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  • Feb, 2014

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    Government handling of issues

    Q. How would you rate the Federal Liberal-National Government for the way they have handled the following issues?

     

    Total good

    Total poor

    Net score

    Very good

    Good

    Average

    Poor

    Very poor

    Don’t know

    Managing the economy

    34%

    31%

    +3

    12%

    22%

    29%

    16%

    15%

    6%

    Treatment of asylum seekers

    37%

    36%

    +1

    18%

    19%

    18%

    11%

    25%

    9%

    Relations with other countries

    29%

    32%

    -3

    8%

    21%

    30%

    13%

    19%

    8%

    Education and schools

    28%

    35%

    -7

    6%

    22%

    28%

    19%

    16%

    8%

    Supporting Australian businesses

    27%

    34%

    -7

    8%

    19%

    31%

    18%

    16%

    8%

    Protecting the environment

    26%

    36%

    -10

    7%

    19%

    28%

    14%

    22%

    9%

    Social welfare

    27%

    39%

    -12

    8%

    19%

    26%

    17%

    22%

    8%

    Industrial relations

    26%

    38%

    -12

    9%

    17%

    27%

    18%

    20%

    9%

    Health services

    25%

    38%

    -13

    6%

    19%

    29%

    20%

    18%

    7%

    Climate change

    24%

    39%

    -15

    10%

    14%

    28%

    13%

    26%

    9%

    Supporting Australian jobs

    25%

    44%

    -19

    8%

    17%

    26%

    20%

    24%

    6%

    The Government received negative rating for all issues except managing the economy (34% good/31% poor) and treatment of asylum seekers (37%/36%).

    Highest negative ratings were given for supporting Australian jobs (25% good/44% poor), climate change (24%/39%), health services (25%/38%), industrial relations (26%/38%) and social welfare (27%/39%).

  • Dec, 2013

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    Schools under the Liberal Government

    Q. Which schools do you think will be better off under the Liberal Government’s education plan? 

     

    Total

     

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Vote other/

    indep-endent

    All schools will be better off

    26%

    7%

    51%

    7%

    17%

    Only private schools will be better off

    26%

    43%

    11%

    30%

    28%

    Only public schools will be better off

    2%

    1%

    3%

    2%

    1%

    No schools will be better off

    22%

    33%

    6%

    49%

    26%

    Don’t know

    25%

    16%

    28%

    12%

    28%

    26% think that, under a Liberal Government, all schools will be better off. 26% think only private schools will be better off and 22% think no schools will be better off, while only 2% think that only public schools will be better off.

    51% of Liberal/National voters think all schools will be better off, 43% of Labor voters think only private schools will be better off and 49% of Greens voters think no schools will be better off.

  • Dec, 2013

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    Party trust to handle education

    Q.  Which party would you trust most to ensure a quality education for all children?

     

    Total

     

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Vote other/

    indep-endent

    Labor

    36%

    84%

    5%

    24%

    28%

    Liberal

    33%

    2%

    72%

    3%

    25%

    Greens

    7%

    3%

    1%

    61%

    6%

    Don’t know

    23%

    11%

    23%

    12%

    41%

    36% trust the Labor Party most to ensure a quality education for all children and 33% trust the Liberal Party most. When this issue was last measured in November, 34% favoured the Labor Party and 32% the Liberal Party.

    Those more likely to trust the Labor Party most were aged 35-54 (42%) and people on low incomes (44% of those earning less than $600 pw).

    Those more likely to trust the Liberal Party most were aged 55+ (44%) and people earning more than $1,000 pw (38%).

  • Jul, 2013

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    Party trust to handle issues

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

     

    Labor

    Liberal

    Greens

    Don’t know

     

