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  • Jun, 2015

    Housing affordability

    Q. Do you think housing in your area is affordable or unaffordable for someone on an average income?

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

     

    Aged 18-34

     

    Aged 55+

    Capital cities

    Region -al

    NSW

    Victoria

     

    Affordable

    33%

    26%

    43%

    27%

     

    24%

     

    48%

    26%

    45%

    28%

    31%

     

    Unaffordable

    60%

    68%

    52%

    68%

     

    69%

     

    45%

    69%

    48%

    67%

    63%

     

    Don’t know

    7%

    6%

    6%

    4%

     

    7%

     

    7%

    7%

    7%

    5%

    6%

     

    33% think that housing in their area is affordable for someone on an average income and 60% think it is unaffordable.
    Those most likely to think housing was unaffordable were aged 18-34 (69%), people living in capital cities (69%) and those living in NSW (67%). 48% of those aged 55+ and 45% of those living in regional areas thought housing was affordable.

  • Feb, 2013

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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?

     

    Total

    11 Feb 13

    19 Nov 12

    30 Jul 12

    5 Dec 11

    6 June 11

    25 Jan 10

    Management of the economy

    62%

    66%

    64%

    62%

    61%

    63%

    Ensuring a quality education for all children

    29%

    35%

    26%

    22%

    26%

    23%

    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system

    52%

    57%

    47%

    47%

    49%

    48%

    Protecting the environment

    14%

    14%

    11%

    13%

    15%

    16%

    A fair industrial relations system

    12%

    8%

    12%

    11%

    8%

    na

    Political leadership

    14%

    15%

    25%

    18%

    17%

    23%

    Addressing climate change

    9%

    9%

    9%

    10%

    15%

    16%

    Controlling interest rates

    9%

    11%

    9%

    11%

    13%

    15%

    Australian jobs and protection of local industries

    40%

    32%

    41%

    36%

    32%

    33%

    Ensuring a quality water supply

    4%

    5%

    3%

    4%

    5%

    12%

    Housing affordability

    11%

    14%

    13%

    13%

    16%

    14%

    Ensuring a fair taxation system

    21%

    17%

    18%

    16%

    17%

    14%

    Security and the war on terrorism

    6%

    5%

    5%

    4%

    8%

    9%

    Treatment of asylum seekers

    6%

    6%

    10%

    8%

    5%

    na

    Managing population growth

    9%

    7%

    8%

    8%

    12%

    na

    *Not asked

    62% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 52% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system, 40% Australian jobs and protection of local industries and 29% ensuring a quality education for all children.

    Since November, there has been an increase in the importance of Australian jobs and protection of local industries (+8%) and a decline in the importance of ensuring a quality education for all children (-6%) and ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system (-5%).

  • 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%).

  • Jul, 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

    30 Jul 12

    5 Dec 11

    6 June 11

    25 Jan 10

    Management of the economy

    38%

    16%

    10%

    64%

    62%

    61%

    63%

    Ensuring a quality education for all children

    5%

    10%

    11%

    26%

    22%

    26%

    23%

    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system

    10%

    19%

    18%

    47%

    47%

    49%

    48%

    Protecting the environment

    3%

    4%

    4%

    11%

    13%

    15%

    16%

    A fair industrial relations system

    4%

    3%

    5%

    12%

    11%

    8%

    *

    Political leadership

    11%

    7%

    7%

    25%

    18%

    17%

    23%

    Addressing climate change

    3%

    3%

    3%

    9%

    10%

    15%

    16%

    Controlling interest rates

    2%

    2%

    5%

    9%

    11%

    13%

    15%

    Australian jobs and protection of local industries

    13%

    15%

    13%

    41%

    36%

    32%

    33%

    Ensuring a quality water supply

    *

    1%

    2%

    3%

    4%

    5%

    12%

    Housing affordability

    3%

    5%

    5%

    13%

    13%

    16%

    14%

    Ensuring a fair taxation system

    4%

    7%

    7%

    18%

    16%

    17%

    14%

    Security and the war on terrorism

    1%

    1%

    3%

    5%

    4%

    8%

    9%

    Treatment of asylum seekers

    3%

    4%

    3%

    10%

    8%

    5%

    *

    Managing population growth

    2%

    3%

    3%

    8%

    8%

    12%

    *

    *Not asked

    64% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 47% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system and 41% Australian jobs and protection of local industries.

