Approval of Julia Gillard
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister?
|
19 Jul 2010 |
20 Dec 2010 |
14 Mar 2011 |
14 June |
12 Sept |
12 Dec |
16 Jan 2012 |
13 Feb |
12 Mar |
16 Apr |
14 May |
Total approve |
52% |
43% |
41% |
34% |
28% |
34% |
37% |
36% |
32% |
32% |
31% |
Total disapprove |
30% |
40% |
46% |
54% |
64% |
54% |
52% |
53% |
61% |
58% |
60% |
Strongly approve |
11% |
10% |
7% |
6% |
5% |
6% |
6% |
6% |
8% |
7% |
5% |
Approve |
41% |
33% |
34% |
28% |
23% |
28% |
31% |
30% |
24% |
25% |
26% |
Disapprove |
17% |
24% |
22% |
29% |
28% |
25% |
27% |
26% |
29% |
31% |
26% |
Strongly disapprove |
13% |
16% |
24% |
25% |
36% |
29% |
25% |
27% |
32% |
27% |
34% |
Don’t know |
18% |
17% |
13% |
13% |
8% |
11% |
12% |
11% |
7% |
10% |
10% |
Julia Gillard’s approval rating has changed little since last month. 31% (down 1%) approve of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister and 60% (up 2%) disapprove – a change in net rating from -26 to -29 over the last 4 weeks.
69% of Labor voters approve (up 2%) and 24% disapprove (up 3%).
By gender – men 31% approve/61% disapprove, women 30% approve/58% disapprove.
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 2011 |
14 June |
12 Sept |
12 Dec |
16 Jan 2012 |
13 Feb |
12 Mar |
16 Apr |
14 May |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
Julia Gillard |
53% |
44% |
41% |
36% |
39% |
39% |
41% |
40% |
38% |
38% |
83% |
4% |
69% |
Tony Abbott |
26% |
33% |
36% |
40% |
35% |
36% |
34% |
37% |
36% |
37% |
3% |
79% |
5% |
Don’t know |
21% |
23% |
24% |
24% |
26% |
25% |
25% |
23% |
25% |
24% |
15% |
17% |
27% |
38% (no change) believe Julia Gillard would make the better Prime Minister and 37% (up 1%) prefer Tony Abbott – a net change from +2% to +1% for Julia Gillard.
Men prefer Tony Abbott 39%/37% and women prefer Julia Gillard 39%/36%.
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.
Approval of Julia Gillard
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister?
|
19 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 |
52% |
43% |
41% |
34% |
28% |
34% |
37% |
34% |
37% |
36% |
32% |
Total disapprove |
30% |
40% |
46% |
54% |
64% |
59% |
55% |
54% |
52% |
53% |
61% |
Strongly approve |
11% |
10% |
7% |
6% |
5% |
7% |
8% |
6% |
6% |
6% |
8% |
Approve |
41% |
33% |
34% |
28% |
23% |
27% |
29% |
28% |
31% |
30% |
24% |
Disapprove |
17% |
24% |
22% |
29% |
28% |
27% |
25% |
25% |
27% |
26% |
29% |
Strongly disapprove |
13% |
16% |
24% |
25% |
36% |
32% |
30% |
29% |
25% |
27% |
32% |
Don’t know |
18% |
17% |
13% |
13% |
8% |
7% |
9% |
11% |
12% |
11% |
7% |
Julia Gillard’s approval rating has dropped substantially since last month. 32% (down 4%) approve of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister and 61% (up 8%) disapprove – a change in net rating from -17 to -29 over the last 4 weeks. This is her lowest rating since September.
75% of Labor voters approve (down 4%) and 20% disapprove (up 6%).
By gender – men 32% approve/62% disapprove, women 32% approve/60% disapprove.
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%.
Approval of Julia Gillard
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister?
