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  • Nov, 2012

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    Repealing major Government decisions

    Q. If the Liberal and National parties win the next election, should they repeal any of these Government decisions?

     

    Yes, should repeal

    No, should not repeal

    Don’t know

    The carbon pricing scheme

    45%

    37%

    18%

    NBN (National Broadband Network)

    18%

    63%

    20%

    The Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT)

    24%

    50%

    28%

    A greater portion of respondents believe that a Coalition government should repeal the carbon pricing scheme (45%) that those that believe they should not (37%).

    A majority of respondents otherwise believe that a Coalition government should not repeal the NBN (63%), and a greater portion believe it should not repeal the MRRT (50%) compared to those that believe it should (24%).

    Looking at the results by voting intention, Lib/Nat voters are also more likely to believe a Coalition government should repeal the carbon pricing scheme (72%), the NBN (30%) and the MRRT (44%).

    Broken down by gender, male respondents (50%) are more likely than female respondents (39%) to believe that a Coalition government should repeal the carbon tax.  Conversely, male respondents were more likely to believe that a Coalition government should not repeal the NBN (66%) compared to female respondents (60%) and also more likely to believe that they should not repeal the MRRT (54%) compared with female respondents (47%).

  • Nov, 2012

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    Likelihood of repealing major Government decisions

    Q. If the Liberal and National parties win the next election, do you think they will repeal any of these Government decisions?

     

    Yes, probably will repeal

    No, probably won’t repeal

    Don’t know

    The carbon pricing scheme

    44%

    32%

    24%

    NBN (National Broadband Network)

    18%

    54%

    28%

    The Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT)

    33%

    35%

    32%

    A greater portion of respondents believe that a Coalition government will repeal the carbon tax (44%) than those that believe they will not repeal it (32%).

    The majority of respondents believe that a Coalition government probably won’t repeal the NBN (54%).

    Respondents are evenly split on whether a Coalition government will repeal the MRRT, with 33% believing they will repeal it and 35% believing they probably won’t.

  • Nov, 2012

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    Impact of carbon pricing scheme

    Q. Since the carbon pricing scheme was introduced on the 1st July this year, has the impact on your household been worse than expected, not as bad as expected or about the same as you expected?

     

    Total

     

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Worse than expected

    26%

    12%

    39%

    14%

    Not as bad as expected

    26%

    35%

    20%

    36%

    About the same as expected

    36%

    47%

    30%

    37%

    Don’t know

    12%

    6%

    11%

    13%

    An equal portion of respondents believe the impact on their household of the carbon pricing scheme has been worse than expected (26%) and not as bad as expected (26%).  Thirty six percent (36%) believe it to be about the same as they expected, whilst 12% don’t know.

    Looking at results by voting intention, Lib/Nat voters are far more likely to claim the impact on their household of the carbon pricing scheme is worse than expected (39%), compared with Labor voters (12%) and Greens voters (14%).

  • Nov, 2012

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    Budget surplus

    Q. In order to keep to their commitment to return to surplus in 2012-13, which measures should the Government take?

     

    Total

     

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Increase taxes for big corporations

    59%

    70%

    51%

    65%

    Reduce tax breaks for high income earners

    46%

    51%

    41%

    62%

    Cut “middle class welfare” such as the Baby Bonus, first home buyers grant and Family Tax Benefit payments

    43%

    42%

    48%

    52%

    Reduce defence spending

    38%

    40%

    33%

    70%

    Postpone building the NBN

    27%

    18%

    42%

    14%

    Cut spending on unemployment and disability benefits

    26%

    20%

    36%

    17%

    Postpone other infrastructure projects like new roads and highways

    12%

    12%

    13%

    12%

    Measures most supported by respondents in order to keep the commitment to the 2012-13 budget surplus are increasing taxes for big corporations (59%), reducing tax breaks for high income earners (46%) and cutting ‘middle class welfare’ (43%).

    Looking at the results by voting intention, the majority of Lib/Nat voters support increasing taxes for big corporations (51%).  Labor voters are most in favour of increasing taxes for big corporations (70%) and reducing tax breaks for high income earners (51%).  Greens voters are most inclined to support reducing defence spending (70%) and increasing taxes for big corporations (65%).

  • Nov, 2012

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    Voting behaviour in a federal election

    Q. Thinking about Federal elections, which of the following best describes you how you vote?

    Total

     

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    I usually vote for the same party but have voted for another party occasionally

    36%

    41%

    40%

    34%

    I always vote for the same party

    30%

    36%

    34%

    25%

    I don’t have any usual party preference and just decide who to vote for each election on its own

    13%

    8%

    9%

    19%

    I often switch my vote between Labor and Liberals or Nationals.

    9%

    5%

    15%

    3%

    I often switch my vote between a major party (Labor or Liberal) and a minor party (e.g. Greens) or an independent

    5%

    7%

    1%

    11%

    Don’t know

    8%

    4%

    1%

    7%

    The greatest portion of respondents claim to usually vote for the same party but have voted for another party occasionally (36%).  A slightly smaller portion of respondents claim to always vote for the same party (30%).

    Thirteen percent (13%) of respondents don’t have any usual party preference.  Nine percent (9%) claim to switch their vote between Labor and Liberals/Nationals (9%) and 5% claim to switch their vote between a major party and a minor party.

    Looking at the results by voting intention, 41% of Labor voters and 40% of Lib/Nat voters usually vote for the same party but have voted for another party occasionally.  Again, a fairly equal portion of Labor voters (36%) and Lib/Nat voters (34%) claim to always vote for the same party.

