Australian Government, EMC, Essential Report, Greens, Julian Assange, Labor, Liberal, Wikileaks, Wikileaks material
Q. The online organisation Wikileaks, which is headed by the Australian Julian Assange, has released diplomatic material leaked to it by an American source. It has also provided this material to other media which have also published information about the leaks. Do you approve or disapprove of Wikileaks and media outlets releasing this material?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total approve | 53% | 55% | 51% | 80% |
| Total disapprove | 25% | 30% | 30% | 5% |
| Strongly approve | 20% | 21% | 17% | 35% |
| Approve | 33% | 34% | 34% | 45% |
| Disapprove | 14% | 16% | 18% | 3% |
| Strongly disapprove | 11% | 14% | 12% | 2% |
| Don’t know | 22% | 16% | 19% | 15% |
53% approve Wikileaks and other media outlets releasing leaked US diplomatic material and 25% disapprove – 22% do not have an opinion. There was majority approval from supporters of each major party.
There was also majority approval from all age groups – aged under 35 54% approve/17% disapprove, aged 35-54 51% approve/26% disapprove, aged 55+ 56% apperove/34% disapprove.
Australian Government, EMC, Essential Report, Greens, Julia Gillard, Julian Assange, Labor, Liberal, Wikileaks, Wikileaks material
Q. The Australian Government has condemned the release of the Wikileaks material and the Prime Minister Julia Gillard has called it “grossly irresponsible” and “illegal”. Do you approve or disapprove of the response of the Prime Minister and the Australian Government to the publication of the Wikileaks material?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total approve | 32% | 45% | 28% | 17% |
| Total disapprove | 46% | 38% | 54% | 66% |
| Strongly approve | 11% | 18% | 8% | 1% |
| Approve | 21% | 27% | 20% | 16% |
| Disapprove | 27% | 24% | 31% | 32% |
| Strongly disapprove | 19% | 14% | 23% | 34% |
| Don’t know | 21% | 17% | 17% | 17% |
46% disapprove of the Australian Government’s response to the publication of the Wikileaks material and 32% approve – 21% have no opinion. A majority of Coalition (54%) and Greens voters (66%) disapproved while Labor voters were more likely to approve (45%/38%).
Australian Government, EMC, Essential Report, freedom of information, freedom of speech, Greens, Julian Assange, Labor, Liberal, support for Julian Assange, Wikileaks
Q. The US Government is reportedly intending to lay charges against Julian Assange as head of Wikileaks. Should Julian Assange receive support and assistance from the Australian Government if he is charged with an offence by the US or another country?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Should receive support and assistance | 50% | 52% | 50% | 76% |
| Should not receive support and assistance | 26% | 29% | 27% | 14% |
| Don’t know | 24% | 19% | 23% | 10% |
50% believe that Julian Assange should receive support and assistance from the Australian Government if he is charged with an offence by the US or another country and 26% think he should not – 24% have no opinion. A majority of voters for each of the major parties believed that Government support should be given.
electricity, EMC, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nuclear Power, nuclear power plants, power
Q. Do you support or oppose Australia developing nuclear power plants for the generation of electricity?
| 27 Jan 09 | 20 Dec 10 | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total support | 43% | 43% | 41% | 56% | 25% |
| Total oppose | 35% | 37% | 41% | 31% | 65% |
| Strongly support | 14% | 16% | 16% | 22% | 5% |
| Support | 29% | 27% | 25% | 34% | 20% |
| Oppose | 21% | 21% | 23% | 20% | 33% |
| Strongly oppose | 14% | 16% | 18% | 11% | 32% |
| Don’t know | 22% | 19% | 17% | 13% | 10% |
43% support Australia developing nuclear power plants for the generation of electricity and 35% oppose. These figures are almost identical to the results obtained when this question was last asked in January 2009.
Coalition voters show majority support (56%/31%), Greens voters are strongly opposed (25%/65%) and Labor voters split 41%/41%.
There are substantial differences by gender – 63% of men support and 26% oppose but women oppose 48% to 25%.
