The latest weekly result from Essential Research, a rolling average of polling conducted over the past fortnight, shows little change on last week with Labor up a point on the primary vote to 39% and the Greens down one to 9%, while the Coalition and Palmer United are steady on 40% and 5% and Labor’s two-party preferred lead is unchanged at 52-48. The poll also includes the monthly personal ratings, which are the first such results from any pollster showing Bill Shorten leading Tony Abbott on preferred prime minister, the latter’s lead of 42-32 last month crashing to a deficit of 37-36. This is down to a slump in Abbott’s ratings, his approval down six to 35% and disapproval up eight to 55%, with Shorten’s ratings little changed at 35% approval (up one) and 37% disapproval (down one).
In other questions, the poll comprehensively gauged opinion the Commission of Audit’s recommendations, of which three have a positive net approval: university students repaying HELP debt once they earn minimum wage, relocation by unemployed young people to areas of high unemployment to retain access to benefits, and Youth Allowance rather than Newstart for those under 25. The least popular measures were raising the retirement age and increasing interest rates on HELP debts. Respondents thought the Coalition heavily favoured the rich (54%) over the poor (5%) and the average Australian (22%), while tending to place Labor in the middle, with 34% for the average Australian, 16% for the rich and 22% for the poor. The poll found broad awareness that Australia’s national debt was lower than other developed countries (45% believing it lower, 22% higher), and a belief that large companies and high-income earners paid too little tax and small businesses and low-income earners too much.
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 31s
The ratings agencies reaffirmed the AAA credit rating that was achieved under the previous govt. There is no budget crisis #lateline
[ Then there will be a lot of very desperate people with little or nothing to lose – a dangerous predicament for any regime. ]
One wonders if anyone would turn up on the lawn of Parliament House with a sign like:
Joliar, Abbotts But Boy.
” But, but, but…we didnt lie!! You just didn’t read the fine print!!!”
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 1m
The budget did a poor job tackling long run fiscal issues given how irate the states are with their funding #lateline
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 14s
Pyne is unaware how narrow the tax options are for State govts. #lateline
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 36s
The alternative to giving States taxing power is for the Commonwealth govt to take responsibility for health & education funding #lateline
@ imacca 2152
If I lived in Canberra, I’d turn up with a torch and a pitchfork.
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 36s
The budget was framed around a forecast that will see unemployment rise by 100,000 to hit 800,000 #lateline
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 52s
A miserable policy to smash the finances and life options of young & vulnerable Australians #lateline
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 21s
How much more red tape will be needed to administer this set of complex arrangements for young unemployed people? #lateline
What happened to the poor old buggers from the Horror 2011 budget?
You know, those battlers out west of Sydney, the Gray family from Castle Hill. Rod, Kerrie and 8-month-old baby Cameron, who were living in a ‘modest’ McMansion and struggling to survive on $150,000+ per annum?
Not to mention the Allardyces from Kingsville in the Victorian electorate of Gellibrand who were experiencing the same struggle street on $200,000 a year. Hubby Phil, Dutch-born Marie-Louise and 3yo Elle and 6yo Paris.
Bet they’re laughing all the way to the bank now, given
[High-income earners will start paying a debt tax of 2 per cent on everything they earn over $180,000 from 1 July this year.
Families will see their tax benefits frozen for two years and removed if they earn more than $100,000.
From the middle of next year, a trip to the GP will cost $7 more.]
Yeah, they never had it so good.
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 27s
Price signals work. A higher price to go to university means less people will go. Dumb nation #lateline
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 46s
The 1.5% company tax cut cost the budget a fortune. That’s 1 promise that should have been broken if the ‘load’ was to be shared #lateline
Sceptic
Rudd’s statement was redacted by the Solicitor General on behalf of the government.
Howe QC representing the Commonwealth gave the reason that allowing full access would destroy the confidence of future cabinets.
I think that means that Abbott and Brandis have shot their own footsies ……. they want the RC to crucify Rudd but didn’t sufficiently consider that Rudd would want to put everything on the table, and that the RC role is to get everything on the table.
If the Commish decides overnight to uphold the redactions, his report will read “I find that XYZ occurred but this is an unreliable finding, in the absence of other evidence that definitely exists but which I couldn’t consider”.
If he bombs the redactions then it may be that the Cabinet records favour Rudd (why else would Rudd be asking for its inclusion) and the other ministers, and sheet the blame home to employers and state regs and their implementation
Either way, a waste of public dosh in these time of budget “emergency”.
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 48s
The problems created by cuts to age pensions compounded by super contribution being too low #lateline
Jason Clare MP @JasonClareMP 39s
Budget a let down for start-ups, IT sector http://www.theaustralian.com.au/technology/budget-a-let-down-for-startups-it-sector/story-e6frgakx-1226917400203 …
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 13s
Despite the bluster, it will be interesting to see whether PUP blocks any major budget (or other) measures #lateline
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 48s
Palmer correctly calls the budget being based on lies #lateline
Abbott’s gotta be glad that his daughters won’t have to sell themselves into prostitution to make ends meet like the daughters of many other Australians will have to under his budget.
Oh feck!
