Party Trust to Handle Issues
Q. Which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?
|
Liberal |
Labor |
Greens |
Don’t know |
|
Difference |
|
Difference June 2014 |
|
| Management of the economy |
42% |
25% |
5% |
28% |
+17 |
+13 |
||
| Ensuring a quality education for all children |
28% |
38% |
8% |
26% |
-10 |
-15 |
||
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system |
28% |
38% |
7% |
27% |
-10 |
-13 |
||
| Protecting the environment |
17% |
16% |
42% |
25% |
-25 |
-22 |
||
| A fair industrial relations system |
28% |
38% |
6% |
28% |
-10 |
-11 |
||
| Political leadership |
32% |
25% |
5% |
37% |
+7 |
+6 |
||
| Addressing climate change |
18% |
19% |
36% |
28% |
-17 |
-12 |
||
| Controlling interest rates |
36% |
23% |
5% |
37% |
+13 |
+12 |
||
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries |
28% |
37% |
6% |
29% |
-9 |
-12 |
||
| Ensuring a quality water supply |
25% |
19% |
26% |
31% |
+6 |
+5 |
||
| Housing affordability |
25% |
31% |
7% |
37% |
-6 |
-4 |
||
| Ensuring a fair taxation system |
31% |
33% |
6% |
31% |
-2 |
+1 |
||
| Security and the war on terrorism |
41% |
22% |
4% |
33% |
+19 |
+16 |
||
| Treatment of asylum seekers |
33% |
20% |
18% |
29% |
+13 |
+17 |
||
| Managing population growth |
32% |
20% |
9% |
39% |
+12 |
+10 |
Note – Differences are calculated by subtracting Labor % from Liberal % – except for the two issues on which the Greens lead in which case it is Liberal minus Greens.
The Liberal Party is trusted more to handle security and the war on terrorism (+19), management of the economy (+17), controlling interest rates (+13) and treatment of asylum seekers (+13). The Labor Party is trusted more to handle a quality education for all children (-10), ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system (-10), a fair industrial relations system (-10) and Australian jobs and protection of local industries (-9).
There have been no substantial movements since this question was asked in June. Main changes have been an improvement for the Liberal Party on education (up net 5 points), the economy (up 4) and treatment of asylum seekers (down 4).
Importance of environmental issues
Q. How important are the following environmental issues to you?
|
Total import-ant |
Total not import-ant |
|
Very import-ant |
Moder-ately import-ant |
|
Import -ant Vote Labor |
Import -ant Vote Lib/ Nat |
Import -ant Vote Greens |
Import -ant Vote Other |
|
| Protecting the Great Barrier Reef |
91% |
7% |
58% |
33% |
94% |
89% |
94% |
90% |
||
| Protecting endangered species |
87% |
11% |
49% |
38% |
91% |
83% |
89% |
87% |
||
| Cutting air and water pollution |
87% |
11% |
46% |
41% |
91% |
83% |
89% |
85% |
||
| Protecting native forests |
86% |
11% |
45% |
41% |
91% |
83% |
91% |
87% |
||
| Deforestation (for timber and paper) |
80% |
17% |
35% |
45% |
83% |
76% |
77% |
76% |
||
| Strengthen environmental protection laws |
77% |
20% |
35% |
42% |
84% |
69% |
88% |
79% |
||
| Deforestation (for palm oil products) |
74% |
22% |
37% |
37% |
78% |
67% |
82% |
75% |
||
| Population growth |
73% |
25% |
33% |
40% |
72% |
77% |
67% |
74% |
||
| Addressing climate change |
71% |
27% |
37% |
34% |
84% |
57% |
85% |
67% |
The most important environmental issues were protecting the Great Barrier Reef (91%), protecting endangered species (87%), cutting air and water pollution (87%) and protecting native forests (86%). All issues were thought to be important by over 70% of respondents.
The ranking of issues was similar across party voting groups except for –
- Addressing climate change, which was rated more important by Labor voters (84%) and Greens voters (85%) but lower by Liberal/National voters (57%).
- Strengthen environmental protection laws, which was rated more important by Labor voters (84%) and Greens voters (88%).
