The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Dec, 2010

    , , , , , ,

    Better Prime Minister

    Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott?

    5 Jul 16 Aug 20 Sep 18 Oct 22 Nov 20 Dec Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens Kevin Rudd v Tony Abbott

    21 Jun 10

    Julia Gillard 53% 46% 47% 49% 45% 45% 88% 8% 72% 47%
    Tony Abbott 26% 35% 35% 33% 34% 34% 3% 74% 7% 30%
    Don’t know 21% 19% 18% 17% 21% 21% 9% 18% 21% 23%

    45% believe Julia Gillard would make the better Prime Minister and 34% prefer Tony Abbott – no change last month’s figures.

    Men favour Julia Gillard over Tony Abbott 45%/39% and women 45%/29%.

    Comments »

  • Dec, 2010

    , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    2011 Outlook – Politicians

    Q. Do you think 2011 will be a good or bad year for each of the following politicians?

    Total good Total poor Very good Good Neither good nor bad Bad Very bad Don’t know
    Julia Gillard 28% 36% 5% 23% 23% 26% 10% 12%
    Tony Abbott 29% 27% 5% 24% 32% 20% 7% 13%
    Kevin Rudd 21% 30% 3% 18% 35% 21% 9% 14%
    Malcolm Turnbull 20% 21% 3% 17% 41% 17% 4% 18%
    Bob Brown 20% 30% 4% 16% 31% 18% 12% 19%

    There were no strong expectations one way or the other that 2011 would be good or bad for politicians.

    Overall, there were negative expectations for Julia Gillard (-8% net), Kevin Rudd (-9%) and Bob Brown (-10%) while respondents were divided over Tony Abbott (+2%) and Malcolm Turnbull (-1%).

    Comparing these results with last week’s questions, respondents expect 2011 to be worse than 2010 for Julia Gillard (net +24% in 2010 compared to

    -8% in 2011) and Bob Brown (+17% in 2010/-10% in 2011).

    Comments »

  • Dec, 2010

    , , , , , , , , ,

    The Past Year – Politicians

     Q. Has it been a good or bad year for each of the following politicians?

      Total good Total bad Very good Good Neither good nor bad Bad Very bad Don’t know
    Julia Gillard 49% 25% 14% 35% 22% 17% 8% 4%
    Bob Brown 38% 21% 9% 29% 28% 11% 10% 13%
    Tony Abbott 30% 33% 4% 26% 32% 25% 8% 6%
    Malcolm Turnbull 10% 43% 1% 9% 35% 30% 13% 11%
    Kevin Rudd 10% 70% 2% 8% 15% 36% 34% 5%

     

      Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
      Total good Total bad Total good Total bad Total good Total bad Total good Total bad
    Julia Gillard 49% 25% 69% 8% 36% 43% 57% 17%
    Bob Brown 38% 21% 40% 17% 35% 31% 68% 6%
    Tony Abbott 30% 33% 19% 45% 44% 21% 17% 54%
    Malcolm Turnbull 10% 43% 6% 50% 15% 42% 6% 50%
    Kevin Rudd 10% 70% 14% 64% 8% 81% 11% 73%

    Overall, Julia Gillard (49% good/25% bad) and Bob Brown (38%/21%) are thought to have had a good year. Respondents were divided on whether Tony Abbott has had a good year (30%/33%).

    A majority of their own voters thought Julia Gillard (69%) and Bob Brown (68%) have had a good year but only 44% of Liberal/National voters think Tony Abbott has had a good year. There is a substantial gender difference on the assessment of Tony Abbott – men split 37% good/30% bad and women 23% good/36% bad. Comments »

  • Dec, 2010

    , , , , , , , , ,

    Party Best at Dealing with Climate Change Issue

    Q. Which leader and party would you trust most to understand and deal with the climate change issue?

    Dec 10 Dec 09 *
    Julia Gillard and Labor 23% 24%
    Tony Abbott and the Coalition 29% 27%
    Bob Brown and Greens 19% 17%
    Don’t know 29% 32%

    * Note : Similar but not identical question asked in 2009.

    29% trust Tony Abbott and the Coalition most to understand and deal with the climate change issue, 23% trust Julia Gillard and Labor and 19% trust Bob Brown and the Greens.

    These figures are little changed since this question was previously asked in December 2009.

