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  • Nov, 2010

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    Party Best at Handling Issues

    Q. Between Liberal and Labor, which party do you think would be best at managing each of the following issues?

      Labor Liberal No difference Don’t know Labor-Liberal difference
    Improving wages for low income earners 34% 20% 34% 13% +14
    The age pension 27% 23% 37% 13% +4
    Executive salaries 22% 20% 44% 14% +2
    Unemployment 24% 25% 38% 13% -1
    Regulation of large corporations 21% 24% 41% 14% -3
    Affordability of housing 19% 24% 44% 13% -5
    Jobs going overseas 18% 24% 44% 14% -6
    Superannuation 18% 27% 40% 15% -9
    Petrol and energy prices 16% 26% 45% 13% -10
    Regulation of banks 19% 29% 39% 14% -10
    Interest rates 17% 30% 41% 13% -13
    Food prices and inflation generally 18% 31% 38% 13% -13
    Taxation 18% 32% 37% 13% -14
    Government debt 15% 42% 31% 12% -27

    The only substantial lead for the Labor Party is on improving wages for low income earners (34% to 20%).

     Liberal Party strengths are in managing Government debt (42%/15%), taxation (32%/18%), food prices and inflation (31%/18%) and interest rates (30%/17%).

    Although overall opinions are closely related to voting intention, the Liberal Party generally performs better among its voters than the Labor Party does with its voters. On Government debt Labor voters split 35% Labor/14% Liberal/42% no difference and on petrol and energy prices 37%/2%/50%. Comments »

  • Jul, 2010

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    Important Issues

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

      First Second Third Total Total

    10 May 10

    Difference
    Management of the economy 38% 18% 7% 63% 62% +1%
    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system  16% 20% 19% 55% 50% +5%
    Australian jobs and protection of local industries 7% 8% 9% 24% 29% -5%
    Ensuring a quality education for all children 4% 11% 9% 24% 19% +5%
    Ensuring a fair taxation system 4% 6% 8% 18% 22% -4%
    Protecting the environment 5% 5% 5% 15% 13% +2%
    Political leadership 6% 3% 4% 13% 12% +1%
    Housing affordability 4% 4% 5% 13% 17% -4%
    Addressing climate change 4% 4% 4% 12% 12%
    Controlling interest rates 3% 5% 4% 12% 16% -4%
    Managing population growth 1% 4% 7% 12% 14% -2%
    Treatment of asylum seekers 4% 3% 4% 11% *  
    A fair industrial relations system 2% 4% 5% 11% 9% +2%
    Security and the war on terrorism 1% 2% 5% 8% 7% +1%
    Ensuring a quality water supply 1% 1% 4% 6% 7% -1%

    *Not asked in May 2010 poll

    The most important election issues were management of the economy, the quality of the health system, jobs and local industry and a quality education for all children.

    Since this issue was last polled in May, health and education have increased in importance (both +5%) and Australian jobs and protection of local industry declined 5%. Comments »

  • Jul, 2010

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    Party best at Handling Issues

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

      Labor Liberal Greens Don’t know
    A fair industrial relations system 45% 24% 5% 26%
    Ensuring a quality education for all children 41% 25% 4% 29%
    Australian jobs and protection of local industries 42% 28% 3% 27%
    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system  38% 27% 4% 31%
    Ensuring a fair taxation system 36% 28% 4% 32%
    Housing affordability 30% 24% 4% 41%
    Political leadership 33% 30% 5% 33%
    Ensuring a quality water supply 23% 23% 22% 32%
    Managing population growth 24% 27% 9% 40%
    Security and the war on terrorism 25% 30% 3% 42%
    Management of the economy 32% 38% 3% 27%
    Treatment of asylum seekers 23% 29% 11% 37%
    Controlling interest rates 28% 35% 2% 35%
    Addressing climate change 18% 16% 36% 29%
    Protecting the environment 17% 13% 47% 23%

     Labor have a substantial lead over the Liberal Party as the best party to handle a fair industrial relations system (+21%), quality education for all (+16%), Australian jobs and protection of industries (+14%) and ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system (+11%).

     The Liberal Party’s main strengths were controlling interest rates (+7%), treatment of asylum seekers (+6%) and management of the economy  (+6%).

    The Greens were thought to be the best party for protecting the environment (47%) and addressing climate change (36%). Comments »

  • Jun, 2010

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    Resources Super Profits Tax

    Q. Which of the following approaches do you think the Government should take in their dispute with the mining companies over the proposed resources super profits tax?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Proceed with the tax as planned 11% 17% 4% 17%
    Compromise a little and make minor changes to the tax 35% 52% 18% 62%
    Compromise a lot and make major changes to the tax 26% 20% 41% 7%
    Not proceed with the tax in any form 14% 3% 30% 5%
    Don’t know 14% 8% 7% 8

    Nearly half the respondents (46%) believe that the Government should proceed with the resources super profits tax unchanged or with minor changes. Only 14% oppose that tax in any form and 26% think the Government should make major changes to the tax.

