banking regulation, debt, Housing affordability, inflation, party best at, pension, salaries, superannuation, tax, unemployment, wages
Q. Between Liberal and Labor, which party do you think would be best at managing each of the following issues?
| Labor | Liberal | No difference | Don’t know | Labor-Liberal difference | |
| Improving wages for low income earners | 34% | 20% | 34% | 13% | +14 |
| The age pension | 27% | 23% | 37% | 13% | +4 |
| Executive salaries | 22% | 20% | 44% | 14% | +2 |
| Unemployment | 24% | 25% | 38% | 13% | -1 |
| Regulation of large corporations | 21% | 24% | 41% | 14% | -3 |
| Affordability of housing | 19% | 24% | 44% | 13% | -5 |
| Jobs going overseas | 18% | 24% | 44% | 14% | -6 |
| Superannuation | 18% | 27% | 40% | 15% | -9 |
| Petrol and energy prices | 16% | 26% | 45% | 13% | -10 |
| Regulation of banks | 19% | 29% | 39% | 14% | -10 |
| Interest rates | 17% | 30% | 41% | 13% | -13 |
| Food prices and inflation generally | 18% | 31% | 38% | 13% | -13 |
| Taxation | 18% | 32% | 37% | 13% | -14 |
| Government debt | 15% | 42% | 31% | 12% | -27 |
The only substantial lead for the Labor Party is on improving wages for low income earners (34% to 20%).
Liberal Party strengths are in managing Government debt (42%/15%), taxation (32%/18%), food prices and inflation (31%/18%) and interest rates (30%/17%).
Although overall opinions are closely related to voting intention, the Liberal Party generally performs better among its voters than the Labor Party does with its voters. On Government debt Labor voters split 35% Labor/14% Liberal/42% no difference and on petrol and energy prices 37%/2%/50%. Comments »
asylum seekers, Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Education, Election, environment, Health, Housing, Interest rates, leadership, population, tax
Q. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election?
| First | Second | Third | Total | Total
10 May 10 |
Difference | |
| Management of the economy | 38% | 18% | 7% | 63% | 62% | +1% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 16% | 20% | 19% | 55% | 50% | +5% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 7% | 8% | 9% | 24% | 29% | -5% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 4% | 11% | 9% | 24% | 19% | +5% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 4% | 6% | 8% | 18% | 22% | -4% |
| Protecting the environment | 5% | 5% | 5% | 15% | 13% | +2% |
| Political leadership | 6% | 3% | 4% | 13% | 12% | +1% |
| Housing affordability | 4% | 4% | 5% | 13% | 17% | -4% |
| Addressing climate change | 4% | 4% | 4% | 12% | 12% | – |
| Controlling interest rates | 3% | 5% | 4% | 12% | 16% | -4% |
| Managing population growth | 1% | 4% | 7% | 12% | 14% | -2% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 4% | 3% | 4% | 11% | * | |
| A fair industrial relations system | 2% | 4% | 5% | 11% | 9% | +2% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 1% | 2% | 5% | 8% | 7% | +1% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 1% | 1% | 4% | 6% | 7% | -1% |
*Not asked in May 2010 poll
The most important election issues were management of the economy, the quality of the health system, jobs and local industry and a quality education for all children.
Since this issue was last polled in May, health and education have increased in importance (both +5%) and Australian jobs and protection of local industry declined 5%. Comments »
asylum seekers, Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Education, Election Issues, environment, Health, Housing, Industrial Relations, Interest rates, leadership, population, Security, tax, Terrorism, Water
Q. And which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?
| Labor | Liberal | Greens | Don’t know | |
| A fair industrial relations system | 45% | 24% | 5% | 26% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 41% | 25% | 4% | 29% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 42% | 28% | 3% | 27% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 38% | 27% | 4% | 31% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 36% | 28% | 4% | 32% |
| Housing affordability | 30% | 24% | 4% | 41% |
| Political leadership | 33% | 30% | 5% | 33% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 23% | 23% | 22% | 32% |
| Managing population growth | 24% | 27% | 9% | 40% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 25% | 30% | 3% | 42% |
| Management of the economy | 32% | 38% | 3% | 27% |
| Treatment of asylum seekers | 23% | 29% | 11% | 37% |
| Controlling interest rates | 28% | 35% | 2% | 35% |
| Addressing climate change | 18% | 16% | 36% | 29% |
| Protecting the environment | 17% | 13% | 47% | 23% |
Labor have a substantial lead over the Liberal Party as the best party to handle a fair industrial relations system (+21%), quality education for all (+16%), Australian jobs and protection of industries (+14%) and ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system (+11%).
The Liberal Party’s main strengths were controlling interest rates (+7%), treatment of asylum seekers (+6%) and management of the economy (+6%).
The Greens were thought to be the best party for protecting the environment (47%) and addressing climate change (36%). Comments »
government, mining, RSPT, 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 »
investment, jobs, mining, profits, resources super profits tax, RSPT, tax
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 »
resources super profits tax, RSPT, tax
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 »
economy, resources super profits tax, RSPT, superannuation, tax
Q4. The Federal Government recently announced changes to our tax system as a result of the Henry Report, which was a review of Australia’s taxation. Do you approve or disapprove of the following Government proposals?
| Total approve | Total disapprove | Strongly approve | Approve | Disapprove | Strongly disapprove | Don’t know | |
| Higher taxes on the profits of large mining companies | 52% | 34% | 14% | 38% | 19% | 15% | 14% |
| Increasing superannuation contributions from 9% to 12% | 74% | 17% | 25% | 49% | 12% | 5% | 10% |
| Cutting company tax rates | 54% | 29% | 10% | 44% | 23% | 6% | 18% |
| Increasing taxes on cigarettes and alcohol | 63% | 31% | 33% | 30% | 15% | 16% | 6% |
There was majority approval of all recent changes to Australia’s taxation.
The most popular proposal was to increase superannuation contributions from 9% to 12% – 74% approved and 17% disapproved.
63% approved increasing taxes on cigarettes and alcohol.
More than half approved cutting company tax rates (54%) and higher taxes on the profits of large mining companies (52%).
78% of Labor voters approved higher taxes on mining company profits (11% disapprove) and 56% of Liberal/National voters disapproved (35% approve).
Increasing superannuation contributions received high support from both Labor (85%) and Liberal/National voters (72%). 61% of both Labor and Liberal/National voters supported cutting company tax rates. 63% of Labor voters and 69% of Liberal/National voters approved increasing taxes on cigarettes and alcohol. Comments »
Q5. Overall, from what you have read and heard, do you think the Federal Government is heading in the right direction on taxation or the wrong direction on taxation?
| The right direction | 34% |
| The wrong direction | 38% |
| Don’t know | 28% |
Respondents were split over whether the Federal Government is heading in the right or wrong direction on taxation. 34% think they are heading in the right direction 38% in the wrong direction and 28% don’t know.
Opinions split very much along party lines – 65% of Labor voters said right direction (12% wrong direction) and 61% of Liberal/National voters said wrong direction (17% right direction). People on higher incomes ($1,600+ pw) were more likely to think the Government was headed in the right direction (40%/36%). Comments »