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  • Apr, 2011

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    Opinion of the Greens

    Do you agree or disagree that – the Greens are an extreme political party that does not share the values of average Australians? (Question commissioned by Network Ten)

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

    18-34

    Aged

    35-54

    Aged 55+
    Total agree 52% 44% 74% 7% 60% 44% 41% 51% 65%
    Total disagree 30% 41% 14% 87% 30% 30% 34% 31% 24%
    Strongly agree 23% 12% 39% 29% 17% 16% 21% 34%
    Agree 29% 32% 35% 7% 31% 27% 25% 31% 31%
    Disagree 21% 32% 13% 29% 22% 20% 21% 23% 18%
    Strongly disagree 9% 7% 1% 58% 8% 10% 13% 8% 6%
    Don’t know 18% 17% 12% 7% 9% 27% 25% 18% 11%

    Just over half the respondents (52%) agreed that the Greens are an extreme political party that does not share the values of average Australians and 30% disagree.

    Those most likely to agree were Liberal/National voters (74%), men (60%) and those aged 65+ (65%). Labor voters were split with 44% agree and 41% disagree.

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  • Apr, 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 =1,925

    First preference/leaning to Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week This week
    Liberal 45% 43% 43% 43%
    National 2% 3% 3% 3%
    Total Lib/Nat 43.6 47% 46% 46% 46%
    Labor 38.0 35% 37% 36% 35%
    Greens 11.8 10% 10% 10% 11%
    Other/Independent 6.6 8% 7% 8% 8%
    2PP Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week This week
    Total Lib/Nat 49.9% 54% 52% 53% 53%
    Labor 50.1% 46% 48% 47% 47%

    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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  • Apr, 2011

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    Approval of Julia Gillard

    Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister?

    Kevin Rudd Julia Gillard
    31 May

    2010

    5 Jul 19 Jul 16 Aug 20 Sep 18 Oct 22 Nov 20 Dec 17 Jan 2011 14 Feb 14 Mar 11 Apr
    Total approve 41% 48% 52% 46% 45% 45% 43% 43% 51% 48% 41% 37%
    Total disapprove 47% 27% 30% 40% 37% 37% 38% 40% 36% 41% 46% 50%
    Strongly approve 7% 14% 11% 13% 12% 10% 7% 10% 8% 9% 7% 7%
    Approve 34% 34% 41% 33% 33% 36% 36% 33% 43% 39% 34% 30%
    Disapprove 25% 13% 17% 24% 21% 20% 23% 24% 24% 25% 22% 25%
    Strongly disapprove 22% 14% 13% 16% 16% 17% 15% 16% 12% 16% 24% 25%
    Don’t know 12% 26% 18% 13% 19% 18% 18% 17% 14% 11% 13% 13%

    37% (down 4%) approve of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister and 50% (up 4%) disapprove – a change in net rating from -5 to -13 over the last 4 weeks.

    78% of Labor voters approve (down 9%) and 12% disapprove (up 5%).

    By gender – men 37% approve/53% disapprove, women 36% approve/47% disapprove.

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  • Apr, 2011

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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

    29 Mar 5 Jul 16 Aug 20 Sep 18 Oct 22 Nov 20 Dec 17 Jan 2011 14 Feb 14 Mar 11 Apr
    Total approve 37% 33% 37% 41% 43% 39% 40% 39% 42% 38% 38% 36%
    Total disapprove 37% 50% 47% 44% 37% 45% 40% 39% 37% 46% 47% 48%
    Strongly approve 5% 8% 8% 9% 12% 8% 6% 9% 7% 8% 7% 7%
    Approve 32% 25% 29% 32% 31% 31% 34% 30% 35% 30% 31% 29%
    Disapprove 20% 28% 23% 22% 21% 22% 22% 21% 22% 24% 24% 25%
    Strongly disapprove 17% 22% 24% 22% 16% 23% 18% 18% 15% 22% 23% 23%
    Don’t know 26% 16% 16% 15% 19% 17% 19% 22% 20% 16% 16% 17%

    36% (down 2%) approve of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader and 48% (up 1%) disapprove.

