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  • May, 2012

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    Party Attributes Comparison – Labor vs Liberal

     

    Labor

    Liberal

     

    % difference

    Divided

    73%

    37%

    +36%

    Looks after the interests of working people

    47%

    40%

    +7%

    Will promise to do anything to win votes

    70%

    63%

    +7%

    Out of touch with ordinary people

    58%

    53%

    +5%

    Moderate

    50%

    52%

    -2%

    Extreme

    31%

    34%

    -3%

    Understands the problems facing Australia

    46%

    52%

    -6%

    Have a vision for the future

    41%

    48%

    -7%

    Has a good team of leaders

    29%

    39%

    -10%

    Keeps its promises

    22%

    34%

    -12%

    Clear about what they stand for

    31%

    46%

    -15%

    Too close to the big corporate and financial interests

    36%

    58%

    -22%

    The Labor Party is viewed more favourably than the Liberal Party in terms of – too close to the big corporate and financial interests and looks after the interests of working people.

    The Liberal Party is seen more favourably in terms of – divided, clear about what they stand for, keeps it promises and has a good team of leaders..

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  • May, 2012

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    State of the Economy

    Q. Overall, how would you describe the current state of the Australian economy?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Total good

    35%

    56%

    24%

    54%

    Total poor

    29%

    13%

    42%

    18%

    Very good

    6%

    13%

    2%

    17%

    Good

    29%

    43%

    22%

    37%

    Neither good nor poor

    33%

    30%

    33%

    28%

    Poor

    20%

    9%

    29%

    14%

    Very poor

    9%

    4%

    13%

    4%

    Don’t know

    2%

    2%

    *

    1%

    35% described the economy as good or very good and 29% poor/very poor – 33% said it was neither.

    Those most likely to think the economy was good/very good were aged 18-34 (41%) and people with incomes over $1,600pw (44%).

    Those most likely to think the economy was poor/very poor were aged 55+ (34%) and people with incomes of $600-$1,000pw (36%).

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  • May, 2012

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    Agreement with Economic Figures

    Q. Some say that official figures show Australia’s economy is doing very well, especially compared to the rest of the world.  The interest rate, the unemployment rate and the inflation rate are all less than 5%. Do you agree or disagree that this shows the state of the economy is good?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Total agree

    52%

    75%

    39%

    70%

    Total disagree

    37%

    17%

    54%

    23%

    Strongly agree

    9%

    20%

    3%

    16%

    Agree

    43%

    55%

    36%

    54%

    Disagree

    27%

    12%

    39%

    17%

    Strongly disagree

    10%

    5%

    15%

    6%

    Don’t know

    10%

    7%

    7%

    8

    When told that official figures show Australia’s economy is doing well, 52% agreed and 37% disagreed.

    Those most likely to disagree were Liberal/National voters (54%), aged 45+ (45%) and people with incomes of $600-$1,000pw (43%).

    Comments »

  • May, 2012

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    Reasons Economy is Poor

    Q. What is the main reason you don’t think the state of the economy is good? *

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Increasing cost of living

    34%

    34%

    32%

    40%

    Poor economic management by Government

    27%

    8%

    36%

    7%

    Businesses are struggling

    13%

    14%

    12%

    19%

    Increasing gap between rich and poor

    9%

    22%

    6%

    15%

    Global financial problems

    7%

    11%

    5%

    11%

    Incomes aren’t increasing fast enough to keep up

    7%

    11%

    7%

    Other reason

    2%

    1%

    8%

    Don’t know

    1%

    1%

    * Based on those who disagree that economy is good.

    Those who disagreed that the economy was good said the main reasons were the increasing cost of living (34%) and poor economic management by Government (27%).

    36% of respondents aged 55+ blamed poor economic management by Government while the increasing cost of living was the major factor for 43% of respondents aged 25-44.

    There were no significant differences across income groups in relation to the increasing cost of living.

  • May, 2012

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    Reasons Government is Unpopular

    Q. Although Australia’s economy is doing very well, according to opinion polls the Government is very unpopular. What do you think is the main reason for this? *

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Voters don’t trust the Prime Minister

    28%

    21%

    35%

    44%

    The carbon tax will increase the cost of living

    17%

    17%

    19%

    8%

    The economy is doing well for other reasons, like China and the mining boom, not because of the government

    15%

    13%

    19%

    5%

    Voters are still angry about the treatment of Kevin Rudd.

    12%

    18%

    6%

    14%

    Voters aren’t benefiting from the strong economy.

