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  • Mar, 2010

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    Attributes to describe Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd

    Q.  Which of the following describe your opinion of the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd?

      29 June 09 7 Dec 09 1 March 10 Difference from Jun 09 Difference from Dec 09
    Intelligent 84% 82% 82% -2%
    Hard-working 83% 77% 77% -6%
    A capable leader 72% 69% 65% -7% -4%
    Demanding 67% 60% 55% -12% -5%
    Arrogant 46% 49% 45% -1% -4%
    Out of touch with ordinary people 41% 45% 45% +4%
    Understands the problems facing Australia 67% 59% 62% -5% +3%
    Visionary 49% 48% 44% -5% -4%
    Superficial 40% 41% 46% +6% +5%
    Good in a crisis 60% 58% 56% -4% -2%
    Narrow-minded 32% 36% 36% +4%
    Down to earth 56% 55% 57% +1% +2%
    Too inflexible 32% 38% 38% +6%
    Complacent 28% 38% 40% +12% +2%
    More honest than most politicians 47% 49% 47% -2%
    Trustworthy n/a 51% 51%

    Comparing our June 2009 results with those obtained this week, Rudd has gained points in terms of appearing complacent (+12%), superficial (+6%) and too inflexible (+6%).  He has lost the most ground in terms of appearing as demanding (-12%), a capable leader (-7%) and hard-working (-6%).

    Comparing this week’s results with those obtained in December 2009, Rudd has gained the most ground in terms of appearing superficial (+5%) and lost the most ground in terms of appearing demanding (-5%), arrogant (-4%), visionary (-4%) and as a capable leader (-4%).   Comments »

  • Mar, 2010

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    Rudd/Abbott Personality Traits

    Q.  Which of the following describe your opinion of the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd?  

    Q.  Which of the following describe your opinion of the Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott?

      Rudd

    1 March 10

    Abbott

    1 March 10

    Difference (Rudd lead) 
    Intelligent 82% 71% +11%
    Hard-working 77% 69% +8%
    A capable leader 65% 49% +16%
    Demanding 55% 55%
    Arrogant 45% 53% -8%
    Out of touch with ordinary people 45% 50% +5%
    Understands the problems facing Australia 62% 49% +13%
    Visionary 44% 33% +11%
    Superficial 46% 43% +3
    Good in a crisis 56% 38% +18%
    Narrow-minded 36% 57% -21%
    Down to earth 57% 46% +11%
    Too inflexible 38% 49% -11%
    Complacent 40% 33% +7%
    More honest than most politicians 47% 34% +13%
    Trustworthy 51% 38% +13%

     Rudd has his strongest lead over Abbott when it comes to appearing good in a crisis (+18%) and as a capable leader (+16%).  People think Rudd is better than Abbott when it comes to understanding the problems facing Australia (+13%), more honest than most politicians (+13%) and trustworthy (+13%). 

     Rudd trails Abbott most significantly in terms of appearing narrow-minded (-21%), too inflexible (-11%) and arrogant (-8%). Comments »

  • Feb, 2010

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    Approval of the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd

    Q. Do you strongly approve, approve, disapprove or strongly disapprove of the job Kevin Rudd is doing as Prime Minister?

      9 Feb 09 30 Mar 09 18 May 09 29 Jun 09 10 Aug 09 28 Sept 09 9 Nov 09 30 Nov 09 14 Dec 09 18 Jan 10 22 Feb 10
    Strongly approve 17% 21% 14% 14% 13% 15% 14% 9% 10% 11% 11%
    Approve 50% 50% 48% 48% 47% 51% 47% 47% 47% 44% 41%
    Disapprove 15% 14% 18% 18% 17% 17% 19% 20% 20% 19% 20%
    Strongly disapprove 8% 7% 11% 9% 10% 6% 13% 15% 12% 14% 17%
    Don’t know 9% 9% 9% 11% 12% 11% 8% 10% 10% 12% 11%
    Total approve 67% 71% 62% 62% 60% 66% 61% 56% 57% 55% 52%
    Total disapprove 23% 21% 29% 29% 27% 23% 32% 35% 32% 33% 37%

     Just over half (52%) of those surveyed approve of the job Kevin Rudd is doing as Prime Minister, 37% disapprove and 11% don’t know.  This gives Kevin Rudd a net approval rating of +15%. 

     Rudd has the lowest approval rating and the highest disapproval rating that has been reported in the Essential Report since we began asking this question in 2008.

     Results followed party lines – Labor voters were more likely to approve of the job Rudd is doing (92%), while Coalition voters were more likely to disapprove (78%).  17% of Coalition voters approve of the job Rudd is doing as Prime Minister.

     59% of Green voters approve of the job Rudd is doing, while 30% of these same voters disapprove. 

     People aged 18 – 24 were more likely to approve of the job Rudd is doing (59%), while people aged 65 years and over were more likely to disapprove (59%).  Comments »

  • Feb, 2010

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    Better Prime Minister

    Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd or Julia Gillard?

      Total Male Female Labor Coalition Greens
    Kevin Rudd 45% 50% 40% 69% 31% 39%
    Julia Gillard 26% 23% 29% 22% 27% 42%
    Don’t know  29% 27% 31% 9% 41% 19%

    When it comes to who people think would make a better Prime Minister – 45% support Kevin Rudd, 26% support Julia Gillard and 29% don’t know.

    Labor voters were more likely to support Rudd (69%), Green voters were more likely to support Gillard (42%) and Coalition voters were more likely to indicate they don’t know who would make a better Prime Minister (41%).

