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  • Dec, 2010

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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?ear

    Dec 10 Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens Nov 09
    Climate change is happening and is caused by human activity 45% 53% 32% 76% 53%
    We are just witnessing a normal fluctuation in the Earth’s climate 36% 27% 53% 14% 34%
    Don’t know 19% 20% 15% 10% 13%

    45% believe that climate change is happening and is caused by human activity (down 8% since last surveyed in Nov 2009), 36% think we are just witnessing a normal fluctuation in the Earth’s climate (up 2%) and 19% don’t know (up 6%).

    Those most likely to think climate change is happening and is caused by human activity were Greens voters (76%), Labor voters (53%), women (49%) and aged 18-35 (50%).

    Those most likely to think it is a normal fluctuation in the Earth’s climate were Liberal/National voters (53%), aged 55+ (47%) and men (40%).

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  • Dec, 2010

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    Importance of Climate Change Issue

    Q. Compared to other issues that are often raised in politics – like the economy, healthcare, immigration, etc –  how important to you personally is the issue of tackling climate change?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total important 61% 73% 50% 87%
    Total not important 35% 25% 47% 12%
    Very important 24% 31% 15% 55%
    Quite important 37% 42% 35% 32%
    Not so important 26% 18% 35% 11%
    Not at all important 9% 7% 12% 1%
    Don’t know 4% 3% 3%

    61% think tackling climate change is a very important (24%) or quite important (37%) issue – 35% think it is not important. 73% of Labor voters and 87% of Greens voters think it is important while Liberal/National voters are split (50% important/47% not important).

    Those most likely to think it is important were women (65%) and aged 18-35 (68%).

    Of those who believe that climate change is happening and is caused by human activity, 47% think it is a very important issue and 46% a quite important issue.

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  • Dec, 2010

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    Party Best at Dealing with Climate Change Issue

    Q. Which leader and party would you trust most to understand and deal with the climate change issue?

    Dec 10 Dec 09 *
    Julia Gillard and Labor 23% 24%
    Tony Abbott and the Coalition 29% 27%
    Bob Brown and Greens 19% 17%
    Don’t know 29% 32%

    * Note : Similar but not identical question asked in 2009.

    29% trust Tony Abbott and the Coalition most to understand and deal with the climate change issue, 23% trust Julia Gillard and Labor and 19% trust Bob Brown and the Greens.

    These figures are little changed since this question was previously asked in December 2009.

    58% of Labor voters trust Labor most, 65% of Coalition voters trust the Liberals and 83% of Greens voters trust the Greens.

    Of those who believe that climate change is happening and is caused by human activity, 31% trust the Greens, 27% Labor and 15% the Liberals.

    Of those who believe that climate change is a very important issue, 38% trust the Greens, 31% Labor and 10% the Liberals.

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  • Nov, 2010

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    The NBN and the Spirit of Christmas

    First Published on The Drum 30/11/2010

    The magic of Christmas lies in the expectation. You hang out the stocking, leave a piece of cake and a stubbie for Santa and head off to bed.

    When you wake up, there it is laid out for you, something shiny and new that you really, really wanted.

    In this spirit it should come as no surprise that the Federal Parliament’s final act of the year was the passage of legislation enabling the rollout of the National Broadband Network, the embodiment of Labor’s hope that something better lies around the corner.

    And there are grounds for optimism. In an era of cynicism with nearly every aspect of politics – and despite a concerted Opposition attack – this week’s Essential Report shows strong and increasing support for the network.

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  • Nov, 2010

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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 = 1,858

    First preference/leaning to 6 months ago 4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week This week
    Liberal 39% 41% 42% 42% 41%
    National 2% 3% 3% 3% 3%
    Total Lib/Nat 41% 44% 45% 45% 44%
    Labor 39% 41% 39% 38% 38%
    Greens 9% 8% 10% 10% 11%
    Other/Independent 10% 7% 7% 8% 7%
    2PP 6 months ago 4 weeks ago 2 weeks ago Last week

    This week
    Total Lib/Nat 49% 50% 51% 51% 51%
    Labor 51% 50% 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.

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  • Nov, 2010

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    Same Sex Marriage

    Q. Do you think people of the same sex should or should not be allowed to marry?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Should be allowed to marry 50% 60% 38% 82%
    Should not be allowed to marry 37% 28% 50% 13%
    Don’t know 13% 12% 12% 4%

    50% think people of the same sex be allowed to marry and 37% think they should not be allowed to marry.

    Strongest support for same sex marriage is shown by Greens voters (82%), Labor voters (60%), females (63%) and those aged 25-44 (61%).

    50% of Coalition voters and 68% of those aged 65+ oppose same sex marriage.

    By religion, Catholics (58%) and those with no religion (63%) are more likely to support same sex marriage. Anglicans are divided (47% support, 43% oppose) and other Christians are strongly opposed (68%).

    Of those who think the issue is important, 60% think same sex marriage should be allowed and 37% think it should not be allowed.

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  • Nov, 2010

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    Importance of Same Sex Marriage Issue

    Q. Compared to other issues that are often raised in politics – like the economy, healthcare, immigration, etc –  how important to you personally is the issue of whether people of the same sex should be allowed to marry?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Total important 37% 37% 32% 56%
    Total not important 60% 60% 66% 42%
    Very important 15% 16% 13% 24%
    Quite important 22% 21% 19% 32%
    Not so important 31% 33% 30% 23%
    Not at all important 29% 27% 36% 19%
    Don’t know 4% 3% 1% 2%

    37% believe the same sex marriage is an important issue and 60% think it is not important. A majority of Greens voters (56%) think it is important.

    41% of those who support same sex marriage think the issue is important and 36% of those opposed think it important.

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  • Nov, 2010

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    Same Sex Marriage – Party Policies

    Q. From what you understand which party has the policy on same sex marriage which is closest to your own view of the issue?

    Total Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens
    Labor Party 13% 29% 2% 1%
    Liberal Party 21% 5% 44% 3%
    Greens 20% 19% 13% 71%
    Don’t know 46% 47% 41% 24%

    21% prefer the Liberal Party policy on same sex marriage, 20% prefer the Greens and 13% Labor.

    Opinions generally follow party preference although only 29% of Labor voters prefer the Labor policy and 19% prefer the Greens.

    Those with no religion are more likely to prefer the Greens policy (29%) while 30% of Anglicans and 32% of other Christians prefer the Liberal policy.

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