economy, Essential Report, GFC, global financial crisis, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, the economy
Q. Which party would you trust most to handle the economy if there was another Global Financial Crisis (GFC)?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| The Labor Party | 27% | 77% | 3% | 41% |
| The Liberal Party | 43% | 6% | 86% | 3% |
| No difference | 19% | 13% | 9% | 42% |
| Don’t know | 10% | 4% | 2% | 13% |
43% said they would trust the Liberal Party most to handle the economy if there was another GFC, 27% would trust the Labor Party most and 19% said there was no difference.
Those aged under 35 were more likely to think there was no difference (25%) while those aged 55+ were more likely to prefer the Liberal Party (54%)
asylum seekers, Essential Report, Polling, polls
Q. How concerned are you about the number of asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Very concerned | 43% | 36% | 54% | 12% |
| Somewhat concerned | 24% | 27% | 27% | 17% |
| A little concerned | 15% | 17% | 11% | 26% |
| Not at all concerned | 15% | 19% | 7% | 44% |
| Don’t know | 2% | 1% | 1% | 2% |
43% were very concerned and 24% somewhat concerned about the number of asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat. 30% were only a little or not concerned.
60% of those aged 55+ were very concerned compared to 26% of those aged under 35.
asylum, asylum seekers, Essential Report, Polling, polls
Q. As far as you know, has the number of asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat, increased or decreased over the last 12 months?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total increased | 62% | 51% | 74% | 36% |
| Total decreased | 7% | 10% | 5% | 11% |
| Increased a lot | 36% | 24% | 50% | 7% |
| Increased a little | 26% | 27% | 24% | 29% |
| Stayed about the same | 20% | 28% | 14% | 33% |
| Decreased a little | 6% | 8% | 5% | 9% |
| Decreased a lot | 1% | 2% | * | 2% |
| Don’t know | 11% | 11% | 6% | 20% |
62% believe that the number of asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat has increased over the last 12 months, 20% think it has stayed the same and 7% think it has decreased. 74% of Liberal/National voters think it has increased compared to 51% of Labor voters and 36% of Greens voters.
Of those who think it has increased, 59% said they were very concerned (in answer to the previous question) – and of those who think it has stayed the same or decreased, only 18% were very concerned.
asylum seeker issue, asylum seekers, boat people, Essential Report, Polling, polls
Q. Actually, the number of asylum seekers reaching Australia by boat has fallen by more than half in 2011 compared to 2010. Based on that information, now how concerned are you about the number of asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Very concerned | 33% | 24% | 43% | 9% |
| Somewhat concerned | 25% | 27% | 30% | 11% |
| A little concerned | 20% | 23% | 17% | 26% |
| Not at all concerned | 19% | 25% | 8% | 50% |
| Don’t know | 3% | 2% | 1% | 3% |
When told that the number of asylum seekers arriving by boat had fallen by more than half, 33% said they were very concerned (down 10% from the earlier question), 25% somewhat concerned (up 1%) and 39% a little or not concerned (up 9%).
The shifts were similar across all demographic groups.
Bill Shorten, Bob Brown, Greg Combet, Julia Gillard, kevin rudd, Labor, leadership, malcolm turnbull, Network Ten, Polling, polls, preferred PM, Stephen Smith
Q. If you were able to choose any politician to be leader of the Labor Party, which of the following would you prefer? (This question was commissioned by Network Ten).
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Men | Women | Age
18-34 |
Aged
35-54 |
Aged 55+ | |
| Kevin Rudd | 37% | 43% | 36% | 35% | 40% | 33% | 40% | 39% | 30% |
| Julia Gillard | 12% | 31% | 2% | 24% | 10% | 13% | 12% | 12% | 12% |
| Malcolm Turnbull | 11% | 6% | 17% | 7% | 12% | 10% | 10% | 9% | 15% |
| Stephen Smith | 7% | 6% | 9% | 2% | 7% | 6% | 3% | 6% | 12% |
| Bob Brown | 3% | 2% | 2% | 11% | 3% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 4% |
| Greg Combet | 2% | 2% | 1% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 3% |
| Bill Shorten | 1% | 1% | 2% | 1% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 2% |
| Don’t know | 28% | 9% | 32% | 18% | 22% | 33% | 31% | 28% | 22% |
37% of respondents prefer Kevin Rudd as leader of the Labor Party, 12% prefer Julia Gillard and 11% Malcolm Turnbull.
