55% 56%
    Labor 50.1% 44% 44% 45% 44%

    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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  • Aug, 2011

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    Support for Carbon Pricing Scheme

    Q. Do you support or oppose the Government’s proposal to introduce a carbon pricing scheme from 1 July 2012, which will require industries to pay a tax based on the amount of carbon pollution they emit?

    7 March 14 March 28 March 18 April 23 May 30 May 14 June 11 July 18 July Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total support 35% 38% 34% 39% 41% 38% 38% 35% 39% 39% 77% 12% 82%
    Total oppose 48% 49% 51% 49% 44% 48% 49% 53% 49% 51% 14% 83% 11%
    Strongly support 9% 12% 12% 13% 14% 14% 13% 11% 15% 15% 33% 2% 42%
    Support 26% 26% 22% 26% 27% 24% 25% 24% 24% 24% 44% 10% 40%
    Oppose 19% 17% 19% 15% 15% 19% 19% 19% 16% 19% 9% 26% 6%
    Strongly oppose 29% 32% 32% 34% 29% 29% 30% 34% 33% 32% 5% 57% 5%
    Don’t know 18% 13% 15% 12% 15% 15% 13% 12% 12% 10% 9% 5% 7%

    Opinions of the Government’s carbon pricing scheme have changed little the last time this was surveyed two weeks ago. 39% support (no change) and 51% oppose (down 2%).

    82% of Greens voters and 77% of Labor voters support the scheme and 83% of Liberal/National voters oppose.

    Those aged under 35 are more likely to support the scheme (46% support/39% oppose) and those aged over 55 oppose (36% support/57% oppose).

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