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  • Jan, 2013

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    Leader attributes – comparisons

     

    Gillard

    Abbott

    Difference

    Intelligent

    72%

    64%

    +8%

    Hard-working

    72%

    70%

    +2%

    A capable leader

    50%

    43%

    +7%

    Arrogant

    47%

    61%

    -14%

    Out of touch with ordinary people

    53%

    54%

    -1%

    Understands the problems facing Australia

    47%

    47%

    Visionary

    29%

    28%

    +1%

    Superficial

    46%

    48%

    -2%

    Good in a crisis

    50%

    39%

    +11%

    Narrow-minded

    45%

    56%

    -11%

    More honest than most politicians

    30%

    29%

    +1%

    Trustworthy

    32%

    33%

    -1%

    Intolerant

    37%

    49%

    -12%

    Aggressive

    46%

    55%

    -9%

    Erratic

    40%

    51%

    -11%

    Compared to Tony Abbott, Julia Gillard is seen as more likely to be considered good in a crisis (+11%), intelligent (+8%) and a capable leader (+7%).

    Abbott is regarded by significantly more respondents to be arrogant (+14%), narrow minded (+11%), intolerant (+12%) and erratic (+11%).

  • Dec, 2012

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    The past year – politicians

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

     

    Total good

    (Dec 10)

    Total bad

    (Dec 10)

    Total good

    (Dec 11)

    Total bad

    (Dec 11)

    Total good

    (Dec 12)

    Total bad

    (Dec 12)

    Very good

    Good

    Neither good nor
    bad

    Bad

    Very bad

    Don’t know

    Julia Gillard

    49%

    25%

    21%

    57%

    19%

    57%

    6%

    13%

    18%

    29%

    28%

    4%

    Tony Abbott

    30%

    33%

    21%

    38%

    15%

    52%

    4%

    11%

    29%

    31%

    21%

    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

    19%

    57%

    43%

    32%

    5%

    82%

    29%

    48%

    Tony Abbott

    15%

    52%

    5%

    75%

    27%

    31%

    4%

    78%

    19% thought Julia Gillard had a good year in 2012 and 15% thought Tony Abbott had a good year. 2012 was considered similar to 2011 for Julia Gillard (going from net -36 to net -38) but a substantially worse year for Tony Abbott (going from net -17 to net -37).

    Among their own voters 43% (up 2%) thought Julia Gillard had a good year and 27% (down 12%) thought Tony Abbott has had a good year.

  • Dec, 2012

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    Better Prime Minister

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

     

    5
    Jul 10

    14 Mar 11

    14 June

    12 Sept

    12 Dec

    12 Mar 12

    12 Jun

    10 Sept

    15 Oct

    12 Nov

    10 Dec

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Julia Gillard

    53%

    44%

    41%

    36%

    39%

    40%

    37%

    40%

    43%

    45%

    43%

    92%

    6%

    80%

    Tony Abbott

    26%

    33%

    36%

    40%

    35%

    37%

    37%

    37%

    36%

    32%

    34%

    4%

    71%

    1%

    Don’t know

    21%

    23%

    24%

    24%

    26%

    23%

    26%

    24%

    20%

    23%

    23%

    5%

    23%

    19%

    43% (down 2%) believe Julia Gillard would make the better Prime Minister and 34% (up 2%) prefer Tony Abbott.

    Men prefer Julia Gillard 40%/39% and women prefer Julia Gillard 46%/29%. Compared to last month’s figures, Julia Gillard’s margin over Tony Abbott has dropped 3 points among men (from 40%/36%) and 4 points among women (from 49%/28%).

  • Dec, 2012

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    Leaders positions on asylum seekers

    Q. Regardless of how you vote, what words would you use to describe the positions taken by Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott on the issue of asylum seekers? Choose as many that you think apply.

