Essential Report, foreign aid, Government spending, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. And do you think Australia spends too much or too little on foreign aid?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Spend 1% or less | Spend about 2% | Spend 5% or more | Don’t know spend | |
| Spends too much | 42% | 34% | 52% | 25% | 25% | 28% | 66% | 40% |
| Spends too little | 16% | 20% | 11% | 37% | 36% | 25% | 7% | 9% |
| Spends about the right amount | 21% | 27% | 21% | 21% | 30% | 39% | 19% | 13% |
| Don’t know | 21% | 20% | 15% | 16% | 9% | 8% | 8% | 39% |
42% think Australia spends too much on foreign aid, 21% about the right amount and 16% too little. Opinions are strongly related to perceptions of how much is spent. Those who think Australia spends a higher % of the budget are much more likely to think the spend is too much.
coal industry, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Network Ten, Polling, polls
Q. Do you agree or disagree that Australia’s coal industry should be phased out by 2050? (This question is commissioned by Network Ten).
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Men | Women | Age
18-34 |
Aged
35-54 |
Aged 55+ | |
| Total agree | 37% | 47% | 26% | 66% | 41% | 34% | 40% | 37% | 35% |
| Total disagree | 39% | 28% | 53% | 20% | 44% | 33% | 33% | 35% | 51% |
| Strongly agree | 13% | 19% | 7% | 36% | 17% | 10% | 13% | 14% | 13% |
| Agree | 24% | 28% | 19% | 30% | 24% | 24% | 27% | 23% | 22% |
| Disagree | 26% | 23% | 32% | 12% | 29% | 22% | 25% | 24% | 30% |
| Strongly disagree | 13% | 5% | 21% | 8% | 15% | 11% | 8% | 11% | 21% |
| Don’t know | 24% | 24% | 21% | 14% | 15% | 33% | 27% | 28% | 14% |
Respondents were nearly evenly split over whether Australia’s coal industry should be phased out by 2050 – 37% agreed and 39% disagreed.
Highest levels of agreement were shown by Greens voters (66%), Labor voters (47%) and those aged under 35 (40%)
Highest levels of disagreement were shown by Liberal/National voters (53%) and those aged 55+ (51%).
2PP, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, two party preferred, 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 = 1,883
| First preference/leaning to | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Liberal | 44% | 45% | 45% | 46% | |
| National | 2% | 3% | 3% | 3% | |
| Total Lib/Nat | 43.6 | 46% | 47% | 48% | 49% |
| Labor | 38.0 | 34% | 32% | 32% | 32% |
| Greens | 11.8 | 12% | 12% | 11% | 11% |
| Other/Independent | 6.6 | 8% | 9% | 9% | 9% |
| 2PP | Election
21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 49.9% | 53% | 55% | 55% | 56% |
| Labor | 50.1% | 47% | 45% | 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.
Australian economy, economy, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. Overall, from what you have read and heard, do you think the Australian economy is heading in the right direction or the wrong direction?
| 17 May 10
(Post 2010 budget) |
9 May 11
(Post 2011 budget) |
4 Jul 11 | Vote Labor | Vote Liberal/ National | Vote Greens | |
| The right direction | 51% | 45% | 37% | 66% | 21% | 49% |
| The wrong direction | 25% | 29% | 43% | 15% | 65% | 20% |
| Don’t know | 24% | 25% | 20% | 19% | 14% | 31% |
37% of respondents think that Australia’s economy is heading in the right direction – 43% think it is heading in the wrong direction. Since this question was asked just after the 2011 budget, “right direction” has dropped 8% and “wrong direction” increased 14%.
66% of Labor voters, 21% of Liberal/National voters and 49% of Greens voters think the economy is heading in the right direction.
Australian economy, economy, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. Which party do you think would be best at handling the Australian economy in the interests of you and people like you?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| The Labor Party | 26% | 75% | 2% | 35% |
| The Liberal Party | 43% | 1% | 86% | 11% |
| No difference | 23% | 19% | 9% | 43% |
| Don’t know | 8% | 4% | 3% | 10% |
43% think the Liberal Party would be best at handling the Australian economy in their interests and 26% nominated the Labor Party. 23% think there is no difference.
The Liberal Party is considered better by all income groups , although more by those on higher incomes. Those earning less than $600 per week favour the Liberal Party 37%/29%, while those earning $1,600+ per week favour the Liberal Party 51%/21%.