    Males were more likely to think Rudd would make a better Prime Minister (50%), while females were more likely to prefer Gillard (29%).

    In terms of age differences, support was strongest for Rudd amongst the 18 – 24 year olds (55%). Rudd’s support decreases as age increases with 40% of people aged 55 years and over favouring Rudd as Prime Minister.   Comments »

  • Feb, 2010

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    Productivity in Australia

    Q. The Prime Minister Kevin Rudd recently said that over the next decade Australia must build the best educated, best skilled and best trained workforce in the world to increase productivity and counter the effects of an ageing population. Do you agree or disagree?

      %
    Total agree 82%
    Total disagree 8%
    Strong agree 34%
    Agree 48%
    Disagree 6%
    Strongly disagree 2%
    Don’t know 10%

     The majority of those surveyed agree with Kevin Rudd’s recent comments that over the next decade Australia must build the best educated, best skilled and best trained workforce in the world to increase productivity and counter the effects of an ageing population (82%), 8% disagree with the comments and 10% don’t know. 

     Results were consistent amongst most demographic groups.  However, Labor voters were more likely to strongly agree with Rudd’s statements (46%).  Comments »

  • Jan, 2010

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    Approval of the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd

    Q. Do you strongly approve, approve, disapprove or strongly disapprove of the job Kevin Rudd is doing as Prime Minister?

      12 Jan 09 9 Feb 09 30 Mar 09 18 May 09 29 Jun 09 10 Aug 09 28 Sept 09 9 Nov 09 30 Nov 09 14 Dec 09 18 Jan 10
    Strongly approve 14% 17% 21% 14% 14% 13% 15% 14% 9% 10% 11%
    Approve 52% 50% 50% 48% 48% 47% 51% 47% 47% 47% 44%
    Disapprove 16% 15% 14% 18% 18% 17% 17% 19% 20% 20% 19%
    Strongly disapprove 6% 8% 7% 11% 9% 10% 6% 13% 15% 12% 14%
    Don’t know 11% 9% 9% 9% 11% 12% 11% 8% 10% 10% 12%
    Total approve 66% 67% 71% 62% 62% 60% 66% 61% 56% 57% 55%
    Total disapprove 22% 23% 21% 29% 29% 27% 23% 32% 35% 32% 33%

    55% of people surveyed approve of the job Kevin Rudd is doing as Prime Minister, 33% disapprove.  His approval rating has seen a slight decrease since we last asked this question in December (-2%) and his disapproval rating has increased by one percent.  Rudd’s approval rating is the lowest it has been over the year that we have been tracking this question. 

    Perception of the job Kevin Rudd is doing as Prime Minister followed party lines – Labor voters were more likely to approve of the job he is doing (91%), while Coalition voters were more likely to disapprove (74%).  20% of Coalition voters and 73% of Green voters approve of the job Rudd is doing as Prime Minister. Comments »

  • Dec, 2009

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    Approval of the PM, Kevin Rudd

    Q. Do you strongly approve, approve, disapprove or strongly disapprove of the job Kevin Rudd is doing as Prime Minister?

    12 Jan 09 9 Feb 09 30 Mar 09 18 May 09 29 Jun 09 10 Aug 09 28 Sept 09 9 Nov 09 30 Nov 09 14 Dec 09
    Strongly approve 14% 17% 21% 14% 14% 13% 15% 14% 9% 10%
    Approve 52% 50% 50% 48% 48% 47% 51% 47% 47% 47%
    Disapprove 16% 15% 14% 18% 18% 17% 17% 19% 20% 20%
    Strongly disapprove 6% 8% 7% 11% 9% 10% 6% 13% 15% 12%
    Don’t know 11% 9% 9% 9% 11% 12% 11% 8% 10% 10%
    Total approve 66% 67% 71% 62% 62% 60% 66% 61% 56% 57%
    Total disapprove 22% 23% 21% 29% 29% 27% 23% 32% 35% 32%

    Kevin Rudd’s approval rating has increased slightly since we last asked this question (+1%) and his disapproval rating has decreased slightly (-3%).

    Opinion followed party lines – Labor voters were more likely to approve (92%) while Coalition voters were more likely to disapprove (74%).  18% of Coalition voters approve of the job Kevin Rudd is doing as Prime Minister.

    Comments »

  • Dec, 2009

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    Attributes to Describe the Prime Minister

    Q.  Which of the following describe your opinion of the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd?

    29 June 09 7 Dec 09 Difference
    Intelligent 84% 82% -2%
    Hard-working 83% 77% -6%
    A capable leader 72% 69% -3%
    Demanding 67% 60% -7%
    Arrogant 46% 49% +3%
    Out of touch with ordinary people 41% 45% +4%
    Understands the problems facing Australia 67% 59% -8%
    Visionary 49% 48% -1%
    Superficial 40% 41% +1%
    Good in a crisis 60% 58% -2%
    Narrow-minded 32% 36% +4%
    Down to earth 56% 55% -1%
    Too inflexible 32% 38% +6%
    Complacent 28% 38% +10%
    More honest than most politicians 47% 49% +2%
    Trustworthy * 51% *

    *Not asked in June 2009

    Most people consider Rudd intelligent (82%), hard-working (77%), a capable leader (69%) and demanding (60%).

    Since we last asked this question in June 2009, Rudd has lost points on qualities such as understanding the problems facing Australia (-8%), demanding (-7%) and hard-working (-6%).  Rudd has gained points in terms of being complacent (+10%), too inflexible (+6%), out of touch with ordinary people (+4%) and narrow-minded (+4%).

    Comments »

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