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  • Jun, 2012

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    Approval of Overseas Workers

    Q. The Federal Government recently gave approval to Gina Rinehart’s mining company to bring in 1,700 overseas workers. Do you approve or disapprove of overseas workers being brought in to work in Australia’s mining industry?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Total approve

    16%

    20%

    19%

    10%

    Total disapprove

    60%

    55%

    61%

    58%

    Strongly approve

    3%

    3%

    3%

    5%

    Approve

    13%

    17%

    16%

    5%

    Neither approve nor disapprove

    20%

    23%

    18%

    30%

    Disapprove

    25%

    27%

    25%

    30%

    Strongly disapprove

    35%

    28%

    36%

    28%

    Don’t know

    5%

    3%

    2%

    2%

     16% approve of the Government’s approval for Gina Rinehart’s mining company to bring in 1,700 overseas workers and 60% disapprove.

    A majority of all voter groups disapproved.

    Highest approval came from men (20%), full-time workers (20%) and respondents aged 65+ (21%).

     

  • Feb, 2012

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    Opinion of Mining Tax

    Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the proposed mining tax (called the Minerals Resource Rent Tax) on large profits of mining companies?

    12 Jul 2010 5 Sep 2011 21 Nov 2011 Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total approve 50% 46% 51% 55% 80% 39% 74%
    Total disapprove 28% 34% 33% 28% 7% 46% 12%
    Strongly approve 13% 18% 18% 23% 46% 7% 44%
    Approve 37% 28% 33% 32% 34% 32% 30%
    Disapprove 18% 18% 20% 17% 6% 26% 9%
    Strongly disapprove 10% 16% 13% 11% 1% 20% 3%
    Don’t know 22% 19% 15% 17% 13% 14% 14%

    Approval for the proposed mining tax has increased over the course of the last 6 months, rising 9 percentage points from 46% in September 2011 to 55% total approval in this week’s poll.

    Labor voters are the most in favour of the proposed mining tax, with 80% in favour, followed by Greens voters (74% in favour).  The majority of Coalition voters remain opposed to the proposed tax, with 46% opposed and 39% in favour.

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  • Dec, 2011

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    The Past Year – The Economy and Industries

    Q. Thinking about the last 12 months, has it been a good or bad year for each of the following?

    Total good

    (Dec 10

    Total bad

    (Dec 10)

    Total good Total bad Very good Good Neither good nor bad Bad Very bad Don’t know
    The banks 69% 13% 71% 8% 35% 36% 16% 6% 2% 4%
    The mining industry 57% 14% 68% 11% 34% 34% 15% 8% 3% 6%
    Large companies and corporations 44% 15% 40% 22% 8% 32% 32% 18% 4% 6%
    The Australian economy 41% 20% 33% 31% 4% 29% 32% 24% 7% 3%
    The media 30% 14% 25% 27% 6% 19% 37% 19% 8% 10%
    Farming and agriculture 14% 50% 23% 40% 2% 21% 30% 28% 12% 7%
    The environment 14% 37% 20% 33% 3% 17% 41% 24% 9% 6%
    Small business 14% 45% 10% 61% 1% 9% 24% 42% 19% 6%

    A majority of respondents think it has been a good year for the banks (71%) and the mining industry (68%). They are also more likely to think it has been a good year for large companies and corporations (40% good/22% bad) and the economy (33%/31%). However, they are more likely to think the year has been bad for small business (61%), farming and agriculture (40%) and the environment (33%).

    In terms of the economy, Labor voters (50% good/18% bad) and Greens voters (47%/15%) were more likely to think it has been a good year – while 45% of Liberal/National voters considered it poor and 23% good.

    Compared to last years’ results, respondents considered 2011 a better year than 2010 for the mining industry (up 11% to 68% good), farming and agriculture (up 9% to 23%) and the environment (up 6% to 20%). Perceptions of the economy dropped from a net +21% to +2%.

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  • Feb, 2011

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    The great rock ‘n’ coal swindle

    First published on The Drum: 22/02/2011

    If there is any silver lining from the mining industry’s 20,800 per cent return on investment for knocking over the Rudd Government’s Resource Rent Tax, it’s that the punters are beginning to wise up.

    As interest groups around the nation hone their scare campaigns in expectation of a price on carbon, this week’s Essential Report suggests the mining industry has dealt themselves out of any credible role in the debate.

    With record profits the size of many sovereign nation’s GDPs and ongoing plans to extract even more of the national wealth, a majority of the public say they support forcing the mining industry to pay a greater share of their profits in tax.

    Q: Would you approve or disapprove of higher taxes on the profits of large mining companies?

    Total Vote
    Labor
    Vote
    Lib/Nat
    Vote
    Greens
    Total approve 56% 75% 36% 83%
    Total disapprove 27% 13% 49% 6%
    Strongly approve 21% 32% 6% 46%
    Approve 35% 43% 30% 37%
    Disapprove 20% 11% 35% 4%
    Strongly disapprove 7% 2% 14% 2%
    Don’t know 17% 13% 15% 11%

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