ER, Essential Report, Greens, Industrial action, job cuts, Labor, Liberals, Nationals, Qantas, Qantas Dispute, Qantas management, Qantas workers
Q. Qantas and its workers are currently in dispute over pay, conditions and jobs. Who do you think is most to blame for this dispute – Qantas management or the workers?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Qantas management | 36% | 54% | 25% | 47% |
| Qantas workers | 13% | 6% | 22% | 4% |
| Both equally | 37% | 30% | 41% | 34% |
| Don’t know | 14% | 10% | 12% | 15% |
36% believe that Qantas management is most to blame for the current dispute and 13% think the workers are most to blame – 37% think both are equally to blame.
All demographic and voter groups are more likely to think management is to blame than workers.
54% of Labor voters and 47% of Greens voters think management is most to blame while Liberal/National voters are more likely to think both are equally to blame (41%).
Better Prime Minister, ER, Essential Report, Greens, Julia Gillard, Labor, Liberals, PM, Prime Minister, tony abbott
Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott?
| 5 Jul 2010 | 17 Jan 2011 | 14 Feb | 14 Mar | 11 Apr | 9 May | 14 June | 11 July | 15 Aug | 12 Sept | 17 Oct | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Julia Gillard | 53% | 47% | 48% | 44% | 42% | 43% | 41% | 37% | 38% | 36% | 38% | 82% | 4% | 85% |
| Tony Abbott | 26% | 32% | 31% | 33% | 33% | 35% | 36% | 39% | 36% | 40% | 39% | 2% | 82% | 4% |
| Don’t know | 21% | 21% | 20% | 23% | 24% | 22% | 24% | 24% | 26% | 24% | 23% | 16% | 14% | 11% |
38% believe Julia Gillard would make the better Prime Minister and 39% prefer Tony Abbott – a net improvement for Julia Gillard of 3% on last month’s figures (from -4% to -1%).
Men prefer Tony Abbott 42%/38% and women favour Julia Gillard 38%/36%.
carbon pollution, carbon pricing scheme, Carbon Tax, ER, Essential Report, Greens, industries, Labor, Liberals
Q. Do you support or oppose the Government’s proposal to introduce a carbon pricing scheme from 1 July 2012, which will require industries to pay a tax based on the amount of carbon pollution they emit?
| 7 March | 18 April | 23 May | 14 June | 18 July | 1 Aug | 19 Sep | 17 Oct | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total support | 35% | 39% | 41% | 38% | 39% | 39% | 37% | 39% | 66% | 15% | 80% |
| Total oppose | 48% | 49% | 44% | 49% | 49% | 51% | 52% | 53% | 24% | 81% | 16% |
| Strongly support | 9% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 15% | 15% | 14% | 14% | 25% | 2% | 45% |
| Support | 26% | 26% | 27% | 25% | 24% | 24% | 23% | 25% | 41% | 13% | 35% |
| Oppose | 19% | 15% | 15% | 19% | 16% | 19% | 17% | 17% | 14% | 19% | 10% |
| Strongly oppose | 29% | 34% | 29% | 30% | 33% | 32% | 35% | 36% | 10% | 62% | 6% |
| Don’t know | 18% | 12% | 15% | 13% | 12% | 10% | 12% | 9% | 10% | 4% | 3% |
Views on the carbon pricing scheme have changed very little since June. 39% support the scheme (up 2% since September) and 53% oppose (up 1%).
The only demographic group to support the scheme were aged under 35’s – 46% support/43% oppose. Among those aged 55+, 33% support and 63% oppose.
Carbon Tax, Election, Greens, Labor, legislation, Liberals, tony abbott
Q. If the carbon tax is passed into legislation and Tony Abbott wins the next election, which of the following do you think should happen:
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| The carbon tax should remain legislation to provide certainty for individuals and business | 21% | 42% | 5% | 43% |
| The carbon tax should remain legislation only if it proves to be effective in reducing carbon pollution | 33% | 36% | 29% | 41% |
| Tony Abbott should call a further special election (called a ‘double dissolution’) to get the numbers in the Senate to repeal the carbon tax. | 34% | 10% | 57% | 12% |
| Don’t know | 12% | 12% | 8% | 4% |
34% think that if the carbon tax is passed into legislation and Tony Abbott wins the next election, he should call a further election to get the numbers in the Senate to repeal the carbon tax. 21% think that carbon tax should remain legislation and 33% think it should remain only if it proves to be effective in reducing carbon pollution.
42% of Labor voters and 43% of Greens voters think it should remain legislation, while 57% of Coalition voters think Tony Abbott should call another election to get the numbers to repeal it.
38% of men and 39% of those aged 55+ think Tony Abbott should call another election, while 38% of women and 40% of those aged under 35 think it should remain only if it proves to be effective in reducing carbon pollution.