Population growth, which was rated more important by Liberal/National voters (77%).
Party trust to handle issues
Q. Which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?
|
Labor |
Liberal |
Greens |
Don’t know |
|
Difference 11 Feb 14 |
Difference 19 Nov 13 |
|
| Management of the economy |
27% |
46% |
2% |
25% |
-19 |
-26 |
|
| Ensuring a quality education for all children |
39% |
32% |
5% |
25% |
+7 |
+2 |
|
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system |
35% |
33% |
6% |
26% |
+2 |
-1 |
|
| Protecting the environment |
17% |
22% |
37% |
23% |
+15 |
+14 |
|
| A fair industrial relations system |
37% |
32% |
3% |
28% |
+5 |
+2 |
|
| Political leadership |
26% |
39% |
4% |
31% |
-13 |
-23 |
|
| Addressing climate change |
20% |
25% |
28% |
27% |
+3 |
+5 |
|
| Controlling interest rates |
25% |
42% |
3% |
30% |
-17 |
-21 |
|
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries |
34% |
32% |
4% |
30% |
+2 |
-7 |
|
| Ensuring a quality water supply |
20% |
30% |
21% |
29% |
-10 |
-13 |
|
| Housing affordability |
28% |
30% |
5% |
37% |
-2 |
-6 |
|
| Ensuring a fair taxation system |
29% |
35% |
4% |
32% |
-6 |
-11 |
|
| Security and the war on terrorism |
23% |
39% |
3% |
35% |
-16 |
-22 |
|
| Treatment of asylum seekers |
20% |
36% |
15% |
29% |
-16 |
-18 |
|
| Managing population growth |
21% |
32% |
8% |
38% |
-11 |
-19 |
Note – Differences are calculated by subtracting Liberal % from Labor % – except for the two issues on which the Greens lead in which case it is Greens minus Liberal.
The Liberal Party is trusted more to handle management of the economy (-19), controlling interest rates (-17), security and the war on terrorism (-16) and treatment of asylum seekers (-16). The Labor Party is trusted more to handle a quality education for all children (+7) and a fair industrial relations system (+5).
Since this question was asked in November, the Labor Party has improved its position on all issues – especially political leadership (up 10%), Australian jobs and protection of local industries (up 9%), managing population growth (up 8%) and managing the economy (up 7%).
Approval of Marine Reserves
Q. The Federal Government recently announced plans to protect large areas of Australia’s marine environment in a network of marine reserves. Do you approve or disapprove of these plans?
|
Total
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Total approve |
70% |
79% |
62% |
89% |
| Total disapprove |
13% |
8% |
22% |
1% |
| Strongly approve |
35% |
45% |
23% |
64% |
| Approve |
35% |
34% |
39% |
25% |
| Disapprove |
9% |
6% |
15% |
1% |
| Strongly disapprove |
4% |
2% |
7% |
– |
| Don’t know |
16% |
13% |
16% |
10% |
70% approved of the Federal Government’s plans to protect large areas of Australia’s marine environment in a network of marine reserves and 13% disapproved.
Approval was similar across all demographic groups – no group recorded approval lower than 65%.
Concern About Climate Change
Q. Over the last 2 years, have you become more concerned or less concerned about the environmental effects of global warming or do you feel about the same as you did 2 years ago? (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+ | |
| Total more concerned | 46% | 61% | 35% | 72% | 45% | 47% | 55% | 42% | 42% |
| Total less concerned | 11% | 4% | 19% | 2% | 16% | 6% | 12% | 11% | 10% |
| Much more concerned | 15% | 23% | 7% | 36% | 14% | 16% | 16% | 14% | 16% |
| A little more concerned | 31% | 38% | 28% | 36% | 31% | 31% | 39% | 28% | 26% |
| A little less concerned | 5% | 3% | 8% | 1% | 7% | 3% | 6% | 6% | 3% |
| Much less concerned | 6% | 1% | 11% | 1% | 9% | 3% | 6% | 5% | 7% |
| About the same | 40% | 32% | 45% | 24% | 35% | 45% | 29% | 43% | 48% |
| Don’t know | 3% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 5% | * |
46% say they have become more concerned about the effects of global warming over the last 2 years, 11% are less concerned and 40% say they feel about the same.
