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  • Aug, 2013

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    Party leader trust most on issues

    Q.  Which party leader – Kevin Rudd or Tony Abbott – would you trust most to handle the following issues?

     

    Kevin Rudd

    Tony Abbott

    No difference

    Don’t know

    Net difference

    Difference for parties

    23 Jul 13

    Management of the economy

    32%

    35%

    21%

    11%

    -3

    -15

    Ensuring a quality education for all children

    41%

    25%

    24%

    10%

    +16

    +9

    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system

    37%

    27%

    25%

    11%

    +10

    +1

    Protecting the environment

    33%

    22%

    31%

    14%

    +11

    na

    A fair industrial relations system

    41%

    28%

    19%

    12%

    +13

    +11

    Political leadership

    37%

    32%

    22%

    9%

    +5

    -7

    Addressing climate change

    35%

    21%

    31%

    13%

    +14

    na

    Controlling interest rates

    24%

    32%

    32%

    12%

    -8

    -14

    Australian jobs and protection of local industries

    32%

    30%

    25%

    13%

    +2

    -1

    Ensuring a quality water supply

    26%

    23%

    36%

    15%

    +3

    -7

    Housing affordability

    26%

    25%

    34%

    15%

    +1

    -2

    Ensuring a fair taxation system

    31%

    32%

    26%

    11%

    -1

    -2

    Security and the war on terrorism

    25%

    29%

    33%

    13%

    -4

    -15

    Treatment of asylum seekers

    26%

    31%

    32%

    11%

    -5

    -11

    Managing population growth

    21%

    28%

    37%

    15%

    -7

    -13

    Substantially more respondents said they would trust Kevin Rudd more than Tony Abbott to handle a quality education for all children, a fair industrial relations system, addressing climate change, protecting the environment and ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system. Tony Abbott is more trusted to control interest rates and manage population growth.

    When compared with a similar question about trust in the parties asked last month, Kevin Rudd rates considerably better that the Labor Party on management of the economy, political leadership and security and the war on terrorism.

  • Jul, 2013

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    Most important election issues

    Q.  Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election?

     

    Total

    23 Jul 13

     

    Total

    17 Jun 13

    11 Feb 13

    19 Nov 12

    30 Jul 12

    5 Dec 11

    6 June 11

    25 Jan 10

    Management of the economy

    45%

    47%

    62%

    66%

    64%

    62%

    61%

    63%

    Ensuring a quality education for all children

    25%

    25%

    29%

    35%

    26%

    22%

    26%

    23%

    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system

    42%

    45%

    52%

    57%

    47%

    47%

    49%

    48%

    Protecting the environment

    12%

    13%

    14%

    14%

    11%

    13%

    15%

    16%

    A fair industrial relations system

    10%

    10%

    12%

    8%

    12%

    11%

    8%

    na

    Political leadership

    21%

    22%

    14%

    15%

    25%

    18%

    17%

    23%

    Addressing climate change

    11%

    11%

    9%

    9%

    9%

    10%

    15%

    16%

    Controlling interest rates

    13%

    11%

    9%

    11%

    9%

    11%

    13%

    15%

    Australian jobs and protection of local industries

    39%

    34%

    40%

    32%

    41%

    36%

    32%

    33%

    Ensuring a quality water supply

    3%

    5%

    4%

    5%

    3%

    4%

    5%

    12%

    Housing affordability

    17%

    14%

    11%

    14%

    13%

    13%

    16%

    14%

    Ensuring a fair taxation system

    20%

    19%

    21%

    17%

    18%

    16%

    17%

    14%

    Security and the war on terrorism

    8%

    8%

    6%

    5%

    5%

    4%

    8%

    9%

    Treatment of asylum seekers

    14%

    11%

    6%

    6%

    10%

    8%

    5%

    na

    Managing population growth

    9%

    11%

    9%

    7%

    8%

    8%

    12%

    na

    45% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 42% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system, 39% Australian jobs and protection of local industries and 25% ensuring a quality education for all children.

    There has been little change since this question was asked last month – Australian jobs and protection of local industries is up 5 points to 39% and treatment of asylum seekers is up 3 points (and up 8 points since February) to 14%.

  • Jul, 2013

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    Party trust to handle issues

    Q.  Which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?

     

    Labor

    Liberal

    Greens

    Don’t know

     

    Difference 23 Jul 13

    Difference 17 Jun 13

    Management of the economy

    29%

    44%

    3%

    25%

    -15

    -18

    Ensuring a quality education for all children

    40%

    31%

    4%

    25%

    +9

    +1

    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system

    34%

    33%

    7%

    27%

    +1

    -5

    Protecting the environment

    19%

    21%

    39%

    21%

    +18

    +10

    A fair industrial relations system

    41%

    30%

    4%

    24%

    +11

    +3

    Political leadership

    28%

    35%

    5%

    31%

    -7

    -19

    Addressing climate change

    20%

    23%

    30%

    27%

    +7

    Controlling interest rates

    26%

    40%

    2%

    32%

    -14

    -17

    Australian jobs and protection of local industries

    34%

    35%

    4%

    26%

    -1

    -7

    Ensuring a quality water supply

    19%

    26%

    22%

    32%

    -7

    -14

    Housing affordability

    26%

    28%

    6%

    39%

    -2

    -12

    Ensuring a fair taxation system

    31%

    33%

    5%

    31%

    -2

    -11

    Security and the war on terrorism

    23%

    38%

    4%

    36%

    -15

    -18

    Treatment of asylum seekers

    22%

    33%

    13%

    31%

    -11

    -22

    Managing population growth

    20%

    33%

    8%

    39%

    -13

    -19

    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.