    Difference 23 Jul 13

    Difference 17 Jun 13

    Management of the economy

    29%

    44%

    3%

    25%

    -15

    -18

    Ensuring a quality education for all children

    40%

    31%

    4%

    25%

    +9

    +1

    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system

    34%

    33%

    7%

    27%

    +1

    -5

    Protecting the environment

    19%

    21%

    39%

    21%

    +18

    +10

    A fair industrial relations system

    41%

    30%

    4%

    24%

    +11

    +3

    Political leadership

    28%

    35%

    5%

    31%

    -7

    -19

    Addressing climate change

    20%

    23%

    30%

    27%

    +7

    Controlling interest rates

    26%

    40%

    2%

    32%

    -14

    -17

    Australian jobs and protection of local industries

    34%

    35%

    4%

    26%

    -1

    -7

    Ensuring a quality water supply

    19%

    26%

    22%

    32%

    -7

    -14

    Housing affordability

    26%

    28%

    6%

    39%

    -2

    -12

    Ensuring a fair taxation system

    31%

    33%

    5%

    31%

    -2

    -11

    Security and the war on terrorism

    23%

    38%

    4%

    36%

    -15

    -18

    Treatment of asylum seekers

    22%

    33%

    13%

    31%

    -11

    -22

    Managing population growth

    20%

    33%

    8%

    39%

    -13

    -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.

    On most issues, the Labor Party has gained ground on the Liberals since last month just before Kevin Rudd took over the leadership. However, the Liberal Party has maintained strong leads on management of the economy, controlling interest rates, security and the war on terrorism, treatment of asylum seekers and managing population growth.

    Labor has now established a significant lead on a fair industrial relations system and ensuring quality education. The largest shifts to Labor were for quality education (+8), industrial relations (+8), political leadership (+12), housing affordability (+10) and treatment of asylum seekers (+11).

  • Jun, 2013

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    Party trust to handle issues

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

     

    Labor

    Liberal

    Greens

    Don’t know

    Difference 17 Jun 13

    Difference 11 Feb 13

    Difference

    19 Nov 12

    Difference

    18 Jun 12

    Management of the economy

    28%

    46%

    2%

    24%

    -18

    -15

    -14

    -18

    Ensuring a quality education for all children

    37%

    36%

    4%

    23%

    +1

    +2

    +5

    -2

    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system

    32%

    37%

    6%

    26%

    -5

    -3

    -3

    -6

    Protecting the environment

    19%

    24%

    34%

    22%

    +10

    +18

    +16

    +17

    A fair industrial relations system

    37%

    34%

    5%

    24%

    +3

    +6

    +9

    +6

    Political leadership

    23%

    42%

    5%

    30%

    -19

    -8

    -12

    -16

    Addressing climate change

    19%

    26%

    26%

    28%

    +5

    +9

    +7

    Controlling interest rates

    25%

    42%

    2%

    31%

    -17

    -14

    -11

    -18

    Australian jobs and protection of local industries

    30%

    37%

    4%

    29%

    -7

    -3

    -2

    -6

    Ensuring a quality water supply

    19%

    33%

    18%

    31%

    -14

    -6

    -7

    -12

    Housing affordability

    24%

    36%

    5%

    35%

    -12

    -6

    -5

    -11

    Ensuring a fair taxation system

    28%

    39%

    4%

    29%

    -11

    -6

    -9

    -10

    Security and the war on terrorism

    23%

    41%

    3%

    34%

    -18

    -13

    -15

    -22

    Treatment of asylum seekers

    17%

    39%

    12%

    32%

    -22

    -17

    -18

    -20

    Managing population growth

    18%

    37%

    8%

    38%

    -19

    -12

    -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.

    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 a quality education for all children and a fair industrial relations system. Since February, there have been significant shifts to the Liberals on protecting the environment, political leadership, ensuring a quality water supply and managing population growth.

  • Feb, 2013

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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?

     

    Total

    11 Feb 13

    19 Nov 12

    30 Jul 12

    5 Dec 11

    6 June 11

    25 Jan 10

    Management of the economy

    62%

    66%

    64%

    62%

    61%

    63%

    Ensuring a quality education for all children

    29%

    35%

    26%

    22%

    26%

    23%

    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system

    52%

    57%

    47%

    47%

    49%

    48%

    Protecting the environment

    14%

    14%

    11%

    13%

    15%

    16%

    A fair industrial relations system

    12%

    8%

    12%

    11%

    8%

    na

    Political leadership

    14%

    15%

    25%

    18%

    17%

    23%

    Addressing climate change

    9%

    9%

    9%

    10%

    15%

    16%

    Controlling interest rates

    9%

    11%

    9%

    11%

    13%

    15%

    Australian jobs and protection of local industries

    40%

    32%

    41%

    36%

    32%

    33%

    Ensuring a quality water supply

    4%

    5%

    3%

    4%

    5%

    12%

    Housing affordability

    11%

    14%

    13%

    13%

    16%

    14%

    Ensuring a fair taxation system

    21%

    17%

    18%

    16%

    17%

    14%

    Security and the war on terrorism

    6%

    5%

    5%

    4%

    8%

    9%

    Treatment of asylum seekers

    6%

    6%

    10%

    8%

    5%

    na

    Managing population growth

    9%

    7%

    8%

    8%

    12%

    na

    *Not asked

    62% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 52% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system, 40% Australian jobs and protection of local industries and 29% ensuring a quality education for all children.

