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18 June 2012, 180612, asylum seekers, climate change, economy, Education, environment, Housing affordability, Industrial Relations, Interest rates, political leadership, taxation system, trust, trust government, war on terrorism, Water
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.
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asylum seekers, Australia’s health system, Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Election Issues, EMC, environment, Essential Media, Essential Report, Greens, industrial relations system, Interest rates, Labor, Liberal, party trust, population growth, quality education, taxation system, Terrorism, water supply, working families
Important election issues
Q. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election? (Number from 1 to 3 where 1 is the most important, 2 the second most important, etc)
One Two Three Total Total 11th Oct 10 Total 25th Jan 10 Management of the economy 37% 18% 10% 65% 62% 63% Ensuring a quality education for all children 5% 10% 11% 26% 32% 23% Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system 13% 20% 16% 49% 48% 48% Protecting the environment 4% 3% 6% 13% 12% 16% A fair industrial relations system 2% 4% 4% 10% 11% * Political leadership 6% 5% 5% 16% 16% 23% Addressing climate change 3% 3% 4% 10% 11% 16% Controlling interest rates 5% 8% 8% 21% 17% 15% Australian jobs and protection of local industries 10% 8% 12% 30% 30% 33% Ensuring a quality water supply 1% 2% 3% 6% 6% 12% Housing affordability 5% 5% 6% 16% 17% 14% Ensuring a fair taxation system 4% 6% 8% 18% 16% 14% Security and the war on terrorism 1% 2% 2% 5% 6% 9% Treatment of asylum seekers 1% 2% 2% 5% 5% * Managing population growth 2% 5% 4% 11% 10% * *Not asked
65% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 49% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system and 30% Australian jobs and protection of local industries.
Only 10% rate addressing climate change as one of their three most important issues and 6% rate ensuring a quality water supply.
Over the past 12 months there has been an increase in the importance of controlling interest rates (from 15% to 21%) and a decrease in the importance of addressing climate change (from 16% to 10%).
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asylum seekers, Australia’s health system, Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Election Issues, EMC, environment, Essential Media, Essential Report, Greens, industrial relations system, Interest rates, Labor, Liberal, party trust, population growth, quality education, taxation system, Terrorism, water supply, working families
Important election issues
Q. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election? (Number from 1 to 3 where 1 is the most important, 2 the second most important, etc)
Total Labor Liberal/ National Green Management of the economy 65% 63% 77% 47% Ensuring a quality education for all children 26% 33% 20% 24% Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system 49% 52% 47% 37% Protecting the environment 13% 12% 6% 42% A fair industrial relations system 10% 18% 5% 8% Political leadership 16% 11% 25% 14% Addressing climate change 10% 10% 5% 22% Controlling interest rates 21% 17% 22% 19% Australian jobs and protection of local industries 30% 33% 32% 18% Ensuring a quality water supply 6% 4% 6% 5% Housing affordability 16% 15% 13% 21% Ensuring a fair taxation system 18% 17% 19% 14% Security and the war on terrorism 5% 5% 8% 5% Treatment of asylum seekers 5% 3% 5% 15% Managing population growth 11% 8% 12% 9% Compared to the average, Labor voters are more likely to rate ensuring a quality education for all children (33%) and a fair industrial relations system (18%) as important.
Liberal/National voters attach more importance to management of the economy (77%) and political leadership (25%) while Greens voters are more likely to nominate protecting the environment (42%), addressing climate change (22%) and treatment of asylum seekers (15%).
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asylum seekers, Australia’s health system, Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Election Issues, EMC, environment, Essential Media, Essential Report, Greens, industrial relations system, Interest rates, Labor, Liberal, party trust, population growth, quality education, taxation system, Terrorism, water supply, working families
Party best handling important election issues
Q. And which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?
Labor Liberal Greens Don’t know Management of the economy 33% 43% 2% 22% Ensuring a quality education for all children 39% 33% 4% 24% Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system 33% 33% 7% 27% Protecting the environment 16% 19% 40% 24% A fair industrial relations system 40% 30% 5% 25% Political leadership 28% 37% 4% 31% Addressing climate change 18% 20% 34% 28% Controlling interest rates 22% 40% 2% 35% Protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries 36% 33% 4% 27% Ensuring a quality water supply 21% 28% 20% 31% Housing affordability 26% 30% 7% 37% Ensuring a fair taxation system 28% 35% 4% 32% Security and the war on terrorism 23% 37% 4% 36% Treatment of asylum seekers 20% 33% 12% 35% Standing up for regular Australian working families 41% 27% 6% 25% Managing population growth 21% 36% 7% 37% Making sure Australian working people got fair treatment at their workplace 41% 29% 6% 25% Labor is trusted most to handle a fair industrial relations system (40%), ensuring a quality education for all children (39%) and standing up for regular Australian working families (41%).
The Liberals are trusted most to handle management of the economy (43%), controlling interest rates (40%), political leadership (37%) and security and the war on terrorism (37%).
In October, Labor was considered substantially better to handle 5 of the issues surveyed and Liberals 5 issues – compared to this survey where Labor leads on 4 issues and Liberals on 8 issues. The Liberals have now established a lead on political leadership (+9%), water supply (+7%), and taxation (+7%).
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debt, economic issues, economy, Housing affordability, inflation, Interest rates, Labor, Labor Party, Liberal, Liberal Party, Liberals, pension, superannuation, taxation system
Management of Economic Issues
Q. Between Liberal and Labor, which party do you think would be best at managing each of the following issues?
When it comes to which party is best at handling economic issues, Labor leads the Liberal party on managing the improvement of wages for low income earners (+17%), executive salaries (+9%) and the age pension (+9%).
Labor trails the Liberals in terms of managing government debt (-24%), followed by managing interest rates (-9%) and superannuation (-9%).
Perception of which party is best at managing the economic issues listed followed party lines.