     

    17 Oct 2011

    3 Dec 2012

     

    Julia Gillard

    Tony Abbott

    Julia Gillard

    Tony Abbott

    Difference

    Just playing politics

    46%

    47%

    39%

    42%

    -3

    Too soft

    21%

    7%

    32%

    9%

    +23

    Stubborn

    26%

    20%

    13%

    17%

    -4

    Populist

    13%

    14%

    13%

    11%

    +2

    Fair

    10%

    15%

    10%

    13%

    -3

    Responsible

    11%

    16%

    9%

    14%

    -5

    Unethical

    24%

    14%

    9%

    13%

    -4

    Balanced

    7%

    11%

    7%

    10%

    -3

    Too hard

    10%

    6%

    6%

    11%

    -5

    Cruel

    13%

    9%

    5%

    11%

    -6

    Principled

    6%

    11%

    5%

    8%

    -3

    Visionary

    6%

    5%

    2%

    4%

    -2

    The most common descriptor for both Julia Gillard (39%) and Tony Abbott (42%) was that they are “just playing politics” over the issue of asylum seekers.

    The main difference between the leaders positions on asylum seekers was that Julia Gillard was more likely to be considered “too soft” (32% to 9%).

    Since this question was asked in October last year, the proportion describe Julia Gillard’s position as too soft has increased by 11%, stubborn decreased by 13%, unethical decreased by 15% and cruel decreased by 8%. Opinions of Tony Abbott’s position have remained much the same.

  • Nov, 2012

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    Better Prime Minister

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

     

    5 Jul 2010

    14 Mar 2011

    14 June

    12 Sept

    12 Dec

    12 Mar 2012

    12 Jun

    10 Sept

    15 Oct

    12 Nov

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Julia Gillard

    53%

    44%

    41%

    36%

    39%

    40%

    37%

    40%

    43%

    45%

    86%

    6%

    81%

    Tony Abbott

    26%

    33%

    36%

    40%

    35%

    37%

    37%

    37%

    36%

    32%

    4%

    71%

    4%

    Don’t know

    21%

    23%

    24%

    24%

    26%

    23%

    26%

    24%

    20%

    23%

    10%

    23%

    15%

    45% (up 2%) believe Julia Gillard would make the better Prime Minister and 32% (down 4%) prefer Tony Abbott. This is Julia Gillard’s best result since February 2011.

    Men prefer Julia Gillard 40%/36% and women prefer Julia Gillard 49%/28%. Compared to last month’s figures, Julia Gillard’s margin over Tony Abbott has changed 4 points in her favour among men (from 40%/40%) and 7 points among women (from 47%/33%).

  • Oct, 2012

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    Perceptions of Tony Abbott

    Q. Thinking about the leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott, please indicate yes or no for each of the following statements:

     

    Total

    Vote
    Labor

    Vote
    Lib/Nat

    Vote
    Greens

    Men

    Women

    Has the right temperament to be Prime Minister

    42%

    13%

    77%

    10%

    44%

    39%

    Would be embarrassing as Prime Minister of Australia

    50%

    78%

    19%

    83%

    49%

    50%

    Is someone that can effectively represent Australia’s interests

    43%

    11%

    82%

    8%

    45%

    40%

    Will serve my interests as Prime Minister

    39%

    7%

    81%

    6%

    42%

    37%

    Is too influenced by their religious beliefs

    40%

    62%

    19%

    73%

    43%

    38%

    Is the best person to lead their party

    33%

    10%

    62%

    7%

    36%

    30%

    Is someone that understands the challenges facing Australian women

    39%

    10%

    74%

    5%

    42%

    36%

    Has good parental leave policies

    44%

    17%

    76%

    19%

    45%

    42%

    Has difficulty controlling their aggression

    44%

    68%

    19%

    73%

    45%

    44%

    Exactly half the respondents agree that Tony Abbott would be embarrassing as Prime Minister of Australia. On all other statements he scored less than 50%. His main negatives were that only 33% agree he is the best person to lead their party, 39% agree he will serve my interests as Prime Minister and 39% agree he is someone that understands the challenges facing Australian women.

