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  • Apr, 2012

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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 = 1,904 respondents

    First preference/leaning to

    Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago

    5/3/12

    2 weeks ago

    19/3/12

    Last week

    26/3/12

    This week

    2/4/12

    Liberal

    47%

    45%

    45%

    46%

    National

    3%

    3%

    3%

    3%

    Total Lib/Nat

    43.6%

    49%

    48%

    47%

    48%

    Labor

    38.0%

    32%

    32%

    34%

    33%

    Greens

    11.8%

    10%

    11%

    10%

    11%

    Other/Independent

    6.6%

    9%

    9%

    9%

    8%

     

    2PP

    Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago

    2 weeks ago

    Last week

    This week

    Total Lib/Nat

    49.9%

    56%

    56%

    54%

    55%

    Labor

    50.1%

    44%

    44%

    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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  • Apr, 2012

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    Opinion of Superannuation Increase

    Q. Do you support or oppose the Federal Government’s plan to increase superannuation payments from nine per cent to 12 per cent by 2019-20?

     

    23 May 2011

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Total support

    69%

    69%

    80%

    66%

    72%

    Total oppose

    13%

    13%

    7%

    19%

    7%

    Strongly support

    21%

    29%

    43%

    25%

    25%

    Support

    48%

    40%

    37%

    41%

    47%

    Oppose

    10%

    8%

    4%

    12%

    3%

    Strongly oppose

    3%

    5%

    3%

    7%

    4%

    Don’t know

    18%

    18%

    13%

    16%

    22%

    69% support the Federal Government’s plan to increase superannuation payments from nine per cent to 12 per cent by 2019-20 and 13% oppose – no change since this question was asked in May last year. However, the strength of support has increased with 29% strongly supporting the measure (up 8%).

    Support is higher for those aged 35-54 (76%), full-time workers (76%) and those earning over $1,600pw (77%).

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  • Apr, 2012

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    Cost of Superannuation for Employers

    Q. In the next two years employer superannuation payments will increase by 0.25% per year, and then by 0.5% each year up to 2019 when it reaches 12%. Do you agree or disagree that these increases are reasonable and affordable for employers or should employees bear the cost by accepting lower pay rises?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    This is a reasonable and affordable cost for employers

    58%

    68%

    50%

    62%

    Employees should bear the cost by accepting lower pay rises

    19%

    12%

    26%

    14%

    Don’t know

    23%

    20%

    23%

    24%

    58% think that the yearly superannuation increases are a reasonable and affordable cost for employers and 19% think employees should bear the cost by accepting lower pay rises.

    Those most likely to think the increases are a reasonable and affordable cost for employers were aged 25-44 (67%), full-time workers (66%) and those earning over $1,0000pw (64%).

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  • Apr, 2012

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    Attributes to describe the Prime Minister

    Q.  Which of the following describe your opinion of the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard?

     

    5 Jul 10

    4 Oct 10

    7 Feb 11

    27 Jun 11

    2 Apr 12

    Difference

    Intelligent

    87%

    81%

    75%

    73%

    61%

    -12%

    Hard-working

    89%

    82%

    76%

    75%

    65%

    -10%

    A capable leader

    72%

    59%

    52%

    42%

    38%

    -4%

    Arrogant

    37%

    39%

    44%

    48%

    53%

    +5%

    Out of touch with ordinary people

    35%

    44%

    50%

    60%

    65%

    +5%

    Understands the problems facing Australia

    68%

    55%

    52%

    44%

    41%

    -3%

    Visionary

    48%

    38%

    30%

    26%

    25%

    -1%

    Superficial

    51%

    52%

    54%

    +2%

    Good in a crisis

    61%

    46%

    46%

    41%

    36%

    -5%

    Narrow-minded

    28%

    35%

    43%

    46%

    53%

    +7%

    More honest than most politicians

    45%

    37%

    37%

    29%

    26%

    -3%

    Trustworthy

    49%

    42%

    40%

    30%

    25%

    -5%

    Julia Gillard’s key attributes were hard-working (65%), out of touch with ordinary people (65%) and intelligent (61%).

