Q. When did you make your decision about which party to vote for in last week’s Federal election?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| More than 4 weeks before the election | 55% | 60% | 65% | 38% |
| 2-4 weeks before the election | 15% | 15% | 16% | 19% |
| In the last week before the election | 9% | 8% | 9% | 15% |
| The day before the election | 3% | 4% | 1% | 5% |
| The day of the election but before I went to vote | 5% | 4% | 4% | 9% |
| When I got to the polling booth | 9% | 6% | 4% | 12% |
| Don’t know | 3% | 2% | 1% | 2% |
More than half the respondents had decided their vote more than 4 weeks before the election. 27% decided during the election campaign before polling day and 14% only decided on polling day (9% when they got to the polling booth). Greens voters were most likely to delay making their decision, with 21% saying they only decided on the day of the election. 25% of those who voted for independents or other parties only decided when they got to the polling booth.
Older voters decided earlier than younger voters – 67% of those aged 55+ decided more than 4 weeks before the election compared to 43% of under 35’s. 19% of under 35’s decided on the day of the election compared to only 6% of aged 55+. Comments »
2PP, Election, Voting intention
Q. The Federal Election will be held on 21 August – to which party will you probably give your first preference in the House of Representatives? If not sure, which party are you currently leaning toward?
Q. If don’t know – Well which party are you currently leaning to for the House of Representatives?
| First preference
|
2PP | |
| Liberal | 40% | |
| National | 3% | |
| Total Lib/Nat | 43% | 49% |
| Labor | 38% | 51% |
| Greens | 12% | |
| Family First | 2% | |
| Other/Independent | 5% |
NB. The 5% of respondents who selected ‘don’t know’ are not included in these results. The two-party preferred estimate is calculated by distributing the votes of the other parties according to their preferences at the 2007 election. Comments »
economy, Election, Voting intention
Q. Which one of the following is the main reason why you will vote for that party?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Better at handling Australia’s economy | 22% | 14% | 41% | 2% |
| They are more likely to represent the interests of all Australians | 14% | 16% | 11% | 17% |
| Better at looking after the interests people like me | 13% | 17% | 10% | 16% |
| More trustworthy than the other parties | 9% | 7% | 5% | 22% |
| They are more capable of governing effectively than the other parties | 9% | 5% | 17% | 2% |
| They have a better leader | 8% | 16% | 4% | 2% |
| I always vote for the same party | 6% | 9% | 5% | 2% |
| They have better policies on things like education and health | 5% | 9% | 3% | 3% |
| They have better policies on things like environment and climate change | 3% | * | – | 27% |
| They have better policies on things like industrial relations and supporting Australian workers | 2% | 4% | * | – |
| They have better policies on things like national security and immigration | 1% | 1% | 3% | 1% |
| No reason | 7% | 2% | 2% | 5% |
Main reasons for voting Labor are looking after interests of people like me, better leader and representing the interests of all Australians. Main reasons for voting for the Coalition are handling the economy and more capable of governing. Greens voters rate policies on the environment and climate change and trustworthiness most important. Comments »
Q. How firm is your vote?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Very firm | 56% | 61% | 68% | 46% |
| Pretty firm but I might change my mind | 31% | 35% | 27% | 45% |
| Might consider another party and leader closer to the election | 9% | 4% | 5% | 9% |
| Don’t know | 4% | * | – | – |
The Greens vote is still relatively soft compared to Labor and Coalition votes. 68% of Coalition voters say their vote is “very firm” compared to 61% of Labor voters and 46% of Greens voters. Comments »
2PP, Election, Greens, Labor, Liberal, NSW, QLD, SA, Victoria, Voting intention, WA
Q. The Federal Election will be held on 21 August – to which party will you probably give your first preference in the House of Representatives? If not sure, which party are you currently leaning toward?
Q. If don’t know – Well which party are you currently leaning to for the House of Representatives?
First preference
| Total | NSW | Victoria | Queensland | SA | WA | |
| Liberal | 40% | 42% | 37% | 42% | 39% | 47% |
| National | 3% | 4% | 3% | 4% | – | 2% |
| Coalition | 43% | 46% | 40% | 46% | 40% | 49% |
| Labor | 40% | 38% | 43% | 36% | 39% | 37% |
| Greens | 10% | 7% | 11% | 10% | 12% | 10% |
| Others | 7% | 8% | 6% | 8% | 9% | 5% |
2PP
| Total | NSW | Victoria | Queensland | SA | WA | |
| Liberal/National | 49% | 52% | 45% | 53% | 46% | 53% |
| Labor | 51% | 48% | 55% | 47% | 54% | 47% |
| Labor 2PP 2007 election | 52.7% | 53.7% | 54.3% | 50.4% | 52.4% | 46.7% |
| Shift in Labor vote since 2007 election | -1.7 | -5.7 | +0.7 | -3.4 | +1.6 | +0.3 |
NB. The data in the above tables comprise 3-week averages derived the first preference/leaning to voting questions. Respondents who select ‘don’t know’ are not included in the results. The two-party preferred estimate is calculated by distributing the votes of the other parties according to their preferences at the 2007 election.
