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  • Mar, 2011

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    Support for Carbon Tax if Compensated

    Q. If the Government compensated households by cutting income tax and increasing welfare payments, would you be more likely or less likely to support the proposed carbon tax?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens Men Women Age

    18-34

    Aged

    35-54

    Aged 55+
    Total more likely 38% 58% 26% 49% 37% 40% 43% 38% 34%
    Total less likely 16% 10% 23% 14% 20% 12% 16% 16% 15%
    Much more likely 14% 26% 7% 20% 15% 14% 16% 15% 12%
    Somewhat more likely 24% 32% 19% 29% 22% 25% 27% 23% 22%
    Somewhat less likely 5% 6% 6% 4% 7% 3% 6% 6% 4%
    Much less likely 11% 4% 17% 10% 13% 8% 10% 10% 11%
    Makes no difference 35% 24% 46% 26% 35% 35% 26% 36% 46%
    Don’t know 11% 8% 5% 11% 8% 13% 15% 10% 6%

    38% of respondents agreed they would be more likely to support the proposed carbon tax if the Government compensated households by cutting income tax and increasing welfare payments, 16% said they would be less likely to support it and 35% said it would make no difference.

    Those most likely to support the tax were Labor voters (58%), Greens voters (49%) and younger respondents (43% of people aged 18-34). 46% of Coalition voters and 46% of those aged 55+ said it would make no difference to their view.

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  • Mar, 2011

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    Carbon Pricing

    Q. Do you support or oppose the Government’s recent announcement 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 Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total support 35% 38% 34% 63% 14% 56%
    Total oppose 48% 49% 51% 23% 80% 24%
    Strongly support 9% 12% 12% 22% 4% 29%
    Support 26% 26% 22% 41% 10% 27%
    Oppose 19% 17% 19% 12% 24% 13%
    Strongly oppose 29% 32% 32% 11% 56% 11%
    Don’t know 18% 13% 15% 14% 7% 19%

    Support for the Government’s carbon pricing scheme has fallen over the last 2 weeks. 34% now support the scheme and 51% are opposed.

    Opinion has polarized among voters for the major parties. Support among Labor voters has increased from 55% to 63% while opposition from Coalition voters has increased from 73% to 80%.  Support has fallen among Greens voters – 2 weeks ago they split 78% support/11% oppose compared to this week’s 56% support/24% oppose.

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  • Mar, 2011

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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 =1,917

    First preference/leaning to Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week This week
    Liberal 42% 45% 44% 43%
    National 3% 2% 3% 3%
    Total Lib/Nat 43.6 45% 47% 46% 46%
    Labor 38.0 37% 35% 36% 37%
    Greens 11.8 11% 10% 10% 10%
    Other/Independent 6.6 7% 8% 8% 7%
    2PP Election

    21 Aug 10

    4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week This week
    Total Lib/Nat 49.9% 52% 54% 53% 52%
    Labor 50.1% 48% 46% 47% 48%

    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.

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  • Mar, 2011

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    Form of Compensation Preferred

    Q. The Federal Government says that the funds raised from the carbon tax will be used to compensate those affected by price increases. Which of the following forms of compensation do you favour?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    A direct payment to households 39% 44% 37% 50%
    An income tax cut 33% 36% 34% 26%
    A cut to the GST rate 13% 11% 17% 8%
    Cuts to corporate taxes 2% 1% 2% 1%
    Don’t know 13% 8% 10% 14%

    39% favour compensation as a direct payment to households and 33% favour income tax cuts. Greens voters (50%) and Labor voters (44%) are most likely to favour a direct payment while Coalition voters split 37% direct payment/34% tax cut.

    Older people strongly favour a direct payment  – among those aged 55+, 51% favour direct payment and 21% a tax cut, while for those aged 18-44, 39% favour a tax cut and 33% favour a direct payment.

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  • Mar, 2011

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    Early Election over Carbon Tax

    Q. Do you think the Government should call an early election over the carbon tax?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Yes 40% 16% 67% 17%
    No 44% 72% 20% 69%
    Don’t know 17% 11% 13% 13%

    40% think that the Government should call an early election over the carbon tax and 44% think they should not. 67% of Coalition voters favour an early election while 72% of Labor voters and 69% of Greens voters do not.

    Men favour an early election 47%/41% while women oppose 46%/33%.

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  • Mar, 2011

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    Approval of Kevin Rudd as Foreign Minister

    Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Kevin Rudd is doing as Foreign Minister?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total approve 61% 83% 47% 74%
    Total disapprove 19% 5% 33% 9%
    Strongly approve 17% 27% 9% 25%
    Approve 44% 56% 38% 49%
    Disapprove 11% 4% 18% 7%
    Strongly disapprove 8% 1% 15% 2%
    Don’t know 21% 12% 21% 18%

    61% approve of the job Kevin Rudd is doing as Foreign Minister and 19% disapprove. 83% of Labor voters and 74% of Greens voters approve.

    Coalition voters are also more likely to approve than disapprove (47% approve/33% disapprove).

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  • Mar, 2011

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    Military Intervention in Libya

    Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the military intervention in Libya being undertaken by the US, France, Italy, Canada and others?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total approve 57% 64% 63% 53%
    Total disapprove 22% 20% 22% 23%
    Strongly approve 18% 20% 22% 14%
    Approve 39% 44% 41% 39%
    Disapprove 14% 15% 12% 12%
    Strongly disapprove 8% 5% 10% 11%
    Don’t know 21% 17% 15% 24%

    57% approve the military intervention in Libya while 22% disapprove. A majority of all voter groups approve – although Greens voters are more likely to be undecided (24% don’t know).

    65% of men approve compared to 49% of women. By age – those aged 55+ approve 69%/18% and aged 18-44 approve 51%/23%

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  • Mar, 2011

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    Importance of Relationships with Other Countries

    Q. How important is it for Australia to have a close relationship with the following nations?

    Very important Quite important Not very important Don’t know Very Important 15 Nov Change
    New Zealand 69% 24% 4% 3% 54% +15
    United States 60% 33% 5% 2% 56% +4
    United Kingdom 56% 35% 6% 3% 44% +12
    China 48% 42% 6% 4% 45% +3
    Japan 39% 47% 9% 4% 30% +9
    Indonesia 31% 43% 20% 6% 30% +1
    India 26% 42% 26% 5% 24% +2
    Germany 23% 42% 29% 6% 15% +8
    South Africa 16% 36% 39% 8% 12% +4

    More than half the respondents think it is very important to have close relationships with the New Zealand (69%), United States (60%) and the United Kingdom (56%) and just under half think it is very important to have a close relationship with China (48%).

    A close relationship with the United States is considered very important by 70% of Liberal/National voters and 57% of Labor voters and 48% of Greens voters.

    Since this question was asked in November, there have been substantial increases in the rating of the importance of relations with New Zealand (+15%), United Kingdom (+12%) and Japan (+9%).

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