12 March 2012, 120312, ALP, Bob Carr, Federal Government, Foreign Minister, Labor Government, NSW Premier, Polling, polls, Senate
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of former NSW Premier Bob Carr going into the Senate and taking up the position of Foreign Minister?
|
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
| Total approve |
37% |
60% |
23% |
39% |
| Total disapprove |
36% |
15% |
54% |
17% |
| Strongly approve |
7% |
17% |
2% |
7% |
| Approve |
30% |
43% |
21% |
32% |
| Disapprove |
19% |
10% |
27% |
11% |
| Strongly disapprove |
17% |
5% |
27% |
6% |
| Don’t know |
27% |
25% |
22% |
45% |
Opinions of the former NSW Premier Bob Carr going into the Senate and taking up the position of Foreign Minister were split – 37% approved and 36% disapproved.
60% of Labor voters approved and 54% of Liberal/National voters disapproved.
Respondents from New South Wales were a little more positive – 43% approve and 37% disapprove.
balance of power, Essential Report, Federal Government, federal politics, Greens, house of representatives, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, Senate
Q. Thinking about the Federal Government, which of the following scenarios would you prefer –
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Green | |
| One of the major parties having a majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate | 36% | 36% | 49% | 7% |
| One of the major parties having a majority in the House of Representatives and the other having a majority in the Senate | 21% | 16% | 27% | 10% |
| One of the major parties having a majority in the House of Representatives and the Greens having the balance of power in the Senate | 16% | 22% | 4% | 63% |
| Don’t know | 28% | 26% | 21% | 19% |
Most respondents think that ‘one of the major parties having a majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate’ is preferable (36%). Lib/Nat voters are the most likely to prefer this scenario (49%) and Greens voters the least likely to do so (7%). Male respondents were also more likely to prefer this scenario (40%) than female respondents (32%).
Respondents then selected ‘one of the major parties having a majority in the House of Representatives and the other having a majority in the Senate’ as their next preferred scenario (21%). Lib/Nat voters are the most likely to regard this scenario as preferable (27%).
The least favoured option amongst respondents is ‘one of the major parties having a majority in the House of Representatives and the Greens having the balance of power in the Senate’, with 16% selecting this option. Greens voters are the most likely to regard this option as the most preferable (63%).
Essential Report, federal politics, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, Senate
Q. If the Liberal and National Parties win the next election, do you think it would be good or bad if they also won a majority in the Senate?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total Good | 38% | 10% | 73% | 6% |
| Total Bad | 31% | 63% | 3% | 72% |
| Very good | 17% | 3% | 35% | 0% |
| Good | 21% | 7% | 38% | 6% |
| Neither good nor bad | 18% | 18% | 16% | 15% |
| Bad | 12% | 23% | 3% | 18% |
| Very bad | 19% | 40% | 0% | 54% |
| Don’t know | 13% | 8% | 8% | 7% |
Most respondents think that having the Liberal and National Parties holding a majority in the Senate is a good outcome (38%), than those that think it is a bad outcome (31%).
Greens voters are the most likely to regard the outcome as bad (72%), followed by Labor voters (63%).
Male respondents are more likely to regard this outcome as good (45% total good) compared to female respondents (33% total good).
balance of power, Greens, Network Ten, Polling, polls, Senate
Q. From July, the Greens will hold the balance of power in the Senate. Do you think this will be good or bad for Australia? (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 good | 33% | 44% | 13% | 95% | 32% | 36% | 44% | 34% | 22% |
| Total bad | 45% | 29% | 73% | 1% | 52% | 39% | 29% | 45% | 65% |
| Very good | 10% | 11% | 2% | 56% | 9% | 12% | 12% | 11% | 7% |
| Good | 23% | 33% | 11% | 39% | 23% | 24% | 32% | 23% | 15% |
| Bad | 17% | 21% | 19% | 1% | 18% | 16% | 14% | 19% | 17% |
| Very bad | 28% | 8% | 54% | – | 34% | 23% | 15% | 26% | 48% |
| Make no difference | 11% | 15% | 8% | 2% | 9% | 12% | 13% | 10% | 9% |
| Don’t know | 11% | 11% | 5% | 1% | 8% | 14% | 15% | 11% | 5% |
33% think that the Greens holding the balancer of power in the Senate will be good for Australia and 45% think it will be bad – 11% think it will make no difference. Labor voters are more likely to think it will be good (44% good to 29% bad) while Liberal/National voters overwhelmingly think it will be bad (73%).
Women (36% good/39% bad) were somewhat more positive than men (32% good/52% bad) while younger respondents were much more likely to think it would be good than older respondents.
Greens, Labor, Liberal, Senate, Voting intention
Q. Regardless of which party is elected to Government (i.e. has a majority in the House of Representatives), which of the following Senate options do you think would be best for Australia?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Liberal/ National | Vote Greens | |
| The Government has a majority in the Senate | 29% | 41% | 33% | 5% |
| The Opposition party has a majority in the Senate | 10% | 3% | 21% | 2% |
| The Greens and the independents (like Xenophon and Fielding) together hold the balance of power in the Senate | 27% | 25% | 27% | 35% |
| The Greens hold the balance of power in the Senate | 12% | 14% | 3% | 50% |
| Don’t know | 22% | 18% | 16% | 7% |
Opinions about the balance of power in the Senate are mixed. 29% prefer the Government to have a majority and 27% prefer the Greens and independents combined to hold the balance of power. Only 12% want the Greens on their own to hold the balance of power and 10% would prefer the opposition to have a majority. Overall, 39% want one of the major parties to have a majority and 39% want minor parties to hold the balance of power.
85% of Greens voters want the Greens or Greens and independents to hold the balance of power compared to 39% of Labor voters and 30% of Liberal/National voters. Comments »