Among Labor voters, 43% prefer Kevin Rudd and 31% Julia Gillard.
Kevin Rudd is more preferred by younger respondents while those aged 55+ were more likely than the average to prefer Malcolm Turnbull (15%) and Stephen Smith (12%).
2PP, federal politics, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, two party preferred, voting, Voting intention
Q. If a Federal Election was held today to which party will you probably give your first preference vote? If not sure, which party are you currently leaning toward?
Q. If don’t know -Well which party are you currently leaning to?
sample size = 1,899
| First preference/leaning to | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Liberal | 46% | 46% | 45% | 46% | |
| National | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | |
| Total Lib/Nat | 43.6 | 49% | 49% | 48% | 49% |
| Labor | 38.0 | 32% | 31% | 32% | 31% |
| Greens | 11.8 | 11% | 11% | 11% | 11% |
| Other/Independent | 6.6 | 9% | 9% | 9% | 9% |
| 2PP | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 49.9% | 56% | 56% | 55% | 56% |
| Labor | 50.1% | 44% | 44% | 45% | 44% |
NB. The data in the above tables comprise 2-week averages derived the first preference/leaning to voting questions. Respondents who select ‘don’t know’ are not included in the results. The two-party preferred estimate is calculated by distributing the votes of the other parties according to their preferences at the 2010 election.
carbon pricing scheme, Carbon Tax, climate change, Essential Report, federal politics, Polling, polls
Q. Do you support or oppose the Government’s proposal to introduce a carbon pricing scheme from 1 July 2012, which will require industries to pay a tax based on the amount of carbon pollution they emit?
| 7 March | 14 March | 28 March | 18 April | 23 May | 30 May | 14 June | 11 July | 18 July | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total support | 35% | 38% | 34% | 39% | 41% | 38% | 38% | 35% | 39% | 39% | 77% | 12% | 82% |
| Total oppose | 48% | 49% | 51% | 49% | 44% | 48% | 49% | 53% | 49% | 51% | 14% | 83% | 11% |
| Strongly support | 9% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 14% | 14% | 13% | 11% | 15% | 15% | 33% | 2% | 42% |
| Support | 26% | 26% | 22% | 26% | 27% | 24% | 25% | 24% | 24% | 24% | 44% | 10% | 40% |
| Oppose | 19% | 17% | 19% | 15% | 15% | 19% | 19% | 19% | 16% | 19% | 9% | 26% | 6% |
| Strongly oppose | 29% | 32% | 32% | 34% | 29% | 29% | 30% | 34% | 33% | 32% | 5% | 57% | 5% |
| Don’t know | 18% | 13% | 15% | 12% | 15% | 15% | 13% | 12% | 12% | 10% | 9% | 5% | 7% |
Opinions of the Government’s carbon pricing scheme have changed little the last time this was surveyed two weeks ago. 39% support (no change) and 51% oppose (down 2%).
82% of Greens voters and 77% of Labor voters support the scheme and 83% of Liberal/National voters oppose.
Those aged under 35 are more likely to support the scheme (46% support/39% oppose) and those aged over 55 oppose (36% support/57% oppose).
carbon pricing scheme, Carbon Tax, climate change, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, Voting intention
Q. How important is the issue of the carbon pricing scheme in deciding which party you would vote for?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Very important | 30% | 25% | 39% | 33% |
| Somewhat important | 29% | 28% | 31% | 35% |
| A little important | 21% | 25% | 16% | 18% |
| Not at all important | 13% | 18% | 12% | 8% |
| Don’t know | 7% | 3% | 2% | 6% |
30% say that the carbon pricing scheme is very important to their voting decision and 29% say it is somewhat important. Liberal/National voters are more likely to consider it very important (39%).
The carbon pricing issue is more important to those who are opposed than those who support it. 68% of those who oppose the scheme say it is very/somewhat important compared to 58% of those who support it.