    The main differences by gender were on the statements that he is someone that understands the challenges facing Australian women (men 42%/women 36%), the best person to lead their party (36%/30%), has the right temperament to be Prime Minister (44%/39%), can effectively represent Australia’s interests (45%/40%), will serve my interests as Prime Minister (42%/37%) and too influenced by their religious beliefs (43%/38%). On each of these statements women scored Tony Abbott lower than men did.

  • Oct, 2012

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    Abbott vs Gillard

     

    Tony Abbott

    Julia
    Gillard

     

    Has the right temperament to be Prime Minister

    42%

    58%

    Has the right temperament to be Prime Minister
    Would be embarrassing as Prime Minister of Australia

    50%

    43%

    Is embarrassing as Prime Minister of Australia
    Is someone that can effectively represent Australia’s interests

    43%

    46%

    Is someone that can effectively represent Australia’s interests
    Will serve my interests as Prime Minister

    39%

    36%

    Serves my interests as Prime Minister
    Is too influenced by their religious beliefs

    40%

    16%

    Is too influenced by their religious beliefs
    Is the best person to lead their party

    33%

    36%

    Is the best person to lead their party
    Is someone that understands the challenges facing Australian women

    39%

    62%

    Is someone that understands the challenges facing Australian women
    Has good parental leave policies

    44%

    53%

    Has good parental leave policies
    Has difficulty controlling their aggression

    44%

    25%

    Has difficulty controlling their aggression

    The major perceived differences between the Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the Opposition Leader Tony Abbott were that Julia Gillard was more likely to be someone that “understands the challenges facing Australian women” (+23%), “has the right temperament to be Prime Minister” (+16%) and has “good parental leave policies” (+9%).

    Tony Abbott was more likely to be associated with “too influenced by their religious beliefs” (+24%), “has difficulty controlling their aggression” (+19%) and “would be embarrassing as Prime Minister of Australia” (+7%).

  • Oct, 2012

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    Approval of Tony Abbott

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

     

    18 Jan
    10

    5 Jul

     

    20 Dec

    14 Mar
    11

    14 Jun

    12 Sep

    12 Dec

    12 Mar 12

    12 Jun

    16 Jul

    13 Aug

    10 Sep

    15 Oct

    Total approve

    37%

    37%

    39%

    38%

    38%

    39%

    32%

    36%

    32%

    35%

    36%

    32%

    37%

    Total disapprove

    37%

    47%

    39%

    47%

    48%

    50%

    53%

    52%

    54%

    53%

    51%

    55%

    54%

    Strongly approve

    5%

    8%

    9%

    7%

    6%

    8%

    6%

    7%

    6%

    7%

    8%

    6%

    9%

    Approve

    32%

    29%

    30%

    31%

    32%

    31%

    26%

    29%

    26%

    28%

    28%

    26%

    28%

    Disapprove

    20%

    23%

    21%

    24%

    25%

    23%

    25%

    23%

    24%

    23%

    22%

    26%

    23%

    Strongly disapprove

    17%

    24%

    18%

    23%

    23%

    27%

    28%

    29%

    30%

    30%

    29%

    29%

    31%

    Don’t know

    26%

    16%

    22%

    16%

    15%

    11%

    14%

    12%

    13%

    12%

    13%

    13%

    9%

    Tony Abbott’s approval rating has also improved over the last month. 37% (up 5%) approve of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader and 54% (down 1%) disapprove – a change in net rating from -23 to -17 over the last 5 weeks.

    74% (up 11%) of Coalition voters approve and 22% (down 2%) disapprove.

    By gender – men 39% approve/55% disapprove, women 35% approve/54% disapprove. In net terms this represents an improvement with men from -19 to -16 and with women from -26 to -19.

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