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  • Feb, 2013

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    Federal politics – 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 respondents

    First preference/leaning to

    Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago

    29/1/13

    2 weeks ago

    11/2/13

    Last week

    18/2/13

    This week

    25/2/13

    Liberal

    44%

    45%

    44%

    46%

    National

    3%

    3%

    3%

    3%

    Total Lib/Nat

    43.6%

    48%

    48%

    47%

    49%

    Labor

    38.0%

    35%

    34%

    35%

    34%

    Greens

    11.8%

    10%

    9%

    9%

    9%

    Other/Independent

    6.6%

    7%

    9%

    8%

    8%

     

    2PP

    Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago

    2 weeks ago

    Last week

     

    This week

    Total Lib/Nat

    49.9%

    54%

    55%

    54%

    56%

    Labor

    50.1%

    46%

    45%

    46%

    44%

    NB.  The data in the above tables comprise 2-week averages derived from 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. These estimates have a confidence interval of approx. plus or minus 2-3%.

  • Feb, 2013

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    Trust in information

    Q. How much trust do you have in the following for information on major public issues like immigration, climate change or the economy?

     

    A lot of trust

    Some trust

    Not much trust

    No trust at all

    Don’t know

    Don’t use

    What I see on TV news and current affairs

    5%

    50%

    30%

    11%

    3%

    1%

    What I hear on radio news and current affairs

    5%

    51%

    30%

    8%

    3%

    4%

    What I hear on radio talkback

    5%

    35%

    31%

    17%

    3%

    9%

    What I read in newspapers or online news sites

    5%

    51%

    32%

    8%

    2%

    2%

    What politicians say

    1%

    12%

    39%

    43%

    3%

    2%

    What I see online on blogs and social media

    2%

    20%

    39%

    22%

    5%

    11%

    What I hear from friends and family

    10%

    53%

    26%

    6%

    5%

    1%

    What I hear in my workplace

    3%

    37%

    34%

    10%

    4%

    11%

    What I learn from my own research

    35%

    50%

    6%

    2%

    2%

    4%

     

     

    Total

    lot/some of trust

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    What I see on TV news and current affairs

    55%

    54%

    59%

    40%

    What I hear on radio news and current affairs

    56%

    53%

    61%

    34%

    What I hear on radio talkback

    40%

    34%

    46%

    26%

    What I read in newspapers or online news sites

    56%

    59%

    58%

    48%

    What politicians say

    13%

    21%

    8%

    14%

    What I see online on blogs and social media

    22%

    23%

    23%

    24%

    What I hear from friends and family

    63%

    58%

    66%

    63%

    What I hear in my workplace

    40%

    39%

    43%

    42%

    What I learn from my own research

    85%

    86%

    86%

    83%

    85% have a lot or some trust in what they learn from their own research, 63% in what they hear from friends and family, 56% in newspapers and radio and 55% in TV news and current affairs. Only 13% have a lot or some trust in what they hear from politicians and 22% have a lot/some trust in blogs and social media.

    Labor voters tend to have a little more trust in newspapers while Liberal/National voters have a little more trust in radio and TV news and current affairs. Liberal/National voters also have above-average trust in radio talkback.

  • Feb, 2013

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    Expectations of a Liberal/National Government

    Q. If the Labor Party lost the next election, do you think the following would be better or worse under a Liberal/National Government led by Tony Abbott?

     

    A lot better

    A little better

    Stay much the same

    A little worse

    A lot worse

    Don’t use

    NET (Better-Worse)

    Political leadership

    16%

    19%

    27%

    10%

    24%

    4%

    +1

    Trust in Government

    13%

    19%

    29%

    12%

    22%

    4%

    -2

    Unemployment

    7%

    18%

    39%

    13%

    19%

    5%

    -7

    The economy overall

    16%

    22%

    31%

    12%

    16%

    4%

    +10

    The cost of living

    6%

    19%

    36%

    14%

    21%

    4%

    -10

    Interest rates

    5%

    13%

    48%

    14%

    16%

    5%

    -12

    Health services

    6%

    19%

    36%

    16%

    20%

    4%

    -11

    Job security

    7%

    17%

    36%

    14%

    22%

    4%

    -12

    Workers rights and conditions

    5%

    13%

    37%

    15%

    25%

    5%

    -22

    Company profits

    13%

    28%

    37%

    6%

    10%

    6%

    +25

    The environment

    5%

    13%

    47%

    11%

    21%

    4%

    -14

    Job creation

    8%

    20%

    39%

    13%

    16%

    4%

    -1

    Public services

    6%

    15%

    42%

    13%

    20%

    4%

    -12

    Benefits for people on Government support – such as pensioners and the unemployed

    5%

    13%

    39%

    16%

    23%

    5%

    -21

    Your personal financial situation

    6%

    16%

    42%

    15%

    16%

    4%

    -9

    Under a Liberal Government, respondents though that the economy overall (+10) and company profits (+25) would be better.