2PP, Election, Voting intention
Q. The Federal Election will be held on 21 August – to which party will you probably give your first preference in the House of Representatives? If not sure, which party are you currently leaning toward?
Q. If don’t know – Well which party are you currently leaning to for the House of Representatives?
2,160 sample size
| First preference/leaning to | 6 months ago | 4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week
|
| Liberal | 36% | 37% | 37% | 39% | 41% |
| National | 2% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 3% |
| Total Lib/Nat | 38% | 39% | 39% | 42% | 44% |
| Labor | 44% | 41% | 40% | 41% | 39% |
| Greens | 10% | 13% | 13% | 10% | 10% |
| Family First | 2% | 2% | 3% | 3% | 2% |
| Other/Independent | 6% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| 2PP | 6 months ago | 4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week
|
| Total Lib/Nat | 45% | 45% | 46% | 48% | 49% |
| Labor | 55% | 55% | 54% | 52% | 51% |
NB. The data in the above tables comprise 2-week averages derived the first preference/leaning to voting questions. Respondents who select ‘don’t know’ are not included in the results. The two-party preferred estimate is calculated by distributing the votes of the other parties according to their preferences at the 2007 election.
* Sample is the aggregation of two weeks’ polling data. Comments »
climate change, economy, Education, Election, environment, Health, immigration, International Relations, Security, Voting intention
Q. How important are the following in deciding which party you will vote for?
| Top priority | Very important | Quite important | Not so important | Don’t know | |
| Better at handling Australia’s economy | 37% | 48% | 10% | 1% | 4% |
| They have better policies on things like education and health | 31% | 47% | 16% | 1% | 4% |
| They are more capable of governing effectively than the other parties | 30% | 47% | 16% | 1% | 6% |
| They are more likely to represent the interests of all Australians | 30% | 45% | 18% | 3% | 5% |
| They will do things that help me and my family | 28% | 42% | 21% | 4% | 5% |
| They have better policies on things like national security and immigration | 24% | 42% | 22% | 6% | 5% |
| Better at looking after the interests people like me | 23% | 47% | 22% | 4% | 4% |
| They have better policies on things like industrial relations and supporting Australian workers | 23% | 44% | 24% | 4% | 5% |
| More trustworthy than the other parties | 22% | 44% | 21% | 5% | 8% |
| They have better policies on things like environment and climate change | 21% | 41% | 23% | 9% | 5% |
| They have a better leader | 16% | 40% | 28% | 8% | 7% |
| I always vote for them | 9% | 15% | 24% | 42% | 10% |
Key factors in deciding which party to vote for are handling the economy (37% top priority), policies on education and health (31%), capable of governing effectively (30%) and representing the interests of all Australians (30%). Comments »
economy, Education, Election, Health, immigration, International Relations, Security, Voting intention
Q. How important are the following in deciding which party you will vote for?
| Top priority | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens |
| Better at handling Australia’s economy | 37% | 33% | 51% | 19% |
| They have better policies on things like education and health | 31% | 41% | 25% | 35% |
| They are more capable of governing effectively than the other parties | 30% | 30% | 35% | 18% |
| They are more likely to represent the interests of all Australians | 30% | 36% | 25% | 25% |
| They will do things that help me and my family | 28% | 32% | 27% | 17% |
| They have better policies on things like national security and immigration | 24% | 24% | 29% | 20% |
| Better at looking after the interests people like me | 23% | 27% | 21% | 22% |
| They have better policies on things like industrial relations and supporting Australian workers | 23% | 36% | 17% | 20% |
| More trustworthy than the other parties | 22% | 23% | 23% | 21% |
| They have better policies on things like environment and climate change | 21% | 26% | 13% | 46% |
| They have a better leader | 16% | 24% | 14% | 13% |
| I always vote for them | 9% | 11% | 11% | 6% |
The most important issues for Labor voters are policies on education and health (41% top priority), representing the interests of all Australians (36%), policies on industrial relations and supporting workers (36%) and doing things to help me and my family (32%).
For Liberal/National voters the key issues are handling the economy (51% top priority), capable of governing effectively (35%) and policies on national security and immigration (29%).
The major issue for Greens voters is policies on the environment and climate change (46%). Comments »