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  • 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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