    On most issues, the Labor Party has gained ground on the Liberals since last month just before Kevin Rudd took over the leadership. However, the Liberal Party has maintained strong leads on management of the economy, controlling interest rates, security and the war on terrorism, treatment of asylum seekers and managing population growth.

    Labor has now established a significant lead on a fair industrial relations system and ensuring quality education. The largest shifts to Labor were for quality education (+8), industrial relations (+8), political leadership (+12), housing affordability (+10) and treatment of asylum seekers (+11).

  • Jun, 2013

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    Party trust to handle issues

    Q.  Which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?

     

    Labor

    Liberal

    Greens

    Don’t know

    Difference 17 Jun 13

    Difference 11 Feb 13

    Difference

    19 Nov 12

    Difference

    18 Jun 12

    Management of the economy

    28%

    46%

    2%

    24%

    -18

    -15

    -14

    -18

    Ensuring a quality education for all children

    37%

    36%

    4%

    23%

    +1

    +2

    +5

    -2

    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system

    32%

    37%

    6%

    26%

    -5

    -3

    -3

    -6

    Protecting the environment

    19%

    24%

    34%

    22%

    +10

    +18

    +16

    +17

    A fair industrial relations system

    37%

    34%

    5%

    24%

    +3

    +6

    +9

    +6

    Political leadership

    23%

    42%

    5%

    30%

    -19

    -8

    -12

    -16

    Addressing climate change

    19%

    26%

    26%

    28%

    +5

    +9

    +7

    Controlling interest rates

    25%

    42%

    2%

    31%

    -17

    -14

    -11

    -18

    Australian jobs and protection of local industries

    30%

    37%

    4%

    29%

    -7

    -3

    -2

    -6

    Ensuring a quality water supply

    19%

    33%

    18%

    31%

    -14

    -6

    -7

    -12

    Housing affordability

    24%

    36%

    5%

    35%

    -12

    -6

    -5

    -11

    Ensuring a fair taxation system

    28%

    39%

    4%

    29%

    -11

    -6

    -9

    -10

    Security and the war on terrorism

    23%

    41%

    3%

    34%

    -18

    -13

    -15

    -22

    Treatment of asylum seekers

    17%

    39%

    12%

    32%

    -22

    -17

    -18

    -20

    Managing population growth

    18%

    37%

    8%

    38%

    -19

    -12

    -15

    -19

    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.

    The Liberal Party has maintained strong leads on management of the economy, controlling interest rates, political leadership, security and the war on terrorism, treatment of asylum seekers and managing population growth.

    There is little difference between Labor and the Liberals on ensuring a quality education for all children and a fair industrial relations system. Since February, there have been significant shifts to the Liberals on protecting the environment, political leadership, ensuring a quality water supply and managing population growth.

  • Nov, 2012

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    Important election issues

    Q.  Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election?

     

    First

    Second

    Third

    Total

    19 Nov 12

    Total

    30 Jul 12

    5 Dec 11

    6 June 11

    25 Jan 10

    Management of the economy

    47%

    11%

    9%

    66%

    64%

    62%

    61%

    63%

    Ensuring a quality education for all children

    7%

    16%

    11%

    35%

    26%

    22%

    26%

    23%

    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system

    15%

    22%

    20%

    57%

    47%

    47%

    49%

    48%

    Protecting the environment

    3%

    6%

    5%

    14%

    11%

    13%

    15%

    16%

    A fair industrial relations system

    2%

    3%

    3%

    8%

    12%

    11%

    8%

    na

    Political leadership

    6%

    5%

    4%

    15%

    25%

    18%

    17%

    23%

    Addressing climate change

    2%

    2%

    5%

    9%

    9%

    10%

    15%

    16%

    Controlling interest rates

    2%

    5%

    4%

    11%

    9%

    11%

    13%

    15%

    Australian jobs and protection of local industries

    8%

    11%

    13%

    32%

    41%

    36%

    32%

    33%

    Ensuring a quality water supply

    1%

    2%

    2%

    5%

    3%

    4%

    5%

    12%

    Housing affordability

    3%

    6%

    5%

    14%

    13%

    13%

    16%

    14%

    Ensuring a fair taxation system

    2%

    5%

    9%

    17%

    18%

    16%

    17%

    14%

    Security and the war on terrorism

    *

    1%

    3%

    5%

    5%

    4%

    8%

    9%

    Treatment of asylum seekers

    1%

    1%

    3%

    6%

    10%

    8%

    5%

    na

    Managing population growth

    1%

    2%

    4%

    7%

    8%

    8%

    12%

    na

    *Not asked

    66% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 57% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system, 35% ensuring a quality education for all children and 32% Australian jobs and protection of local industries.

    Since July, there has been an increase in the importance of ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system (+10%) and ensuring a quality education for all children (+9%) and a decline in the importance of political leadership (-10%) and Australian jobs and protection of local industries (-9%).

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