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  • Apr, 2013

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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? *

     

    28 May 12

    Total

    8 Apr 13

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Voters don’t trust the Prime Minister

    28%

    27%

    19%

    35%

    31%

    The Labor Party is divided and can’t govern properly

    na

    19%

    15%

    23%

    23%

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

    15%

    13%

    9%

    19%

    11%

    Voters would prefer Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister

    na

    9%

    14%

    4%

    7%

    Voters aren’t benefitting from the strong economy.

    12%

    9%

    10%

    5%

    12%

    The carbon tax has increased (will increase) the cost of living

    17%

    7%

    6%

    9%

    Some other reason

    8%

    12%

    21%

    3%

    12%

    Don’t know

    3%

    5%

    7%

    2%

    5%

    * 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 (27%) and the Labor Party is divided and can’t govern properly (19%).

    Both Liberal/National and Greens voters said trust in the Prime Minister was the key issue.

    Since May last year, those blaming the impact of the carbon tax has declined from 17% to 7%.

  • Feb, 2013

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    Expectations of a Liberal/National Government

    Q. If the Labor Party lost the next election, do you think the following would be better or worse under a Liberal/National Government led by Tony Abbott?

     

    A lot better

    A little better

    Stay much the same

    A little worse

    A lot worse

    Don’t use

    NET (Better-Worse)

    Political leadership

    16%

    19%

    27%

    10%

    24%

    4%

    +1

    Trust in Government

    13%

    19%

    29%

    12%

    22%

    4%

    -2

    Unemployment

    7%

    18%

    39%

    13%

    19%

    5%

    -7

    The economy overall

    16%

    22%

    31%

    12%

    16%

    4%

    +10

    The cost of living

    6%

    19%

    36%

    14%

    21%

    4%

    -10

    Interest rates

    5%

    13%

    48%

    14%

    16%

    5%

    -12

    Health services

    6%

    19%

    36%

    16%

    20%

    4%

    -11

    Job security

    7%

    17%

    36%

    14%

    22%

    4%

    -12

    Workers rights and conditions

    5%

    13%

    37%

    15%

    25%

    5%

    -22

    Company profits

    13%

    28%

    37%

    6%

    10%

    6%

    +25

    The environment

    5%

    13%

    47%

    11%

    21%

    4%

    -14

    Job creation

    8%

    20%

    39%

    13%

    16%

    4%

    -1

    Public services

    6%

    15%

    42%

    13%

    20%

    4%

    -12

    Benefits for people on Government support – such as pensioners and the unemployed

    5%

    13%

    39%

    16%

    23%

    5%

    -21

    Your personal financial situation

    6%

    16%

    42%

    15%

    16%

    4%

    -9

    Under a Liberal Government, respondents though that the economy overall (+10) and company profits (+25) would be better.

    However they were more likely to think that workers rights and conditions (-22), benefits for people on Government support  (-21), the environment (-14), interest rates (-12), job security (-12), public services, health services (-11) and the cost of living (-10) would all be worse. 22% think their own financial situation will be better, 31% think it will be worse and 42% much the same.

  • 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%).

  • Oct, 2012

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    Approval of return to surplus

    Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the Government’s intention to return the budget to surplus this financial year, even if it means making more spending cuts?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Total approve

    37%

    52%

    31%

    43%

    Total disapprove

    43%

    32%

    54%

    35%

    Strongly approve

    5%

    8%

    5%

    7%

    Approve

    32%

    44%

    26%

    36%

    Disapprove

    31%

    26%

    38%

    26%

    Strongly disapprove

    12%

    6%

    16%

    9%

    Don’t know

    19%

    17%

    16%

    23%

    37% approve of returning the budget to surplus even if it means spending cuts and 43% disapprove.

    Labor voters (52%) and Greens voters (43%) are more likely to approve but 54% Liberal/National voters disapprove. There were no substantial differences across demographics.

  • Sep, 2012

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    Attitudes to public sector cuts

    Q. There have recently been a significant number of public service jobs cut in various states around the country.

    How do you think each of the following will fare as are result of public sector job cuts?

     

    Get better

    Get worse

    Stay much the same

    Don’t know

    The rate of unemployment

    4%

    61%

    25%

    10%

    Delivery of public services

    5%

    54%

    29%

    11%

    The welfare of disadvantaged Australians

    5%

    53%

    30%

    12%

    Retail and spending

    4%

    50%

    35%

    11%

    The welfare of all Australians

    6%

    49%

    34%

    11%

    State budgets

    18%

    42%

    27%

    13%

    The economy in general

    11%

    41%

    37%

    11%

    Governments’ ability to respond to natural disasters

    7%

    32%

    45%

    16%

    The majority of respondents believe that the following things will get worse as a result of public sector cuts: the rate of unemployment (61%), delivery of public services (54%) and the welfare of disadvantaged Australians (53%).

