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  • Jul, 2010

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    Approval of MRRT

     Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the new mining tax (called the Minerals Resource Rent Tax) recently negotiated between the Government and major mining companies?

    Total approve 50%
    Total disapprove 28%
    Strongly approve 13%
    Approve 37%
    Disapprove 18%
    Strongly disapprove 10%
    Don’t know 22%

     50% of respondents approved the new mining tax negotiated with the mining companies and 28% disapproved. Labor voters approved 75% to 10% and Greens voters approved 52% to 26%. 33% of Liberal/National voters approved and 53% disapproved. Comments »

  • Jul, 2010

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    Performance of PM over MRRT

     Q. How would you rate the job Prime Minister Julia Gillard has done in handling the mining tax issue?

    Total good 58%
    Total poor 25%
    Very good 14%
    Good 44%
    Poor 15%
    Very poor 10%
    Don’t know 16%

     58% rated the Prime Minister’s handling of the mining tax issue as good and 25% rated it poor. Labor voters rated it 87% good and 6% poor and Greens voters rated it 60% good and 27% poor. 40% of Liberal/National voters rated it good and 49% poor. Comments »

  • Jun, 2010

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    Resources Super Profits Tax

    Q. Which of the following approaches do you think the Government should take in their dispute with the mining companies over the proposed resources super profits tax?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Proceed with the tax as planned 11% 17% 4% 17%
    Compromise a little and make minor changes to the tax 35% 52% 18% 62%
    Compromise a lot and make major changes to the tax 26% 20% 41% 7%
    Not proceed with the tax in any form 14% 3% 30% 5%
    Don’t know 14% 8% 7% 8

    Nearly half the respondents (46%) believe that the Government should proceed with the resources super profits tax unchanged or with minor changes. Only 14% oppose that tax in any form and 26% think the Government should make major changes to the tax.

    69% of Labor voters want the tax to proceed unchanged or with minor changes as does 79% of Greens voters. 41% of Liberal/National voters want major changes and 30% do not want the tax in any form. Comments »

  • Jun, 2010

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    RSPT

    Q. Which of the following statements is closest to your view in relation to the Government’s proposed resources super profits tax?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat
    The new tax will result in mining companies cutting back on their investments in Australia and there will be a significant loss of Australian jobs 42% 16% 72%
    Mining companies will continue to make large profits. They are just trying to avoid paying their fair share of tax. 40% 69% 16%
    Don’t know 17% 15% 11%

    Respondents were split over which statement best described their view of the Government’s proposed resources super profits tax – 42% agreed “the new tax will result in mining companies cutting back on their investments in Australia and there will be a significant loss of Australian jobs” and 40% agreed “mining companies will continue to make large profits. They are just trying to avoid paying their fair share of tax”.

    Opinions were strongly related to party preference – 69% of Labor voters agreed that “mining companies will continue to make large profits. They are just trying to avoid paying their fair share of tax” and 72% of Liberal/National voters agreed that “the new tax will result in mining companies cutting back on their investments in Australia and there will be a significant loss of Australian jobs”.

    53% of those on low incomes (<$600pw) agreed that “mining companies will continue to make large profits. They are just trying to avoid paying their fair share of tax”. Comments »

  • Jun, 2010

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    Mining Tax Advertising

     Q. Thinking about the proposed resources super profits tax and the current advertising by the Government and the mining companies, who is more believable – the Government or the mining companies?

      Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens Vote Other/Ind.
    The Government 33% 62% 9% 51% 28%
    The mining companies 36% 11% 68% 20% 37%
    Don’t know 31% 28% 23% 29% 35%

     Respondents were divided over the believability of advertising by the Government and the mining industry of the proposed resources super profits tax.

     36% think the mining companies’ advertising is more believable and 33% think the Government’s is more believable. 31% don’t know which is more believable.

     Opinions are closely associated with voting intention. 62% of Labor voters think the Government’s advertising is more believable and 68% of Liberal/National voters favour the mining companies’. Greens voters are more likely to believe the Government (51%/20%).

    There is a significant difference in opinion by gender – men are more likely to believe the Government (Govt. 41%/Mining cos. 36%/Don’t know 24%) and women more likely to believe the mining companies or say they don’t know (26%/35%/38%). Comments »

  • May, 2010

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    View of Kevin Rudd

    If a little less or much less favourable –

    Q. And which of the following would you say has been the main reason for your view of Kevin Rudd and the Labor Government becoming less favourable in recent weeks?

    Not honouring their election commitments 24%
    Too much spending 15%
    Too soft on asylum seekers 15%
    Problems with insulation and school building programs 13%
    The 40% tax on mining companies 12%
    Postponing introduction of ETS to address climate change 7%
    Too tough on asylum seekers 4%
    Some other reason 7%
    No particular reason 6%

     Sample size = 642

    Of those who had a less favourable view of Kevin Rudd and the Labor Government, 24% said their main reason was not honouring their election commitments, 15% too much spending and 15% thought the Government was too soft on asylum seekers.

    Among Labor voters the main reasons were not honouring election commitments (30%) and problems with the insulation and school building programs (14%).

    For Coalition voters the main reasons were not honouring election commitments (27%), the 40% tax on mining companies (18%) and too much spending (17%).

    For Greens voters the main reasons were postponing the introduction of the ETS (34%) and problems with then insulation and school building programs (16%). Comments »

  • May, 2010

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    View of Tony Abbott

    If a little more or much more favourable –

    Q. And which of the following would you say has been the main reason for your view of Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party becoming more favourable in recent weeks?

    Tony Abbott is more in touch with ordinary Australians 21%
    They would cut Government spending 20%
    They oppose the 40% tax on mining companies 15%
    They would be tough on asylum seekers 12%
    Liberal Party is more united under Tony Abbott 11%
    They oppose introduction of ETS to address climate change 9%
    Some other reason 4%
    No particular reason 8%

    Sample size = 269

    The main reasons for having a more favourable view of Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party were that Tony Abbott is more in touch with ordinary Australians (21%) and the Liberals would cut Government spending (20%). Opposing the 40% tax on mining companies rated third with 15%.

    For Coalition voters the main reasons were that Tony Abbott is more in touch with ordinary Australians (24%) and the Liberals would cut Government spending (24%).

    27% of those on higher incomes (over $1,000 pw) said Tony Abbott is more in touch with ordinary Australians compared to 12% of those on lower incomes (under $1,000 pw). Comments »

  • May, 2010

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    RSPT – Support

    Q. The Government has proposed a resources super profits tax- which is a 40% tax on the large profits of mining companies – in order to fund a reduction in company tax, assistance for small business and an increase in superannuation.  Do you support or oppose this tax?

    Total support 43%
    Total oppose 36%
    Strongly support 12%
    Support 31%
    Oppose 22%
    Strongly oppose 14%
    Don’t know 20%

     43% support and 36% oppose the resources super profits tax- which is a 40% tax on the large profits of mining companies – in order to fund a reduction in company tax, assistance for small business and an increase in superannuation.

    Labor voters support the tax 66%/15% and Coalition voters oppose the tax 66%/23%. 66% of Greens voters support the tax and 19% oppose.

    48% of higher income earners ($1,600+ pw) support the tax and 36% oppose.

    A differnt question about the RSPT was asked 2 weeks ago. It showed that 52% approved of higher taxes on the profits of large mining companies and 34% disapproved. Comments »

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