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  • Jun, 2012

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    Approval of Marine Reserves

    Q. The Federal Government recently announced plans to protect large areas of Australia’s marine environment in a network of marine reserves. Do you approve or disapprove of these plans?

    Total

     

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Total approve

    70%

    79%

    62%

    89%

    Total disapprove

    13%

    8%

    22%

    1%

    Strongly approve

    35%

    45%

    23%

    64%

    Approve

    35%

    34%

    39%

    25%

    Disapprove

    9%

    6%

    15%

    1%

    Strongly disapprove

    4%

    2%

    7%

    Don’t know

    16%

    13%

    16%

    10%

    70% approved of the Federal Government’s plans to protect large areas of Australia’s marine environment in a network of marine reserves and 13% disapproved.

    Approval was similar across all demographic groups – no group recorded approval lower than 65%.

  • Jun, 2012

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    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.

  • Mar, 2012

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    Creating a Climate for Change on Carbon

    It’s only months until a price on carbon takes affect so here are some clues from the polling to help Labor though the difficult times ahead.


  • Dec, 2011

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    The Past Year – The Economy and Industries

    Q. Thinking about the last 12 months, has it been a good or bad year for each of the following?

    Total good

    (Dec 10

    Total bad

    (Dec 10)

    Total good Total bad Very good Good Neither good nor bad Bad Very bad Don’t know
    The banks 69% 13% 71% 8% 35% 36% 16% 6% 2% 4%
    The mining industry 57% 14% 68% 11% 34% 34% 15% 8% 3% 6%
    Large companies and corporations 44% 15% 40% 22% 8% 32% 32% 18% 4% 6%
    The Australian economy 41% 20% 33% 31% 4% 29% 32% 24% 7% 3%
    The media 30% 14% 25% 27% 6% 19% 37% 19% 8% 10%
    Farming and agriculture 14% 50% 23% 40% 2% 21% 30% 28% 12% 7%
    The environment 14% 37% 20% 33% 3% 17% 41% 24% 9% 6%
    Small business 14% 45% 10% 61% 1% 9% 24% 42% 19% 6%

    A majority of respondents think it has been a good year for the banks (71%) and the mining industry (68%). They are also more likely to think it has been a good year for large companies and corporations (40% good/22% bad) and the economy (33%/31%). However, they are more likely to think the year has been bad for small business (61%), farming and agriculture (40%) and the environment (33%).

    In terms of the economy, Labor voters (50% good/18% bad) and Greens voters (47%/15%) were more likely to think it has been a good year – while 45% of Liberal/National voters considered it poor and 23% good.

    Compared to last years’ results, respondents considered 2011 a better year than 2010 for the mining industry (up 11% to 68% good), farming and agriculture (up 9% to 23%) and the environment (up 6% to 20%). Perceptions of the economy dropped from a net +21% to +2%.

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  • Nov, 2011

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    Carbon Tax

    Q. Do you support or oppose the Government’s carbon pricing scheme which, from July 2012, will require industries to pay a tax based on the amount of carbon pollution they emit?

    7 March 18 April 23 May 14 June 18 July 1 Aug 19 Sep 17 Oct Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total support 35% 39% 41% 38% 39% 39% 37% 39% 38% 66% 13% 86%
    Total oppose 48% 49% 44% 49% 49% 51% 52% 53% 53% 26% 80% 11%
    Strongly support 9% 13% 14% 13% 15% 15% 14% 14% 14% 28% 1% 48%
    Support 26% 26% 27% 25% 24% 24% 23% 25% 24% 38% 12% 38%
    Oppose 19% 15% 15% 19% 16% 19% 17% 17% 17% 11% 22% 5%
    Strongly oppose 29% 34% 29% 30% 33% 32% 35% 36% 36% 15% 58% 6%
    Don’t know 18% 12% 15% 13% 12% 10% 12% 9% 10% 9% 7% 2%

    Views on the carbon pricing scheme have changed very little since June and there has been no significant change since the legislation was passed. 38% support the scheme (down 1% since October) and 53% oppose (no change).

    The only demographic group to support the scheme were aged under 35’s – 45% support/40% oppose. Among those aged 55+, 37% support and 59% oppose.

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  • Aug, 2011

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    Tony Abbott’s belief in Climate Change

    Q. What do you think Tony Abbott actually believes about climate change?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Does not believe in climate change 19% 28% 14% 34%
    Does believe in climate change 27% 13% 46% 8%
    Doesn’t care whether climate change is real or not 31% 48% 17% 42%
    Don’t know 22% 11% 22% 16%

    31% of respondents think that Tony Abbott doesn’t care whether climate change is real or not, 27% think he believes in climate change and 19% think he doesn’t.

    46% of Liberal/National voters think he believes in climate change compared to only 13% of Labor voters and 8% of Greens voters. 34% of Greens voters think he does not believe in climate change and 48% of Labor voters think he doesn’t care whether climate change is real or not.

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  • Jul, 2011

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    Concern About Climate Change

    Q. Over the last 2 years, have you become more concerned or less concerned about the environmental effects of global warming or do you feel about the same as you did 2 years ago? (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+
    Total more concerned 46% 61% 35% 72% 45% 47% 55% 42% 42%
    Total less concerned 11% 4% 19% 2% 16% 6% 12% 11% 10%
    Much more concerned 15% 23% 7% 36% 14% 16% 16% 14% 16%
    A little more concerned 31% 38% 28% 36% 31% 31% 39% 28% 26%
    A little less concerned 5% 3% 8% 1% 7% 3% 6% 6% 3%
    Much less concerned 6% 1% 11% 1% 9% 3% 6% 5% 7%
    About the same 40% 32% 45% 24% 35% 45% 29% 43% 48%
    Don’t know 3% 3% 2% 2% 3% 3% 3% 5% *

    46% say they have become more concerned about the effects of global warming over the last 2 years, 11% are less concerned and 40% say they feel about the same.

    Those more likely to be more concerned are Labor voters (61%), Greens voters (72%) and those aged under 35 (55%).

    Those more likely to feel about the same are Liberal/National voters (45%), women (45%) and those aged 55+ (48%).

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  • May, 2011

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    Position on Climate Change

    Q. Do you agree that there is fairly conclusive evidence that climate change is happening and caused by human activity or do you believe that the evidence is still not in and we may just be witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate which happens from time to time?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens Nov 09 Dec 10
    Climate change is happening and is caused by human activity 52% 71% 34% 78% 53% 45%
    We are just witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate 36% 20% 54% 14% 34% 36%
    Don’t know 12% 8% 12% 8% 13% 19%

    52% agree that climate change is happening and is caused by human activity and 36% believe that we may just be witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate. This is a significant increase in the belief that climate change is happening and caused by human activity since December last year (and a return to the levels recorded in November 2009).

    By age groups, those aged under 35 split 64%/24% and those aged 55+ split 47%/48%.

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