    69% of Labor voters want the tax to proceed unchanged or with minor changes as does 79% of Greens voters. 41% of Liberal/National voters want major changes and 30% do not want the tax in any form. Comments »

  • Jun, 2010

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    RSPT

    Q. Which of the following statements is closest to your view in relation to the Government’s proposed resources super profits tax?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat
    The new tax will result in mining companies cutting back on their investments in Australia and there will be a significant loss of Australian jobs 42% 16% 72%
    Mining companies will continue to make large profits. They are just trying to avoid paying their fair share of tax. 40% 69% 16%
    Don’t know 17% 15% 11%

    Respondents were split over which statement best described their view of the Government’s proposed resources super profits tax – 42% agreed “the new tax will result in mining companies cutting back on their investments in Australia and there will be a significant loss of Australian jobs” and 40% agreed “mining companies will continue to make large profits. They are just trying to avoid paying their fair share of tax”.

    Opinions were strongly related to party preference – 69% of Labor voters agreed that “mining companies will continue to make large profits. They are just trying to avoid paying their fair share of tax” and 72% of Liberal/National voters agreed that “the new tax will result in mining companies cutting back on their investments in Australia and there will be a significant loss of Australian jobs”.

    53% of those on low incomes (<$600pw) agreed that “mining companies will continue to make large profits. They are just trying to avoid paying their fair share of tax”. Comments »

  • May, 2010

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    RSPT – Support

    Q. The Government has proposed a resources super profits tax- which is a 40% tax on the large profits of mining companies – in order to fund a reduction in company tax, assistance for small business and an increase in superannuation.  Do you support or oppose this tax?

    Total support 43%
    Total oppose 36%
    Strongly support 12%
    Support 31%
    Oppose 22%
    Strongly oppose 14%
    Don’t know 20%

     43% support and 36% oppose the resources super profits tax- which is a 40% tax on the large profits of mining companies – in order to fund a reduction in company tax, assistance for small business and an increase in superannuation.

    Labor voters support the tax 66%/15% and Coalition voters oppose the tax 66%/23%. 66% of Greens voters support the tax and 19% oppose.

    48% of higher income earners ($1,600+ pw) support the tax and 36% oppose.

    A differnt question about the RSPT was asked 2 weeks ago. It showed that 52% approved of higher taxes on the profits of large mining companies and 34% disapproved. Comments »

  • May, 2010

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    Approval of Taxation Proposals

    Q4. The Federal Government recently announced changes to our tax system as a result of the Henry Report, which was a review of Australia’s taxation. Do you approve or disapprove of the following Government proposals?

      Total approve Total disapprove Strongly approve Approve Disapprove Strongly disapprove Don’t know
    Higher taxes on the profits of large mining companies 52% 34% 14% 38% 19% 15% 14%
    Increasing superannuation contributions from 9% to 12% 74% 17% 25% 49% 12% 5% 10%
    Cutting company tax rates 54% 29% 10% 44% 23% 6% 18%
    Increasing taxes on cigarettes and alcohol 63% 31% 33% 30% 15% 16% 6%

     There was majority approval of all recent changes to Australia’s taxation.

     The most popular proposal was to increase superannuation contributions from 9% to 12% – 74% approved and 17% disapproved.

     63% approved increasing taxes on cigarettes and alcohol.

    More than half approved cutting company tax rates (54%) and higher taxes on the profits of large mining companies (52%).

    78% of Labor voters approved higher taxes on mining company profits (11% disapprove) and 56% of Liberal/National voters disapproved (35% approve).

     Increasing superannuation contributions received high support from both Labor (85%) and Liberal/National voters (72%). 61% of both Labor and Liberal/National voters supported cutting company tax rates. 63% of Labor voters and 69% of Liberal/National voters approved increasing taxes on cigarettes and alcohol. Comments »

  • May, 2010

    Government Direction on Taxation

    Q5. Overall, from what you have read and heard, do you think the Federal Government is heading in the right direction on taxation or the wrong direction on taxation?

    The right direction 34%
    The wrong direction 38%
    Don’t know 28%

     Respondents were split over whether the Federal Government is heading in the right or wrong direction on taxation. 34% think they are heading in the right direction 38% in the wrong direction and 28% don’t know.

     Opinions split very much along party lines – 65% of Labor voters said right direction (12% wrong direction) and 61% of Liberal/National voters said wrong direction (17% right direction). People on higher incomes ($1,600+ pw) were more likely to think the Government was headed in the right direction (40%/36%). Comments »

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