    Since November, there has been an increase in the importance of Australian jobs and protection of local industries (+8%) and a decline in the importance of ensuring a quality education for all children (-6%) and ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system (-5%).

  • Feb, 2013

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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

    Diff
    11
    Feb
    13

    Diff
    19
    Nov
    12

    Diff
    18
    Jun
    12

    Management of the economy

    31%

    46%

    3%

    21%

    -15

    -14

    -18

    Ensuring a quality education for all children

    37%

    35%

    6%

    22%

    +2

    +5

    -2

    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system

    33%

    36%

    6%

    25%

    -3

    -3

    -6

    Protecting the environment

    20%

    21%

    39%

    20%

    +18

    +16

    +17

    A fair industrial relations system

    39%

    33%

    4%

    23%

    +6

    +9

    +6

    Political leadership

    29%

    37%

    6%

    29%

    -8

    -12

    -16

    Addressing climate change

    21%

    24%

    29%

    26%

    +5

    +9

    +7

    Controlling interest rates

    27%

    41%

    3%

    30%

    -14

    -11

    -18

    Protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries

    33%

    36%

    4%

    27%

    -3

    -2

    -6

    Ensuring a quality water supply

    21%

    27%

    23%

    29%

    -6

    -7

    -12

    Housing affordability

    27%

    33%

    5%

    35%

    -6

    -5

    -11

    Ensuring a fair taxation system

    31%

    37%

    4%

    28%

    -6

    -9

    -10

    Security and the war on terrorism

    25%

    38%

    4%

    33%

    -13

    -15

    -22

    Treatment of asylum seekers

    20%

    37%

    14%

    30%

    -17

    -18

    -20

    Managing population growth

    21%

    33%

    7%

    39%

    -12

    -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 has a significant lead over the  Liberal Party only on ensuring 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 a quality education for all children, ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system and protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries. Since November, there has been very little shift on any issue.

  • Feb, 2013

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    Changes in cost of living

    Q. Compared to two or three years ago is your household paying more or less for the following –

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Paying a lot more

     

    Paying a lot more

    Paying a little more

    Paying about the same

    Paying a little less

    Paying a lot less

    Don’t know

    Own home outright

    Own home with mortgage

    Renting

    Petrol

    50%

    33%

    11%

    2%

    1%

    4%

    44%

    49%

    55%

    Fresh food – fruit, vegetables, meat

    36%

    43%

    16%

    4%

    *

    2%

    33%

    35%

    41%

    Packaged food

    28%

    39%

    24%

    4%

    *

    4%

    26%

    27%

    33%

    Electricity and gas

    70%

    22%

    4%

    1%

    1%

    2%

    69%

    73%

    71%

    Housing – mortgage or rent

    24%

    22%

    29%

    10%

    3%

    12%

    10%

    21%

    40%

    Insurance

    43%

    36%

    14%

    1%

    1%

    5%

    48%

    47%

    35%

    Water

    47%

    32%

    14%

    1%

    1%

    6%

    48%

    54%

    38%

    Clothing

    21%

    30%

    37%

    9%

    1%

    2%

    17%

    21%

    25%

    Education

    24%

    20%

    27%

    3%

    3%

    23%

    15%

    28%

    26%

    Medical, dental

    33%

    33%

    27%

    2%

    *

    3%

    33%

    35%

    34%

    Items which respondents said they were “paying a lot more” for were electricity and gas (70%), petrol (50%), water (47%) and insurance (43%).

    Homeowners had similar responses to the total sample, but the main things renters were paying a lot more for were electricity and gas (71%), petrol (55%), fresh food (41%) and housing (40%).

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