Those more likely to be more concerned are Labor voters (61%), Greens voters (72%) and those aged under 35 (55%).
Those more likely to feel about the same are Liberal/National voters (45%), women (45%) and those aged 55+ (48%).
Important election issues
Q. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election?
| Total | Labor | Liberal/ National | Green | |
| Management of the economy | 61% | 60% | 76% | 28% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 26% | 29% | 24% | 27% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 49% | 50% | 50% | 51% |
| Protecting the environment | 15% | 17% | 10% | 52% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 8% | 12% | 4% | 4% |
| Political leadership | 17% | 16% | 20% | 16% |
| Addressing climate change | 15% | 23% | 6% | 45% |
| Controlling interest rates | 13% | 15% | 13% | 6% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 32% | 28% | 36% | 12% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 5% | 5% | 3% | 7% |
| Housing affordability | 16% | 16% | 13% | 16% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 17% | 14% | 19% | 16% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 8% | 4% | 13% | 1% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 5% | 3% | 5% | 12% |
| Managing population growth | 12% | 12% | 12% | 9% |
There were few substantial differences between voters on issues they considered important. Compared to the average, Labor voters are more likely to rate addressing climate change (23%) as important.
Liberal/National voters attach more importance to management of the economy (76%) and security and the war on terrorism (13%) while Greens voters are more likely to nominate protecting the environment (52%), addressing climate change (45%) and treatment of asylum seekers (12%).
Party trusted to handle important election issues
Q. And which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?
| Labor | Liberal | Greens | Don’t know | |
| Management of the economy | 29% | 47% | 3% | 22% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 38% | 35% | 5% | 23% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 33% | 35% | 6% | 25% |
| Protecting the environment | 18% | 21% | 39% | 23% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 40% | 31% | 4% | 24% |
| Political leadership | 26% | 38% | 5% | 31% |
| Addressing climate change | 21% | 24% | 29% | 26% |
| Controlling interest rates | 26% | 44% | 3% | 28% |
| Protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 35% | 35% | 4% | 26% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 21% | 28% | 22% | 29% |
| Housing affordability | 26% | 34% | 4% | 35% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 29% | 37% | 4% | 30% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 25% | 40% | 3% | 32% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 19% | 39% | 11% | 31% |
| Managing population growth | 21% | 36% | 7% | 36% |
Labor is the most trusted party on only one issue – a fair industrial relations system. There is little difference between Labor and the Liberals for ensuring a quality education for all children, ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system and protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries.
This represents a weakening in Labor’s position over the last few months. In January Labor was trusted most to handle ensuring a quality education for all children and in October Labor also had a significant lead on protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries.
Most important environmental problem
Q. Which of these do you think is the most important environmental problem facing Australia today?
Q. And which would you say is the second most important?
| Most important | Second most important | Total | |
| Water supply | 33% | 20% | 53% |
| The health of rivers and waterways | 17% | 21% | 38% |
| Pollution | 14% | 17% | 31% |
| Climate change | 16% | 14% | 30% |
| Loss of native habitat | 8% | 11% | 19% |
| Logging of native forests | 4% | 8% | 12% |
| Greenhouse gases | 2% | 6% | 8% |
| Don’t know | 6% | 2% | 6% |
Water supply (53%) and the health of rivers and waterways (38%) were considered the most important environmental problems facing Australia today.
Younger respondents were more likely to nominate climate change (36% of aged under 45) while 47% of those aged 45+ nominated the health of rivers and waterways. Water supply was the top issue for all segments except Green voters who nominated climate change as their most important issue (51%).
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Essential Report
In this week's report:
- Federal voting intention
- Leader attributes: Scott Morrison
- Federal government response to Covid-19
- State government response to Covid-19
- Uptake of a Covid-19 vaccine
- Reason those who would get vaccinated against Covid-19 have not been vaccinated yet
- Speed of NSW lockdown
- Time for Covid-19 milestones to occur for NSW
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