Q. If there was a Federal election held today, to which party would you probably give your first preference?

Q. If you ‘don’t know’ on the above question, which party are you currently leaning to?

1,803sample size

NB.  The data in the above tables comprise 2-week averages derived the first preference/leaning to voting questions.  Respondents who select ‘don’t know’ are not included in the results.

* Sample is the aggregation of two weeks’ polling data. Comments »

Q. Do you approve or disapprove of Julia Gillard replacing Kevin Rudd as leader of the Labor Party and Prime Minister?

Sample = 818

47% approved the change from Kevin Rudd to Julia Gillard as Prime Minister and 40% disapproved. Opinions reflected political party preferences. Labor voters strongly approved the change by 68% to 23% while 60% of Liberal/National voters disapproved and 36% approved. There were no significant differences by gender. However, older respondents were more likely to approve than younger respondents – 55% of those aged 55+ approved and 37% disapproved. Comments »

Q. Does having Julia Gillard as Prime Minister make you more or less likely to vote for the Labor Party?

Sample = 818

In aggregate, the results indicate the change will have little impact on voting intentions. 41% say it makes no difference to their vote, 26% say they are more likely to vote Labor and 24% less likely. Among Labor voters 44% say they are more likely to vote Labor and 11% less likely.

Greens voters were overall a little more positive about voting Labor – 31% more likely and 22% less likely. Comments »

Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott?

Sample = 818

49% preferred Julia Gillard as Prime Minister and 29% preferred Tony Abbott – similar to the results from last week before Julia Gillard became Prime Minister. This is also slightly better than last week’s result for Kevin Rudd when he was preferred over Tony Abbott by 47% to 30%. Men preferred Julia Gillard 47%/33% and women 51%/25%.  Comments »

Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Opposition Leader?

Tony Abbott has achieved a net positive approval rating for the first time since February – 40% approve (up 5%) and 39% disapprove (down 11%).

83% Liberal/National voters approved of Tony Abbott and 11% disapproved. Comments »

Q. The next Federal election can be held any time up to April next year. When do you think the next Federal election should be held?

41% said their preferred timing for the next election was towards the end of the year and 28% preferred the election to be held in the next 2 or 3 months. Labor voters were more likely to prefer an election towards the end of the year (45%) but 43% of Liberal/National voters wanted it in the next 2 or 3 months. Comments »

Q. The Federal Government has recently passed legislation for paid parental leave which provides parents with 18 weeks of paid leave at the minimum wage of $543 a week. Do you approve or disapprove of this decision?

55% approved the Government’s paid parental leave scheme and 33% dispproved. Support was weaker among Liberal/National voters – 48% approve/43% disapprove. Labor voters split 64%/29% and Greens 68%/23%.

Younger respondent were much more supportive than older respondents – among those aged under 35, 75% approved and 9% disapproved.

41% of those aged 55+ approved and 53% disapproved. Women (58%/32%) were a little more supportive than men (53%/35%). Comments »

Q. Which of the following approaches do you think the Government should take in their dispute with the mining companies over the proposed resources super profits tax?

Nearly half the respondents (46%) believe that the Government should proceed with the resources super profits tax unchanged or with minor changes. Only 14% oppose that tax in any form and 26% think the Government should make major changes to the tax.

69% of Labor voters want the tax to proceed unchanged or with minor changes as does 79% of Greens voters. 41% of Liberal/National voters want major changes and 30% do not want the tax in any form. Comments »

Q. Over the next 12 months do you think economic conditions in Australia will get better, get worse or stay much the same?

Respondents were divided over whether the economy will get better or worse over the next 12 months – 33% (down 21%) think it will get better and 31% (up 12%) worse. 30% (up 8%) think it will stay much the same.

This is a considerable negative shift from the results over the last 12 months.  Men (38% better/29% worse) were somewhat more optimistic than women (28%/32%) Comments »

Q. Over the next 12 months do you think your personal financial situation will get better, get worse or stay much the same?

Respondents were similarly divided over whether their personal financial situation will get better or worse over the next 12 months – 29% (down 11%) think it will get better and 31% (up 8%) worse. 37% (up 4%) think it will stay much the same. Although this represents a significant negative shift, it is not as big a shift as the overall economic outlook from the previous question.

Men (32% better/25% worse) were more optimistic than women (25%/35%). Optimism was also higher for upper income groups  – those earning over $1,600 pw split 42% better/23% worse while those earning under $1,000 pw split 18% better/36% worse. Comments »