    However they were more likely to think that workers rights and conditions (-22), benefits for people on Government support  (-21), the environment (-14), interest rates (-12), job security (-12), public services, health services (-11) and the cost of living (-10) would all be worse. 22% think their own financial situation will be better, 31% think it will be worse and 42% much the same.

  • Feb, 2013

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    Government deserves to be re-elected

    Q. As of now, do you think the current Federal Labor Government of Julia Gillard deserves to be re-elected?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Yes, deserves to be re-elected

    26%

    66%

    4%

    31%

    No, does not deserve to be re-elected

    57%

    17%

    88%

    38%

    Don’t know

    17%

    17%

    8%

    31%

    26% think that the Labor Government deserves to be re-elected and 57% think they do not. 66% of Labor voters think they deserve to be re-elected.

    64% of men and 50% of women think they don’t deserve to be re-elected.

  • Feb, 2013

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    Liberals ready to govern

    Q. Do you think the Liberal Party led by Tony Abbott has shown it has the policies and leadership to be ready to govern?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Liberals are ready to govern

    36%

    6%

    72%

    4%

    Liberals are not ready to govern

    45%

    82%

    12%

    79%

    Don’t know

    19%

    13%

    16%

    17%

    36% think that the Liberal Party has the policies and leadership to be ready to govern and 45% think they do not. 72% of Liberal/National voters think they are ready to govern.

    41% of men and 32% of women think they are ready to govern.

  • Feb, 2013

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    Flexible work hours

    Q. The Federal Government has announced measures to increase access to flexible work hours for parents and carers. Which statement is closer to your view? 

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Workers should have the right to request flexible hours if their employer can accommodate it

    66%

    65%

    66%

    74%

    Employers should be required to accommodate workers’ caring responsibilities

    13%

    18%

    9%

    19%

    It’s not up to employers to consider workers’ personal responsibilities

    14%

    10%

    20%

    6%

    Don’t know

    7%

    7%

    4%

    1%

    66% think that workers should have the right to request flexible hours if their employer can accommodate it and 13% think employers should be required to accommodate workers’ caring responsibilities. There were few major differences across demographics. Those working full-time or part-time gave similar answers to those not working.

  • Feb, 2013

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    Support for industry package

    Q. The Federal Government has announced a $1 billion package to support Australian jobs in blue-collar industries like manufacturing. Do you support this plan? 

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Support

    48%

    69%

    39%

    45%

    Oppose

    10%

    1%

    17%

    10%

    Haven’t heard of it

    34%

    24%

    34%

    40%

    Don’t know

    9%

    6%

    10%

    5%

    48% support the Government’s $1 billion package to support Australian jobs in blue-collar industries like manufacturing and 10% oppose. 34% said they hadn’t heard of it.

    Strongest support was shown by Labor voters (69%), aged 35-44 (57%) and those earning $1,000-$1,600pw (56%).

  • Feb, 2013

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    Supplying mining projects

    Q. This package requires major mining projects to give local firms the opportunity to tender for work, like supplying equipment. Which is closer to your view? 

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Local Australian companies should be given the opportunity to tender for work on big mining companies

    48%

    49%

    52%

    51%

    Big mining companies should be forced to buy products from Australian businesses, to support local jobs

    34%

    39%

    29%

    36%

    Mining companies operating in Australia should be free to pursue the cheapest option, including sourcing equipment from overseas

    6%

    4%

    10%

    3%

    Don’t know

    11%

    9%

    8%

    11%

    48% think that Australian companies should be given the opportunity to tender for work on big mining companies and 34% think big mining companies should be forced to buy products from Australian businesses. Only 6% think mining companies operating in Australia should be free to pursue the cheapest option, including sourcing equipment from overseas.

    Strongest support for forcing mining companies to buy products from Australian businesses came from Labor voters (39%), aged 25-34 (42%) and those earning $1,000-$1,600pw (39%).

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