ALP, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Liberal Party, Liberals, The Greens
Q. Has it been a good or bad year for each of the following political parties?
| Total good | Total bad | Very good | Good | Neither good nor bad | Bad | Very bad | Don’t know | |
| The Greens | 42% | 21% | 9% | 33% | 28% | 12% | 9% | 8% |
| The Liberal Party | 33% | 27% | 8% | 25% | 33% | 20% | 7% | 7% |
| The Labor Party | 21% | 47% | 3% | 18% | 24% | 33% | 14% | 7% |
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |||||
| Total good | Total bad | Total good | Total bad | Total good | Total bad | Total good | Total bad | |
| The Greens | 42% | 21% | 49% | 9% | 38% | 35% | 70% | 4% |
| The Liberal Party | 33% | 27% | 23% | 37% | 52% | 16% | 18% | 45% |
| The Labor Party | 21% | 47% | 36% | 27% | 16% | 67% | 18% | 53% |
Respondents were more likely to think it has been a good year for the Greens (42%) than the Liberal Party (33%) or the Labor Party (21%).
Among their own voters 70% think it has been a good year for the Greens, 52% the Liberal Party and 36% the Labor Party.
Men (40% good/27% bad) are more likely than women (26%/28%) to think it has been a good year for the Liberal Party Comments »
climate change, Copenhagen, EMC, Essential Media, Essential Report, ETS, global warming, Greens, Labor, Liberals, peter lewis, scepticism, The Drum
First Published on The Drum 07/12/2010
It was a year ago today that the hottest gig in global warming opened in Copenhagen, amidst expectations that the world’s leaders would rise above their geographical interests and make a stand for the future.
Twelve months on and the hopes of Copenhagen seem as retro as a Midnight Oil album, the world has opted to sleep even when our beds are burning.
While the lack of political action over the past year has been well documented, this week’s Essential Report picks up another dynamic that is both a response to and a driver for this inertia. For the first time, we have found less than 50 per cent of Australians think climate change is real.
| Dec 10 | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Climate change is happening and is caused by human activity | 45% | 53% | 32% | 76% |
| We are just witnessing a normal fluctuation in the earth’s climate | 36% | 27% | 53% | 14% |
| Don’t know | 19% | 20% | 15% | 10% |
2PP, EMC, ER, Essential Report, federal politics, Greens, Labor, Liberal, 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 = 1,896
| First preference/leaning to | 6 months ago | 4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week | This week |
| Liberal | 38% | 42% | 42% | 41% | 42% |
| National | 3% | 4% | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| Total Lib/Nat | 40% | 46% | 45% | 44% | 45% |
| Labor | 37% | 39% | 38% | 38% | 38% |
| Greens | 12% | 8% | 10% | 11% | 11% |
| Other/Independent | 10% | 7% | 8% | 7% | 6% |
| 2PP | 6 months ago | 4 weeks ago | 2 weeks ago | Last week
|
This week |
| Total Lib/Nat | 48% | 51% | 51% | 51% | 51% |
| Labor | 52% | 49% | 49% | 49% | 49% |
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.
EMC, ER, Essential Report, Federal political parties, Greens, key attributes, Labor Party, Liberal Party, party attributes
Q. Here is a list of things both favourable and unfavourable that have been said about Federal political parties. Which statements do you feel fit the Labor Party/Liberal Party/Greens?
| Labor | Liberal | Greens | |
| Keeps its promises | 10% | 13% | 9% |
| Has a good team of leaders | 16% | 23% | 12% |
| Moderate | 18% | 23% | 12% |
| Understands the problems facing Australia | 23% | 30% | 19% |
| Looks after the interests of working people | 22% | 17% | 8% |
| Too close to the big corporate and financial interests | 15% | 29% | 3% |
| Extreme | 6% | 13% | 39% |
| Out of touch with ordinary people | 38% | 37% | 31% |
| Divided | 30% | 20% | 10% |
| Will promise to do anything to win votes | 50% | 36% | 22% |
| Clear about what they stand for | 10% | 21% | 29% |
| Have a vision for the future | 20% | 23% | 23% |
Compared to the other two parties, Labor are thought more likely to promise to do anything to win votes (50%) and be divided (30%). Only 6% think they are extreme and 10% think they are clear about what they stand for. Key attributes among Labor voters are – understands the problems facing Australia (48%), looks after the interests of working people (44%) and have a vision for the future (41%).
The Liberal Party is more likely to understand the problems facing Australia (30%), be too close to the big corporate and financial interests (29%) and have a good team of leaders (23%). 21% think they are clear about what they stand for. Key attributes among Coalition voters are – understands the problems facing Australia (63%), has a good team of leaders (47%), have a vision for the future (46%) and clear about what they stand for (45%).
The Greens are more likely to bee seen as extreme (39%) and clear about what they stand for (29%). Key attributes among Greens voters are – understands the problems facing Australia (71%), clear about what they stand for (63%) and have a vision for the future (60%).