19 Jul 2010 | 20 Dec 2010 | 14 Mar
2011 |
14 June | 12 Sept | 17 Oct | 14 Nov | 12 Dec | 16 Jan 2012 | 13 Feb | |
Total approve | 52% | 43% | 41% | 34% | 28% | 34% | 37% | 34% | 37% | 36% |
Total disapprove | 30% | 40% | 46% | 54% | 64% | 59% | 55% | 54% | 52% | 53% |
Strongly approve | 11% | 10% | 7% | 6% | 5% | 7% | 8% | 6% | 6% | 6% |
Approve | 41% | 33% | 34% | 28% | 23% | 27% | 29% | 28% | 31% | 30% |
Disapprove | 17% | 24% | 22% | 29% | 28% | 27% | 25% | 25% | 27% | 26% |
Strongly disapprove | 13% | 16% | 24% | 25% | 36% | 32% | 30% | 29% | 25% | 27% |
Don’t know | 18% | 17% | 13% | 13% | 8% | 7% | 9% | 11% | 12% | 11% |
Julia Gillard’s approval rating has remained much the same as last month. 36% (down 1%) approve of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister and 53% (up 1%) disapprove – a change in net rating from -15 to -17 over the last 4 weeks.
79% of Labor voters approve (up 3%) and 14% disapprove (down 1%).
By gender – men 39% approve/53% disapprove, women 34% approve/52% disapprove.
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 | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
Julia Gillard | 53% | 44% | 41% | 36% | 38% | 41% | 39% | 39% | 41% | 85% | 5% | 76% |
Tony Abbott | 26% | 33% | 36% | 40% | 39% | 36% | 35% | 36% | 34% | 3% | 73% | 7% |
Don’t know | 21% | 23% | 24% | 24% | 23% | 24% | 26% | 25% | 25% | 12% | 22% | 17% |
41% (up 2%) believe Julia Gillard would make the better Prime Minister and 34% (down 2%) prefer Tony Abbott – a net change from +3% to +7% for Julia Gillard. This is Julia Gillard’s best result since May last year.
Men prefer Julia Gillard 42%/37% and women favour Julia Gillard 40%/32%.
Australia’s Best Prime Minister
Q. Choosing from the following list, who do you think has been Australia’s best Prime Minister?
Term of office | Total
19 Jan 2009 |
Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Aged 18-34 | Aged 35-54 | Aged 55+ | |
John Curtin | 7 Oct 1941 – 5 Jul 1945 | 4% | 2% | 4% | 1% | 3% | 1% | 2% | 3% |
Ben Chifley | 13 Jul 1945 – 19 Dec 1949 | 2% | 1% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 3% |
Robert Menzies | 19 Dec 1949 – 26 Jan 1966 | 11% | 11% | 4% | 18% | 4% | 4% | 8% | 21% |
Harold Holt | 26 Jan 1966 – 19 Dec 1967 | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | – | 1% | 1% | – |
John Gorton | 10 Jan 1968 – 10 Mar1971 | 1% | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
William McMahon | 10 Mar 1971 – 5 Dec 1972 | 1% | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Gough Whitlam | 5 Dec 1972 – 11 Nov 1975 | 9% | 9% | 15% | 1% | 18% | 8% | 9% | 10% |
Malcolm Fraser | 11 Nov 1975 – 11 Mar 1983 | 3% | 3% | 1% | 3% | 6% | – | 3% | 6% |
Bob Hawke | 11 Mar 1983 – 20 Dec 1991 | 12% | 15% | 23% | 5% | 22% | 12% | 21% | 10% |
Paul Keating | 20 Dec 1991 – 11 Mar 1996 | 8% | 6% | 12% | 2% | 10% | 7% | 6% | 4% |
John Howard | 11 Mar 1996 – 3 Dec 2007 | 28% | 33% | 8% | 61% | 5% | 33% | 31% | 35% |
Kevin Rudd | 3 Dec 2007 – 24 Jun 2010 | 20% | 15% | 21% | 6% | 27% | 25% | 15% | 6% |
Julia Gillard | 24 Jun 2010 – present | na | 3% | 8% | – | 4% | 6% | 2% | 2% |
Note: Percentages based on those who gave an answer.
33% thought that John Howard has been Australia’s best Prime Minister, 15% chose Kevin Rudd and 15% Bob Hawke.
Among Liberal/National voters, 61% chose John Howard and 18% Robert Menzies. With 23%, Bob Hawke received the highest rating from Labor voters, just ahead of Kevin Rudd on 21% with Gough Whitlam on 15%. Greens voters favoured Kevin Rudd (27%) and Bob Hawke (22%).
While John Howard received similar scores across age groups, the 18-34 group were more likely to favour Kevin Rudd (25%), the 35-54’s Bob Hawke (21%) and the 55+ group Robert Menzies (21%). Compared to the results when this question was asked 3 years ago (when Kevin Rudd was Prime Minister), John Howard (+5%) and Bob Hawke (+3%) have improved their ratings while Kevin Rudd’s has dropped 5%.

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