Australian economy, Economic Prosperity, economy, ER, Essential Report, Greens, Labor, Liberals, Prosperity
Q. Which one of the following do you believe will be the most important factor in Australia’s economic prosperity over the next 20 years?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| A strong resources sector | 29% | 29% | 35% | 18% |
| Continued growth in China and India | 21% | 23% | 22% | 24% |
| Investment in skills | 20% | 22% | 16% | 23% |
| Prioritising innovation and technology | 18% | 18% | 13% | 31% |
| A strong banking and finance sector | 12% | 9% | 13% | 5% |
29% believe that a strong resources sector will be the most important factor in Australia’s economic prosperity over the next 20 years and 21% nominate the continued growth in China and India. Labor and Coalition voters were more likely to niominate “a strong resources sector” while 31% of Greens voters nominated “prioritising innovation and technology”.
Those on higher incomes were more likely to nominate “a strong resources sector “ – 36% of those on income $1,600+ pw.
There were no major differences by age group.
EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, federal politics, Greens, Interest in Federal Politics, Interest in Politics, Labor, Liberals, Nationals, Polling, polls
Q. Over the last few years has your interest in following Federal politics increased or decreased?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Aged 18-34 | Aged 35-54 | Aged 55+ | |
| Total increased | 29% | 30% | 35% | 32% | 37% | 26% | 25% |
| Total decreased | 11% | 11% | 6% | 15% | 11% | 12% | 11% |
| Increased a lot | 8% | 10% | 10% | 7% | 11% | 7% | 8% |
| Increased a little | 21% | 20% | 25% | 25% | 26% | 19% | 17% |
| Stayed much the same | 56% | 56% | 59% | 54% | 47% | 60% | 62% |
| Decreased a little | 6% | 7% | 4% | 7% | 4% | 6% | 8% |
| Decreased a lot | 5% | 4% | 2% | 8% | 7% | 6% | 3% |
| Can’t say | 4% | 3% | * | – | 7% | 3% | 1% |
56% say their interest in following Federal politics has stayed much the same, 29% have more interest and 11% less interest.
Respondents aged 18-34 were more likely to have more interest in following Federal politics (37%) while older voters’ interest was more likely to have stayed much the same.
EMC, ER, Essential Media, Essential Report, Liberal Party, Liberal Party Attributes, Liberal Party policies, Liberals, Polling, polls
Q. And which statements do you feel fit the Liberal Party?
| 6 July 09 | 14 Mar 10
|
27 April 11 | % change | |
| Will promise to do anything to win votes | 67% | 72% | 65% | -7% |
| Too close to the big corporate and financial interests | 60% | n.a. | ||
| Moderate | 50% | 50% | 55% | +5% |
| Out of touch with ordinary people | 62% | 58% | 54% | -4% |
| Understands the problems facing Australia | 44% | 43% | 51% | +8% |
| Divided | 74% | 66% | 49% | -17% |
| Have a vision for the future | 48% | n.a. | ||
| Clear about what they stand for | 44% | n.a. | ||
| Has a good team of leaders | 29% | 31% | 40% | +9% |
| Looks after the interests of working people | 38% | n.a. | ||
| Extreme | 36% | 38% | 36% | -2% |
| Keeps its promises | 28% | 23% | 33% | +10% |
The Liberal Party’s main attributes were – will promise anything to win votes (65%), too close to the big corporate and financial interest (60%), moderate (55%) and out of touch with ordinary people (54%).
Since these questions were last asked in March 2010, most of the Liberal Party’s positive attributes have increased and the negative attributes decreased. Main changes since last March were – divided (down 17% to 49%), keeps its promises (up 10% to 33%) and has a good team of leaders (up 9% to 40%).
EMC, Essential Report, Liberals, Opposition leader, tony abbott, Tony Abbott approval
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader?
| 18 Jan | 29 Mar | 5 Jul | 16 Aug | 20 Sep | 18 Oct | 22 Nov | 20 Dec | 17 Jan 2011 | |
| Total approve | 37% | 33% | 37% | 41% | 43% | 39% | 40% | 39% | 42% |
| Total disapprove | 37% | 50% | 47% | 44% | 37% | 45% | 40% | 39% | 37% |
| Strongly approve | 5% | 8% | 8% | 9% | 12% | 8% | 6% | 9% | 7% |
| Approve | 32% | 25% | 29% | 32% | 31% | 31% | 34% | 30% | 35% |
| Disapprove | 20% | 28% | 23% | 22% | 21% | 22% | 22% | 21% | 22% |
| Strongly disapprove | 17% | 22% | 24% | 22% | 16% | 23% | 18% | 18% | 15% |
| Don’t know | 26% | 16% | 16% | 15% | 19% | 17% | 19% | 22% | 20% |
42% (up 3%) approve of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader and 37% (down 2%) disapprove – a net change from last month of +5%
74% of Coalition voters approve and 14% disapprove.
By gender – men 46% approve/40% disapprove, women 39% approve/35% disapprove.