    Since December, there has been an increase in the importance of political leadership (+7%), Australian jobs and protection of local industries (+5%) and ensuring a quality education for all children (+4%).

  • 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.

  • Jun, 2011

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    Location of Home Purchased

    Q. Thinking about when you bought your home – which of the following best describes the location of the home you bought? (This question has been commissioned by Network Ten)

    Bought last home
    Total

    Home Owners

    Less than 5 years ago 5-9

    years ago

    10-19 years ago 20 or more years ago
    It was in the area I wanted 63% 53% 66% 64% 71%
    It was close to the area I wanted 21% 28% 23% 19% 13%
    It was not close to the area I wanted 6% 9% 4% 7% 5%
    I had no preferred area 10% 10% 7% 10% 12%

    63% of those who own a home bought their current home in the area they wanted and 21% bought close to the area they wanted. Those who bought more recently were less likely to have bought in the area they wanted – 53% of those who bought in the last 5 years compared to 71% of those who bought 20 or more years ago. However, only 9% of those buying in the last 5 years said they bought in a location not close to the area they wanted.

  • Jun, 2011

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    Importance of Buying a Home

    Q. How important do you think it is for people to own their own home these days?

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

    18-34

    Aged

    35-54

    Aged 55+ Own home Rent home
    Total essential/very important 54% 57% 60% 40% 54% 56% 55% 54% 55% 61% 39%
    Essential 20% 21% 21% 15% 24% 17% 25% 19% 16% 21% 17%
    Very important 34% 36% 39% 25% 30% 39% 30% 35% 39% 40% 22%
    Quite important 29% 26% 26% 45% 29% 29% 30% 27% 31% 28% 30%
    Not so important 13% 13% 13% 13% 14% 13% 11% 15% 12% 9% 23%
    Not at all important 1% 1% * 2% 2% 1% 1% 2% * * 3%
    Don’t know 2% 3% 1% 2% 2% 2% 3% 2% 2% 1% 3%

    54% think that owning your own home is essential or very important. 60% of Liberal/National voters think it is essential/very important while only 40% of Greens voters agree. Views are similar across age groups – although those aged under 35 are a little more likely to think it is essential.

    Of those currently renting, only 39% think that owning your own home is essential or very important and 26% think it is not so important or not at all important.

    Comments »

  • Nov, 2010

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    Party Best at Handling Issues

    Q. Between Liberal and Labor, which party do you think would be best at managing each of the following issues?

      Labor Liberal No difference Don’t know Labor-Liberal difference
    Improving wages for low income earners 34% 20% 34% 13% +14
    The age pension 27% 23% 37% 13% +4
    Executive salaries 22% 20% 44% 14% +2
    Unemployment 24% 25% 38% 13% -1
    Regulation of large corporations 21% 24% 41% 14% -3
    Affordability of housing 19% 24% 44% 13% -5
    Jobs going overseas 18% 24% 44% 14% -6
    Superannuation 18% 27% 40% 15% -9
    Petrol and energy prices 16% 26% 45% 13% -10
    Regulation of banks 19% 29% 39% 14% -10
    Interest rates 17% 30% 41% 13% -13
    Food prices and inflation generally 18% 31% 38% 13% -13
    Taxation 18% 32% 37% 13% -14
    Government debt 15% 42% 31% 12% -27

    The only substantial lead for the Labor Party is on improving wages for low income earners (34% to 20%).

     Liberal Party strengths are in managing Government debt (42%/15%), taxation (32%/18%), food prices and inflation (31%/18%) and interest rates (30%/17%).

    Although overall opinions are closely related to voting intention, the Liberal Party generally performs better among its voters than the Labor Party does with its voters. On Government debt Labor voters split 35% Labor/14% Liberal/42% no difference and on petrol and energy prices 37%/2%/50%. Comments »

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