    69% of Coalition voters approve and 17% disapprove.

    By gender – men 40% approve/46% disapprove, women 31% approve/48% disapprove.

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  • Apr, 2011

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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 20 Sep 20 Dec 17 Jan 2011 14 Feb 2011 14 Mar 2011 11 Apr 2011 Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens Kevin Rudd v Tony Abbott

    21 Jun 10

    Julia Gillard 53% 47% 45% 47% 48% 44% 42% 86% 8% 75% 47%
    Tony Abbott 26% 35% 34% 32% 31% 33% 33% 2% 72% 5% 30%
    Don’t know 21% 18% 21% 21% 20% 23% 24% 12% 20% 20% 23%

    42% believe Julia Gillard would make the better Prime Minister and 33% prefer Tony Abbott – a net decrease for Julia Gillard of 2% on last month’s figures (from +11% to +9%).

    Men favour Julia Gillard over Tony Abbott 42%/38% and women 42%/29%.

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  • Apr, 2011

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    Reason for Budget Deficit

    Q. The Federal Government is currently running a budget deficit, but intends to return to surplus in 2012-13. Which of the following do you think is most responsible for the deficit?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Poor economic management by the Government 23% 5% 43% 8%
    The cost of the Government’s GFC stimulus packages 19% 19% 20% 21%
    Big companies not paying their fair share of taxes 17% 29% 6% 30%
    Spending on big projects like the National Broadband Network 14% 8% 18% 10%
    Lower tax revenues because of the Global Financial Crisis 13% 25% 4% 19%
    Don’t know 15% 14% 9% 11%

    Overall, respondents believe the main reasons for the budget deficit are poor economic management by the Government (23%), the cost of the Government’s GFC stimulus (19%) and big companies not paying their fair share of taxes (17%).

    Labor voters were most likely to blame big companies not paying their fair share of taxes (29%) and lower tax revenues because of the GFC (25%) while Liberal/National voters blame poor economic management by the Government (43%). Greens voters tended to blame big companies not paying their fair share of taxes (30%).

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  • Apr, 2011

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    Measures to Return to Surplus

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

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Increase taxes for big corporations 63% 79% 51% 77%
    Reduce tax breaks for high income earners 51% 57% 46% 67%
    Cut “middle class welfare” such as the Baby Bonus, first home buyers grant and Family Tax Benefit payments 36% 33% 41% 39%
    Reduce defence spending 32% 36% 26% 51%
    Cut spending on unemployment and disability benefits 21% 15% 31% 11%
    It does not need to return to surplus so quickly 38% 39% 36% 57%

    Overall, the most favoured means of returning the budget to surplus were increasing taxes for big corporations (63%) and reducing tax breaks for high income earners (51%). Both these measures were strongly favoured by Labor and Greens voters.

    Although support was less strong, these two measures were also the most preferred among Liberal/National voters.

    Note, although 38% thought that the budget does not need to return to surplus so quickly, some of these respondents also agreed with some of the measures listed.

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  • Apr, 2011

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    Tony Abbott’s Welfare Proposal

    Q. Tony Abbott has proposed changes to Australia’s welfare system – including cutting back the pension for people whose disabilities can be treated, suspending the dole for young people in areas where job vacancies have not been filled and making work-for-the-dole mandatory for those under 50 receiving unemployment benefits for more than six months.

    Do you think Tony Abbott’s proposal will significantly reduce unemployment in Australia or will it just make things more difficult for the unemployed and people on disability benefits?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Will reduce unemployment 36% 18% 61% 20%
    Will just make things difficult for the unemployed and people on disability benefits 47% 67% 24% 74%
    Don’t know 17% 15% 16% 6%

    36% believe that Tony Abbott’s changes to the welfare system will reduce unemployment and 47% think they will just make things difficult for the unemployed and people on disability benefits.

    The only groups more likely to think it would reduce unemployment were Liberal/National voters (61%/21%), full-time workers (43%/39%)and those on income over $1,600 pw (48%/36%). 59% of those on incomes under $1,000 pw agreed that it will just make things difficult for the unemployed and people on disability benefits.

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