    Major changes since this question was asked in June last year were decreases for intelligent (-12%), hard-working (-10%) and an increase of 7% for narrow-minded.

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  • Apr, 2012

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    Attributes to describe the Opposition Leader

    Q.  Which of the following describe your opinion of the Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott?

     

     

    5 Jul 10

    4 Oct 10

    7 Feb 11

    27 Jun 11

    2 Apr 12

    Change

    Intelligent

    70%

    71%

    64%

    61%

    56%

    -5%

    Hard-working

    76%

    78%

    72%

    75%

    68%

    -7%

    A capable leader

    47%

    52%

    48%

    45%

    41%

    -4%

    Arrogant

    59%

    60%

    58%

    60%

    61%

    +1%

    Out of touch with ordinary people

    57%

    53%

    54%

    57%

    54%

    -3%

    Understands the problems facing Australia

    50%

    53%

    50%

    48%

    49%

    +1%

    Visionary

    32%

    31%

    27%

    27%

    26%

    -1%

    Superficial

    45%

    49%

    49%

    Good in a crisis

    40%

    42%

    41%

    40%

    36%

    -4%

    Narrow-minded

    56%

    53%

    51%

    54%

    54%

    More honest than most politicians

    33%

    32%

    31%

    32%

    30%

    -2%

    Trustworthy

    33%

    35%

    34%

    32%

    32%

    Tony Abbott’s key attributes were hard-working (68%), arrogant (61%) and intelligent (56%).

    Major changes since this question was asked in June last year were decreases for hard-working (-7%) and intelligent (-5%).

    Comments »

  • Apr, 2012

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    Comparison of Leader Attributes

     

    Julia Gillard

    Tony Abbott

    Difference

    Intelligent

    61%

    56%

    +5%

    Hard-working

    65%

    68%

    -3%

    A capable leader

    38%

    41%

    -3%

    Arrogant

    53%

    61%

    -8%

    Out of touch with ordinary people

    65%

    54%

    +11%

    Understands the problems facing Australia

    41%

    49%

    -8%

    Visionary

    25%

    26%

    -1%

    Superficial

    54%

    49%

    +5%

    Good in a crisis

    36%

    36%

    Narrow-minded

    53%

    54%

    -1%

    More honest than most politicians

    26%

    30%

    -4%

    Trustworthy

    25%

    32%

    -7%

    Julia Gillard rates higher than Tony Abbott on out of touch with ordinary people (+11%), intelligent (+5%) and superficial (+5%).

    She rates lower than Tony Abbott on arrogant (-8%), understands the problems facing Australia (-8%) and trustworthy (-7%).

    Comments »

  • Apr, 2012

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    Size of Government

    Q.  Overall, do you think Government in Australia is too large and tries to do too much?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Government is too large

    44%

    32%

    55%

    32%

    Government is not too large

    28%

    44%

    20%

    31%

    Don’t know

    28%

    24%

    25%

    37%

    44% think that Government in Australia is too large and tries to do too much and 28% think it is not too large.

    Those most likely to think Government is too large were men (55%), aged 55+ (58%), and Liberal/National voters (55%).

    Those most likely to think Government is not too large were aged under 35 (36%) and Labor voters (44%).

    Comments »

  • Apr, 2012

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    Type of Government

    Q. Which of the following statements is closest to your view?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    An active Government is necessary to provide important public services, and to protect ordinary Australians from unfair policies and practices on the part of large financial and/or industrial groups.

    67%

    82%

    59%

    82%

    We don’t need big government and extensive regulation of business and finance to take care of these matters:  the market itself can deal with many of these issues on their own.

    20%

    10%

    28%

    11%

    Don’t know

    13%

    8%

    13%

    8%

    67% agree more that an active Government is necessary and 20% agree more with the view that the market can deal with many issues.

    Strongest support for an active Government came from Labor and Greens voters (82%), women (70%) and aged under 25 (77%).

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