    Greens voters are the most likely to claim that don’t have a usual party preference (19%) and that they often switch their vote between a major party and a minor party (11%).

  • Nov, 2012

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    Federal politics – voting intention

    Q. If a Federal Election was held today to which party will you probably give your first preference vote? If not sure, which party are you currently leaning toward?

    Q. If don’t know -Well which party are you currently leaning to?

    Sample size = 1,925 respondents

    First preference/leaning to

    Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago

    22/10/12

    2 weeks ago

    7/11/12

    Last week

    12/11/12

    This week

    19/11/12

    Liberal

    44%

    43%

    42%

    43%

    National

    3%

    3%

    3%

    3%

    Total Lib/Nat

    43.6%

    47%

    46%

    45%

    46%

    Labor

    38.0%

    36%

    37%

    37%

    36%

    Greens

    11.8%

    9%

    9%

    9%

    10%

    Other/Independent

    6.6%

    7%

    8%

    8%

    9%

     

    2PP

    Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago

    2 weeks ago

    Last week

    This week

    Total Lib/Nat

    49.9%

    53%

    53%

    52%

    53%

    Labor

    50.1%

    47%

    47%

    48%

    47%

    NB.  The data in the above tables comprise 2-week averages derived from 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 2010 election. These estimates have a confidence interval of approx. plus or minus 2-3%.

  • Nov, 2012

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    Important election issues

    Q.  Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election?

     

    First

    Second

    Third

    Total

    19 Nov 12

    Total

    30 Jul 12

    5 Dec 11

    6 June 11

    25 Jan 10

    Management of the economy

    47%

    11%

    9%

    66%

    64%

    62%

    61%

    63%

    Ensuring a quality education for all children

    7%

    16%

    11%

    35%

    26%

    22%

    26%

    23%

    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system

    15%

    22%

    20%

    57%

    47%

    47%

    49%

    48%

    Protecting the environment

    3%

    6%

    5%

    14%

    11%

    13%

    15%

    16%

    A fair industrial relations system

    2%

    3%

    3%

    8%

    12%

    11%

    8%

    na

    Political leadership

    6%

    5%

    4%

    15%

    25%

    18%

    17%

    23%

    Addressing climate change

    2%

    2%

    5%

    9%

    9%

    10%

    15%

    16%

    Controlling interest rates

    2%

    5%

    4%

    11%

    9%

    11%

    13%

    15%

    Australian jobs and protection of local industries

    8%

    11%

    13%

    32%

    41%

    36%

    32%

    33%

    Ensuring a quality water supply

    1%

    2%

    2%

    5%

    3%

    4%

    5%

    12%

    Housing affordability

    3%

    6%

    5%

    14%

    13%

    13%

    16%

    14%

    Ensuring a fair taxation system

    2%

    5%

    9%

    17%

    18%

    16%

    17%

    14%

    Security and the war on terrorism

    *

    1%

    3%

    5%

    5%

    4%

    8%

    9%

    Treatment of asylum seekers

    1%

    1%

    3%

    6%

    10%

    8%

    5%

    na

    Managing population growth

    1%

    2%

    4%

    7%

    8%

    8%

    12%

    na

    *Not asked

    66% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 57% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system, 35% ensuring a quality education for all children and 32% Australian jobs and protection of local industries.

    Since July, there has been an increase in the importance of ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system (+10%) and ensuring a quality education for all children (+9%) and a decline in the importance of political leadership (-10%) and Australian jobs and protection of local industries (-9%).

  • Nov, 2012

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    Party trust to handle important election issues

    Q.  Which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?

     

    ALP

    Libs

    Greens

    Don’t know

    Difference
    19
    Nov 12

    Difference
    18
    Jun 12

    Management of the economy

    31%

    45%

    2%

    22%

    -14

    -18

    Ensuring a quality education for all children

    38%

    33%

    4%

    24%

    +5

    -2

    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system

    32%

    35%

    7%

    25%

    -3

    -6

    Protecting the environment

    19%

    22%

    38%

    21%

    +16

    +17

    A fair industrial relations system

    41%

    32%

    4%

    23%

    +9

    +6

    Political leadership

    26%

    38%

    6%

    30%

    -12

    -16

    Addressing climate change

    22%

    23%

    32%

    24%

    +9

    +7

    Controlling interest rates

    28%

    39%

    3%

    30%

    -11

    -18

    Protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries

    34%

    36%

    4%

    27%

    -2

    -6

    Ensuring a quality water supply

    21%

    28%

    23%

    27%

    -7

    -12

    Housing affordability

    28%

    33%

    5%

    33%

    -5

    -11

    Ensuring a fair taxation system

    30%

    39%

    4%

    27%

    -9

    -10

    Security and the war on terrorism

    25%

    40%

    4%

    31%

    -15

    -22

    Treatment of asylum seekers

    20%

    38%

    13%

    29%

    -18

    -20

    Managing population growth

    22%

    37%

    6%

    35%

    -15

    -19

    Note – Differences are calculated by subtracting Liberal % from Labor % – except for the two issues on which the Greens lead in which case it is Greens minus Liberal.

    Labor leads the Liberal Party on ensuring a quality education for all children and a fair industrial relations system. The Liberal Party has maintained strong leads on management of the economy, controlling interest rates, political leadership, security and the war on terrorism, treatment of asylum seekers and managing population growth.

    There is little difference between Labor and the Liberals on ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system and protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries. Since June, there has been a shift in Labor’s favour on most issues – especially, ensuring a quality education for all children, controlling interest rates, housing affordability and security and the war on terrorism.

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