    The larger portion of respondents also think that retail and spending will get worse (50%), as well as the welfare of all Australians (49%), state budgets (42%) and the economy in general (41%).

    A larger portion of respondents believe that the governments’’ ability to respond to natural disasters will stay much the same (45%) than those that believe it will get worse (32%).

  • Jul, 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

    30 Jul 12

    5 Dec 11

    6 June 11

    25 Jan 10

    Management of the economy

    38%

    16%

    10%

    64%

    62%

    61%

    63%

    Ensuring a quality education for all children

    5%

    10%

    11%

    26%

    22%

    26%

    23%

    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system

    10%

    19%

    18%

    47%

    47%

    49%

    48%

    Protecting the environment

    3%

    4%

    4%

    11%

    13%

    15%

    16%

    A fair industrial relations system

    4%

    3%

    5%

    12%

    11%

    8%

    *

    Political leadership

    11%

    7%

    7%

    25%

    18%

    17%

    23%

    Addressing climate change

    3%

    3%

    3%

    9%

    10%

    15%

    16%

    Controlling interest rates

    2%

    2%

    5%

    9%

    11%

    13%

    15%

    Australian jobs and protection of local industries

    13%

    15%

    13%

    41%

    36%

    32%

    33%

    Ensuring a quality water supply

    *

    1%

    2%

    3%

    4%

    5%

    12%

    Housing affordability

    3%

    5%

    5%

    13%

    13%

    16%

    14%

    Ensuring a fair taxation system

    4%

    7%

    7%

    18%

    16%

    17%

    14%

    Security and the war on terrorism

    1%

    1%

    3%

    5%

    4%

    8%

    9%

    Treatment of asylum seekers

    3%

    4%

    3%

    10%

    8%

    5%

    *

    Managing population growth

    2%

    3%

    3%

    8%

    8%

    12%

    *

    *Not asked

    64% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 47% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system and 41% Australian jobs and protection of local industries.

    Since December, there has been an increase in the importance of political leadership (+7%), Australian jobs and protection of local industries (+5%) and ensuring a quality education for all children (+4%).

  • Jun, 2012

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    Party trust to handle important election issues

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

     

    Labor

    Liberal

    Greens

    Don’t know

    Difference

    18 Jun 12

    Difference

    5 Dec 11

    Management of the economy

    26%

    44%

    3%

    27%

    -18

    -18

    Ensuring a quality education for all children

    33%

    35%

    5%

    26%

    -2

    -2

    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system

    30%

    36%

    7%

    27%

    -6

    -3

    Protecting the environment

    17%

    21%

    38%

    24%

    +17

    +14

    A fair industrial relations system

    36%

    30%

    6%

    28%

    +6

    +4

    Political leadership

    21%

    37%

    7%

    36%

    -16

    -17

    Addressing climate change

    18%

    24%

    31%

    27%

    +7

    +6

    Controlling interest rates

    22%

    40%

    3%

    35%

    -18

    -18

    Protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries

    29%

    35%

    6%

    31%

    -6

    -3

    Ensuring a quality water supply

    16%

    28%

    23%

    33%

    -12

    -12

    Housing affordability

    22%

    33%

    5%

    39%

    -11

    -10

    Ensuring a fair taxation system

    26%

    36%

    5%

    32%

    -10

    -9

    Security and the war on terrorism

    18%

    40%

    4%

    38%

    -22

    -19

    Treatment of asylum seekers

    16%

    36%

    13%

    36%

    -20

    -19

    Managing population growth

    17%

    36%

    7%

    40%

    -19

    -17

    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 does not have a substantial lead over the Liberal Party on any item measured. The Liberal Party has maintained strong leads on management of the economy, controlling interest rates, political leadership and security and the war on terrorism.

    There is little difference between Labor and the Liberals for ensuring a quality education for all children, ensuring the quality of Australia’s health systerm and protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries. Overall, there has been very little change in these results since December.

  • May, 2012

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    Trust Most to Handle Economy

    Q. Who would you trust most to handle Australia’s economy – the Treasurer Wayne Swan or the Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Wayne Swan

    34%

    77%

    6%

    51%

    Joe Hockey

    33%

    5%

    65%

    6%

    Don’t know

    33%

    18%

    29%

    43%

    34% would trust Wayne Swan most to handle the economy and 33% would trust Joe Hockey most. 33% could not give an opinion.

    Those aged under 35 trust Wayne Swan more (32%/21%) and those aged 55+ trust Joe Hockey more (47%/31%).

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