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  • Jun, 2012

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    Impact of Carbon Tax

    Q. And what impact do you expect the carbon tax to have on each of the following?

     

    Increase a lot

    Increase a little

    Stay much the same

    Decrease a little

    Decrease a lot

    Don’t know

    Energy prices

    67%

    26%

    4%

    *

    3%

    Fuel prices

    53%

    31%

    11%

    1%

    *

    4%

    Grocery prices

    41%

    41%

    14%

    1%

    4%

    Fresh fruit and vegetable prices

    39%

    39%

    18%

    *

    *

    4%

    Unemployment

    31%

    27%

    32%

    2%

    1%

    8%

    Interest rates

    22%

    18%

    38%

    8%

    1%

    13%

    A majority expect that energy prices (67%) and fuel prices (53%) will increase a lot due to the carbon tax. 41% expect grocery prices to increase a lot and 39% expect fresh fruit and vegetable prices to increase a lot.

    A majority of all demographic groups expect energy prices to increase a lot – even 48% of Labor voters agree.

    Those most likely to think fuel prices will increase a lot were women (57%), aged 45-54 (60%) and Liberal/National voters (68%).

    Those most likely to think grocery prices will increase a lot were aged 45+ (50%), Liberal/National voters (55%) and those on incomes under $600pw (47%). Opinions about fresh fruit and vegetable prices were similar.

    58% also think that unemployment will increase and 40% think interest rates will increase because of the carbon tax.

  • 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, 2012

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    TRENDS: Feeling the pain: fair go for Tories


    Labor takes pride in being there for those up against hard luck. Targeted financial assistance comes in many forms, whether co-investment to an auto industry being hammered by the two-speed economy, childcare rebates to hard-up families, or the straight cash injection into middle Australian wallets.

    It appears there is a new victim of the Australian economy in need of a rescue package: the Coalition voter.

    With interest rates, inflation and unemployment all under the 5 per cent threshold, Australia is bucking the global trend in maintaining stability in the face of global unrest. But our polling this week shows only around one third of Australians are prepared to say the economy is performing well.

    And while many are unimpressed with Australia’s performance, Coalition voters – and that’s a lot of people these days – are feeling the economic pain more intensely.

    Read more on this at the Drum

  • May, 2012

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    Agreement with Economic Figures

    Q. Some say that official figures show Australia’s economy is doing very well, especially compared to the rest of the world.  The interest rate, the unemployment rate and the inflation rate are all less than 5%. Do you agree or disagree that this shows the state of the economy is good?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Total agree

    52%

    75%

    39%

    70%

    Total disagree

    37%

    17%

    54%

    23%

    Strongly agree

    9%

    20%

    3%

    16%

    Agree

    43%

    55%

    36%

    54%

    Disagree

    27%

    12%

    39%

    17%

    Strongly disagree

    10%

    5%

    15%

    6%

    Don’t know

    10%

    7%

    7%

    8

    When told that official figures show Australia’s economy is doing well, 52% agreed and 37% disagreed.

    Those most likely to disagree were Liberal/National voters (54%), aged 45+ (45%) and people with incomes of $600-$1,000pw (43%).

    Comments »

  • May, 2012

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    Interest Rates

    Q. As far as you know, are interest rates currently higher or lower than when the Labor Government was elected in 2007?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Total higher

    20%

    17%

    24%

    14%

    Total lower

    35%

    44%

    36%

    42%

    A lot higher

    4%

    3%

    6%

    1%

    A little higher

    16%

    14%

    18%

    13%

    About the same

    18%

    17%

    22%

    12%

    A little lower

    25%

    31%

    26%

    31%

    A lot lower

    10%

    13%

    10%

    11%

    Don’t know

    26%

    21%

    19%

    33%

    20% of respondents think interest rates are currently higher than when the Labor Government was elected in 2007 and 35% think they are lower. 18% think they are about the same.

    Respondents most likely to think interest rates are lower were men (44%) and those aged 55+ (51%). 39% of respondents aged under 35 didn’t know.

    Comments »

  • May, 2012

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    Opinion of Interest Rates

    Q. In fact, the official interest rate is a lot lower – it is now 3.75% compared to 6.75% when the Labor Government was elected in 2007. Do you think it is good or bad that interest rates have fallen?

     

    Total

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Total good

    54%

    66%

    47%

    57%

    Total bad

    14%

    8%

    20%

    4%

    Very good

    19%

    29%

    13%

    21%

    Good

    35%

    37%

    34%

    36%

    Neither good nor bad

    24%

    21%

    26%

    28%

    Bad

    10%

    4%

    15%

    4%

    Very bad

    4%

    4%

    5%

    Don’t know

    9%

    4%

    6%

    11%

     54% think that it is good that interest rates have fallen – 14% think it is bad.

    61% of respondents aged 35-54 think the fall in rates is good compared to 37% of those aged 65+. There were not major differences across income groups.

    Comments »

  • May, 2012

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    Has the Reserve Bank got it right?


    Michael O’Connor questions why the national bank took so long to cut rates.

    Our economy has had 20 years of growth thanks to our resources boom. But the casualty has been other sectors of the economy, including manufacturing. The CFMEU’s national secretary Michael O’Connor tells 3Q the Reserve Bank waited too long to cut rates and should be cutting more. And he’s not alone in his criticism.

    According to him, the Reserve Bank has forgotten its obligation under its Act to maintain full employment in our two-speed economy. And he says mining companies should be more accountable in their engagement with local industry by ensuring access to the huge market for mining services and infrastructure.

  • Jan, 2011

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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? (Number from 1 to 3 where 1 is the most important, 2 the second most important, etc)

    One Two Three Total Total 11th Oct 10 Total 25th Jan 10
    Management of the economy 37% 18% 10% 65% 62% 63%
    Ensuring a quality education for all children 5% 10% 11% 26% 32% 23%
    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system 13% 20% 16% 49% 48% 48%
    Protecting the environment 4% 3% 6% 13% 12% 16%
    A fair industrial relations system 2% 4% 4% 10% 11% *
    Political leadership 6% 5% 5% 16% 16% 23%
    Addressing climate change 3% 3% 4% 10% 11% 16%
    Controlling interest rates 5% 8% 8% 21% 17% 15%
    Australian jobs and protection of local industries 10% 8% 12% 30% 30% 33%
    Ensuring a quality water supply 1% 2% 3% 6% 6% 12%
    Housing affordability 5% 5% 6% 16% 17% 14%
    Ensuring a fair taxation system 4% 6% 8% 18% 16% 14%
    Security and the war on terrorism 1% 2% 2% 5% 6% 9%
    Treatment of asylum seekers 1% 2% 2% 5% 5% *
    Managing population growth 2% 5% 4% 11% 10% *

    *Not asked

    65% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 49% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system and 30% Australian jobs and protection of local industries.

    Only 10% rate addressing climate change as one of their three most important issues and 6% rate ensuring a quality water supply.

    Over the past 12 months there has been an increase in the importance of controlling interest rates (from 15% to 21%) and a decrease in the importance of addressing climate change (from 16% to 10%).

    Comments »

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