    58% of Labor voters trust Labor most, 65% of Coalition voters trust the Liberals and 83% of Greens voters trust the Greens.

    Of those who believe that climate change is happening and is caused by human activity, 31% trust the Greens, 27% Labor and 15% the Liberals.

    Of those who believe that climate change is a very important issue, 38% trust the Greens, 31% Labor and 10% the Liberals.

    Comments »

  • Nov, 2010

    , , , , , ,

    Approval of Tony Abbott

    Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader?

    18 Jan 22 Feb 29 Mar 3 May 31 May 5 Jul 2 Aug 16 Aug 20 Sep 18 Oct 22 Nov
    Total approve 37% 45% 33% 39% 35% 37% 38% 41% 43% 39% 40%
    Total disapprove 37% 36% 50% 43% 50% 47% 48% 44% 37% 45% 40%
    Strongly approve 5% 12% 8% 5% 5% 8% 8% 9% 12% 8% 6%
    Approve 32% 33% 25% 34% 30% 29% 30% 32% 31% 31% 34%
    Disapprove 20% 20% 28% 24% 28% 23% 27% 22% 21% 22% 22%
    Strongly disapprove 17% 16% 22% 19% 22% 24% 21% 22% 16% 23% 18%
    Don’t know 26% 18% 16% 18% 16% 16% 14% 15% 19% 17% 19%

    40% (up 1%) approve of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader and 40% (down 5%) disapprove – a shift from a net rating from -6 to level.

    78% of Coalition voters approve and 12% disapprove.

    By gender – men 46% approve/38% disapprove, women 35% approve/43% disapprove. Men have shifted from a net rating of  -7 to +8 while women have changed from -4 to -8.

    Comments »

  • Nov, 2010

    , , , , , , , ,

    Better Prime Minister

    Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott?

    5 Jul 10 19 Jul 10 26 Jul 10 2 Aug 10 9 Aug 10 16 Aug 10 20 Sep 10 18 Oct 10 22 Nov 10 Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens Kevin Rudd v Tony Abbott

    21 Jun 10

    Julia Gillard 53% 50% 51% 48% 45% 46% 47% 49% 45% 94% 6% 76% 47%
    Tony Abbott 26% 27% 26% 30% 33% 35% 35% 33% 34% 1% 78% 3% 30%
    Don’t know 21% 23% 23% 22% 21% 19% 18% 17% 21% 5% 17% 21% 23%

    45% (down 4%) believe Julia Gillard would make the better Prime Minister and 34% (up 1%) prefer Tony Abbott – a closing of the gap from 16% to 11% since last month’s figures.

    Men favour Julia Gillard over Tony Abbott 41%/40% and women 49%/28%.

    Comments »

  • Nov, 2010

    , , , , , , ,

    Wild Rivers Legislation

    Q. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has said he will introduce a Private Members Bill into Federal Parliament to overturn the Queensland Government’s Wild Rivers laws, which seek to prevent over development such as dams and mines from damaging unspoilt river systems. Mr Abbot claims the Wild Rivers laws deny Aboriginal landowners the opportunity to benefit economically from the land. Do you agree or disagree with the Wild Rivers laws?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total agree 43% 44% 48% 55%
    Total disagree 21% 23% 22% 18%
    Strongly agree 16% 17% 17% 30%
    Agree 27% 27% 31% 25%
    Disagree 13% 13% 16% 8%
    Strongly disagree 8% 10% 6% 10%
    Don’t know 36% 33% 31% 26%

    43% agree with the Queensland Government’s Wild Rivers laws and 21% disagree – and 36% don’t know.

    Those most likely to agree are Greens voters (55%) and people on incomes over $1,000pw (48%).

    Comments »

  • Oct, 2010

    , , , , , ,

    Leader and Party most trusted to handle the war in Afghanistan

    Q. Which leader and party would you trust most to handle our involvement in the war in Afghanistan?

    Julia Gillard and the Labor Party 33%
    Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party 32%
    Bob Brown and the Greens 7%
    Don’t know 28%

    Respondents were split over which leader and party they would trust most to handle our involvement in the war in Afghanistan. 33% prefer Julia Gillard and the Labor Party and 32% prefer Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party.

    Those aged 55+ prefer the Liberal Party over the Labor Party 40% to 34%.

    Comments »

Error: