Essential Research: 53-47 to Coalition

Crikey reports the latest Essential Research poll has the Coalition lead at 53-47, up from 52-48 last week – which managing director Peter Lewis indicated Labor was lucky to get to because of rounding. On the primary vote, Labor is down two points to 34 per cent, with the Coalition and the Greens up a point each to 47 per cent and 12 per cent. I should have the full report shortly, but in the meantime Bernard Keane of Crikey summarises the other findings thus:

Voters strongly support Labor’s moves to trim middle-class welfare, according to today’s Essential Report.

Fifty-two per cent of voters back Wayne Swan’s budget night measure to continue the pause in indexation of the thresholds at which family payments are phased out, to 28% who oppose them. Even Liberal voters back them, 47-38%. Voters were strongly of the view that households earning more than $150,000 a year don’t need family payments — 67% of voters agreed with that, and only 27% disagreed.

Only 35% agreed that all taxpayers should be eligible for some form of payment, regardless of income, compared to 57% disagreeing. However, most voters distinguished between family payments and welfare, with 61% agreeing that family payments to middle-income earners were different to welfare payments to low income earners (we’ll discuss Essential’s results on views toward middle class welfare in more detail tomorrow).

There has also been a further rise in support for the Government’s plan to impose a price on carbon. After reaching the nadir of support at the end of March, when support was just 34% and opposition 51%, support grew in April and last week was at 41% support and 44% opposition, with Greens voters now strongly in favour of it after initially being lukewarm.

The poll also revealed a quite remarkable ignorance of one of the government’s key reforms, its scheduled increase in the compulsory superannuation rate to 12%. Around 53% of voters said they had not heard of the proposal and a further 27% saying they had heard little — a damning indictment of Labor’s efforts to sell what began as a key part of its mining tax package, particularly given there was strong support for the proposal across voters of different stripes.

UPDATE: Full report here.

Author: William Bowe

William Bowe is a Perth-based election analyst and occasional teacher of political science. His blog, The Poll Bludger, has existed in one form or another since 2004, and is one of the most heavily trafficked websites on Australian politics.

8,354 comments on “Essential Research: 53-47 to Coalition”

Comments Page 165 of 168
1 … 164 165 166 … 168

  2. Finns,
    Even when you write it down, you are a disgrace (worse than TA). Then again how can we deconstruct 8195, is that the truth or a lie?

  5. [William will be the Mogul of Most Magnificence.]

    GG, Bilbo is not the Messiah, he is just a very norty boy

  6. Re all the blah blah blah about EVIL Halal killing of animals ( Goddam Mooselems) from what I have read it is pretty much as per usual for kosher methods.

  8. Peter Fuller Thanks you for that considered post. I like people who are prepared to discuss intelligent politics from any side. Unfortunately I think the right has discovered a formula for its foot soldiers that makes it difficult to generate proper debate on forums. Many true liberals have lost their voice in the current ‘debate’. I am unashamed of my left leanings – in fact I think I represent a more left slant than most on this site. I think this forum actually as a reasonable range of views presented. Although I do admit it feels good to talk leftish politics with intelligent people. And that is why I come back. Any astute media outlet should see there is a market here going begging.

  9. GG

    My sister-in-law was unhappy last night that she was going to work in that court for the next five days hearing that sheep cruelty case. She said she hears lots of bad stuff but really hates the animal cruelty cases. The guy took a plea bargain this morning.

  13. The Greens can only get bigger at Labors expense. It’s basic mathematics. If the Greens have any more ambition than to be dope smoking hippies, don’t expect them to do Labor many favours in the Senate. Labor should remember; you’re killer always comes at your weakest moment.

    I don’t have much of an opinion about Mr Wilkie. This guy signs a secrets act, and than tells the secrets. He talks publicly about private conversations. He was once a rug salesman, and to top it off, he has tried a go at nearly every political party and doctrine in Australia. All points to a classic chancer.

    Expect him if Labor doesn’t improve very quickly to vote no confidence. He’s already making the groundwork. The guy has name recognition and a quick switch to the Senate will get him a lot of very happy coalition votes, along with eight extra years of solid earns. Beats hell out of selling rugs, huh?

    A chancer always does the odds, long before anyone else. This blokes been doing his for long time already.

  15. ACMA is without purpose. It is simply a waste of taxpayers money. “Toothless” would be vastly overstating its standing.

  34. I’m confident I have the answer, GG (8224) – something about lieing and verminous animals – ones that those of us who couldn’t face 4 corners, don’t mind seeing killed, or even doing the deed ourselves.

  35. Stupid people likely to be taken in don’t watch Q&A.

    Intelligent people can see right through it.

    Whats the problem?

  37. [Frankly I’m sick and tired of hearing about Western Sydney.]

    BK, you want to hear how we are suffering here on the North Shore?

  39. One of the worst QandA programmes I’ve seen…..rational debate seems to be all but dead in this country.

    I’m off to bed to read a good novel…..

  45. Hewson and the NSW Liberals
    ______________________
    Hewson’s appearance today in supporting the Carbon Tax is interesting in many ways.
    I fancy he is a friend of Turnbull as they both have the small-l-Liberal views on many subjects aside from politics….and the NSW Libs have had a series of bitter fight between the more reasonable and “modern” Libs and the curious mixture of religious zealots and loonies.
    Last year the Young Libs had a real internal fight,and in the previous elections Debenham their then leader,was linked to the Hill-Song Church “happy clappy”brigade..while they made common cause in pre-selections with upper house member Clark who is a far right-wing catholic and linked to Opus Dei ,the semi-fascist catholic secret society(of which Pell is Chaplain !!)…one wonders if Abbott is a member too !
    They dumped some small-l Libs in ballots.

    All this mumbo-jumbo wouldn’t hold appeal for men like Turnbull and Hewson,so I doubt if Hewson cares much for Abbott(“a master of negativity” he called him)…,and early in Abbott’s career when asked who was his political idol he said…not Menzies..but Bob Santamaria(he would share this view with the quasi-DLP types in sections of the Vic and SA ALP today….ie Joe De Bruyn at al…)

    I suspect Malcolm Fraser would share Turnbull’s secular views ,and have little in common with Abbott and the zealots.

  50. Thefinnigans The Finnigans
    The worst thing about Brandis is that he physically reminds you of John Howard #auspol #qanda enough to make you sick
    16 seconds ago

Comments are closed.

Comments Page 165 of 168
1 … 164 165 166 … 168