    12%

    10%

    14%

    8%

    The government looks sleazy because of Craig Thomson and Peter Slipper.

    4%

    5%

    3%

    8%

    Some other reason

    8%

    12%

    3%

    11%

    Don’t know

    3%

    5%

    1%

    3

    * Based on those who agree the economy is good.

    Respondents who thought the economy was doing well, thought the main reasons for the Government’s unpopularity were that voters don’t trust the Prime Minister (28%), that the carbon tax will increase the cost of living (17%) and that the economy is doing well for other reasons, not because of the Government (15%).

    Both Liberal/National and Greens voters said trust in the Prime Minister was the key issue, while Labor voters were somewhat more likely to nominate anger over the treatment of Kevin Rudd.

  • May, 2012

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    Household Financial Situation

    Q. How would you describe the current financial situation of your household?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Total satisfactory

    43%

    53%

    39%

    49%

    Total unsatisfactory

    28%

    27%

    30%

    17%

    Very satisfactory

    7%

    12%

    3%

    15%

    Satisfactory

    36%

    41%

    36%

    34%

    Neither satisfactory nor unsatisfactory

    28%

    19%

    31%

    33%

    Unsatisfactory

    18%

    18%

    19%

    10%

    Very unsatisfactory

    10%

    9%

    11%

    7%

    Don’t know

    1%

    1%

    *

    1%

    43% consider their current household financial situation to be satisfactory and 28% say it is unsatisfactory. 28% said it was neither.

    Those most likely to be satisfied were full-time workers (49%) and those on incomes over $1,600pw (61%).

    Those most likely to be dissatisfied were aged 45-54 (38%), not working (34%) and on incomes under $1,000pw (44%).

    Comments »

  • May, 2012

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    Major Spending in last 12 months

    Q. In the last 12 months have you –

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/

    Nat

    Vote Greens

    Financial situation satis-factory

    Neither satis-factory nor unsatis-factory

    Financial situation unsatis-factory

    Econ. good

    Neither good nor poor

    Econ. poor

    Bought a house or other property

    10%

    10%

    12%

    11%

    15%

    8%

    6%

    11%

    10%

    9%

    Bought a new car

    12%

    12%

    13%

    14%

    16%

    11%

    7%

    15%

    13%

    8%

    Bought a used car

    17%

    17%

    17%

    22%

    18%

    15%

    16%

    20%

    12%

    17%

    Renovated your current home

    17%

    20%

    16%

    18%

    23%

    15%

    9%

    22%

    17%

    11%

    Purchased a major household item (stove, TV, Fridge, furniture etc.)

    39%

    42%

    40%

    45%

    47%

    35%

    30%

    48%

    33%

    35%

    Taken an overseas holiday

    30%

    25%

    31%

    38%

    40%

    26%

    19%

    32%

    29%

    27%

    Taken an Australian holiday

    45%

    47%

    48%

    48%

    61%

    43%

    25%

    51%

    44%

    41%

    Paid private school fees

    12%

    11%

    15%

    8%

    13%

    14%

    7%

    16%

    7%

    11%

    Bought shares

    13%

    11%

    16%

    16%

    16%

    17%

    5%

    13%

    11%

    15%

    None of the above

    20%

    22%

    18%

    14%

    9%

    21%

    36%

    15%

    24%

    22%

    The most common major spending items over the last 12 months were holidays in Australia (45%), purchase of major household item (39%) and overseas holidays (30%).

    Spending rate of those who consider their financial situation unsatisfactory was about half that of those who were satisfied for most items. Whereas taking an Australian holidays was the most common item of major spending for those satisfied (61%) and the neither group (43%), those who were dissatisfied were more likely to have purchased a major household item (30%).

  • May, 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 = 1,918 respondents

    First preference/leaning to

    Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago

    23/4/12

    2 weeks ago

    7/5/12

    Last week

    14/5/12

    This week

    21/5/12

    Liberal

    45%

    47%

    47%

    46%

    National

    3%

    3%

    3%

    3%

    Total Lib/Nat

    43.6%

    49%

    50%

    50%

    49%

    Labor

    38.0%

    31%

    29%

    30%

    33%

    Greens

    11.8%

    11%

    11%

    11%

    10%

    Other/Independent

    6.6%

    9%

    9%

    9%

    8%

     

    2PP

    Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago

    2 weeks ago

    Last week

    This week

    Total Lib/Nat

    49.9%

    56%

    58%

    57%

    56%

    Labor

    50.1%

    44%

    42%

    43%

    44

    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. + or – 2%.

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