Australian economy, economy, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. Over the next 12 months do you think economic conditions in Australia will get better, get worse or stay much the same?
| 1 Dec 08 | 15 Jun 09 | 5 Oct 09 | 18 Jan 10 | 29 Mar 10 | 28 Jun 10 | 18 Oct 10 | 4 April 11 | 4 Jul 11 | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total better | 21% | 43% | 66% | 53% | 54% | 33% | 40% | 27% | 22% | 37% | 15% | 34% |
| Total worse | 61% | 37% | 15% | 19% | 19% | 31% | 30% | 37% | 49% | 28% | 65% | 34% |
| Get a lot better | 2% | 5% | 8% | 9% | 9% | 5% | 6% | 4% | 3% | 8% | 1% | 1% |
| Get a little better | 19% | 38% | 58% | 44% | 45% | 28% | 34% | 23% | 19% | 29% | 14% | 33% |
| Get a little worse | 45% | 28% | 11% | 14% | 13% | 23% | 20% | 27% | 31% | 22% | 37% | 26% |
| Get a lot worse | 16% | 9% | 4% | 5% | 6% | 8% | 10% | 10% | 18% | 6% | 28% | 8% |
| Stay much the same | 13% | 17% | 15% | 24% | 22% | 30% | 24% | 27% | 25% | 33% | 18% | 29% |
| No opinion | 5% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 6% | 7% | 6% | 8% | 4% | 3% | 2% | 3% |
Optimism about Australia’s economic outlook has declined again in the last 3 months. 22% think economic conditions in Australia will get better over the next 12 months and 49% think they will get worse – a net decline of 17% since this question was last asked in April. This is the most negative result recorded since December 2008.
Younger people are more optimistic than older people – of those aged under 35, 29% think conditions will get better and 42% worse – for those aged 55+, only 15% think it will get better and 58% worse.
37% of Labor voters think conditions will get better and 28% worse while 15% of Coalition voters think conditions will get better and 65% worse.
Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Personal financial situation, Polling, polls
Q. Over the next 12 months do you think your personal financial situation will get better, get worse or stay much the same?
| 29 Mar 10 | 28 Jun 10 | 18 Oct 10 | 4 April 11 | 4 Jul 11 | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total better | 40% | 29% | 33% | 32% | 28% | 34% | 25% | 41% |
| Total worse | 23% | 31% | 29% | 31% | 36% | 27% | 45% | 22% |
| Get a lot better | 8% | 5% | 6% | 7% | 5% | 9% | 3% | 7% |
| Get a little better | 32% | 24% | 27% | 25% | 23% | 25% | 22% | 34% |
| Get a little worse | 17% | 21% | 21% | 22% | 23% | 18% | 28% | 18% |
| Get a lot worse | 6% | 10% | 8% | 9% | 13% | 9% | 17% | 4% |
| Stay much the same | 33% | 37% | 32% | 32% | 32% | 37% | 29% | 32% |
| No opinion | 4% | 4% | 5% | 5% | 3% | 1% | 1% | 5% |
28% think their own personal financial situation will get better over the next 12 months and 36% worse – 32% think they will stay much the same.
This is somewaht less optimistic than the April result – a decrease from net +1% to -8%.
Among full-time workers, 32% think their situation will get better and 34% worse while those who are not working are more pessimistic – 23% better/40% worse.
For those aged 55+, 12% expect their financial situation to get better and 50% worse while for those aged under 35, 43% expect it to get better and 25% worse.
Essential Report, Greens, job security, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. How concerned are you that you or some member of your immediate family will lose their job in the next year or so: very concerned, somewhat concerned, or not at all concerned?
| 16 Feb 09 | 27 Apr 09 | 8 Jun 09 | 5 Oct 09 | 18 Jan 10 | 29 Mar 10 | 28 Jun 10 | 18 Oct 10 | 4 April 11 | 4 Jul 11 | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total concerned | 62% | 67% | 52% | 49% | 45% | 39% | 43% | 40% | 43% | 45% | 45% | 50% | 37% |
| Very concerned | 22% | 24% | 13% | 14% | 12% | 10% | 9% | 11% | 11% | 13% | 13% | 13% | 11% |
| Somewhat concerned | 40% | 43% | 39% | 35% | 33% | 29% | 34% | 29% | 32% | 32% | 32% | 37% | 26% |
| Not at all concerned | 29% | 23% | 35% | 40% | 40% | 45% | 38% | 42% | 43% | 39% | 37% | 39% | 47% |
| Don’t know | 4% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 8% | 7% | 12% | 10% | 8% | 8% | 11% | 5% | 7% |
| No employees in the immediate family | 5% | 5% | 8% | 5% | 8% | 9% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 6% | 9% |
45% are very or somewhat concerned that they or someone in their family may lose their job in the next year. This is only a slight change (+2%) since this question was last asked in April.
45% of those in full-time employment and 56% of those in part-time employment said they were very/somewhat concerned.