Jones wanting to argue with Clive when he goes in swinging for our AAA credit rating, Jones….”Oh, but we do have a revenue problem”
[Jones wanting to argue with Clive when he goes in swinging for our AAA credit rating, Jones….”Oh, but we do have a revenue problem”]
Well that’s true. We have a revenue problem, not a spending problem, that’s why the Government is jacking up a bunch of taxes and inventing a few new ones.
lol.
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 37s
Palmer is like a strobe light – flashes of brilliance then dark #lateline
Shows
Yes, we do have a revenue gap, but if you ask someone a question, for feck sake let them answer without interrupting and interjecting.
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 57s
Palmer looks like being a problem for Abbott. An early poll? #lateline
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 10s
Palmer in the lucky position where his policy ideas will never be costed. Easy to oppose #lateline
Clive Palmer is talking a huge amount of common sense on Lateline. Having long regarded him as a joke, he’s starting to win me over.
Palmer says it’s very easy to go to sleep when you have Rabbott speaking in the parliament. 😆
Greenhouse Gas Expert warns:
Cornell University @Cornell 34s
Control methane now, greenhouse gas expert warns http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2014/05/control-methane-now-greenhouse-gas-expert-warns …
@ alias 2172
Me too. If only he weren’t such a Luddite on climate science.
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 53s
Palmer a wonderful populist. Cherry picking the goodies and baddies #lateline
Public funds US net neutrality ads:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-27405390?ocid=socialflow_twitter#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
‘It urges people to phone the watchdog and oppose it allowing telecom firms to charge for prioritised data delivery.’
Clive tells Tony Jones that his mob will not support pension changes, fuel excise indexation, deficit tax, doctor co-payments and under 30s newstart changes.
He says this is definite, and slags off at Abbott’s lies and ideological stance.
Unless Clive does a Meg Lees, Jos’s triffic budget is a shot duck. Go Clive!
I’ve been wondering why this government treats the majority of voters like fools.
But of course the government are right – it was a majority of fools who put Abbott and his swill there!
Now 90% of us are paying the price caused by those fools (including those who said “vote informal” or “don’t choose between LNP and ALP” or “don’t give preferences to either”.
The clear evidence for 4 years was that Abbott would do exactly what has been done but the “fools” just wouldn’t listen!
Yes AS.. There are clear problems in his stances. Attitude to foreign aid another.
@2175
I’d vote for him even with him negative on Climate, we can minimize that in other area’s, such as rolling out a Fibre based Network which uses less electricity.
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 17s
The railing against this govt and the budget is broadly based. #lateline
@ zoidlord 2180
If the Greens and Labor don’t get up and block this Budget and force a new election, I will almost certainly do exactly that.
[Yes AS.. There are clear problems in his stances. Attitude to foreign aid another.]
The fact he thinks if you cut all the income and company tax rates by 20% the government will actually receive more revenue.
(It was his party’s policy at the last election)
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 32s
Cabinet confidentially never stopped Rudd leaking and talking when Gillard was PM #lateline
Pearler of an interview from Palmer on Lateline. Jones threw in “cute” questions a few times, and Clive swatted them away with ease.
Notice when Palmer moved from talking positively about the budget position Jones calmed down.
But Jones also does this when Labor ministers try to relay the reality of the budget position.
[If the Greens and Labor don’t get up and block this Budget and force a new election, I will almost certainly do exactly that.]
Why do you think blocking supply will help the opposition?
The previous election was only a short time ago. It is quite possible that another election would just result in the Coalition winning in a massive landslide and possibly giving them control of the Senate.
Then the entire audit commission report could be made into law.
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 1m
This Royal Commission on pink batts is a huge waste of time and money. #lateline
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 24s
Workplace safety is at the heart of the pink batts problems #lateline
[In other questions, the poll comprehensively gauged opinion the Commission of Audit’s recommendations, of which three have a positive net approval: university students repaying HELP debt once they earn minimum wage, relocation by unemployed young people to areas of high unemployment to retain access to benefits, and Youth Allowance rather than Newstart for those under 25. The least popular measures were raising the retirement age and increasing interest rates on HELP debts.]
Does anyone have the demographic breakdowns of this, especially age, and the proportion they made in the sample…?
… bitte 🙂
What we face with Clive Palmer (and also Bob Katter) is the situation JG faced after the 2010 election.
Either the ALP or the LieNP will only govern with the Palmer/Katter MP’s support or even in a coalition. The NP may be wiped out of existance.
Get ready whenever the next election. The 3 state elections in the next year will provide a prelude!
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 1m
Workplace safety is again a critical issue in the coal mine disaster in Turkey. How very sad #lateline
Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk 30s
Workplace murder indeed at the coal mine in Turkey #lateline
Zoid #2183
What a stupid tweet by Kouk.
It would be logical if it was Rudd trying to hide cabinet info and by that hide evidence. But he is arguing the opposite and wants all the cab docs to be considered.
As his brief said “the redacted version is not my client’s evidence …. the full 31 pages is his evidence”.
@ ShowsOn 2186
When the Government declares war on large chunks of the Australian population, including most of the very needy, you don’t negotiate with terrorist regimes.
You take it back to the people. Then the people can decide what future for this country that they want. You hold Abbott to the standard he demanded of Gillard.
The voters will see through the Coalition now that the truth about their agenda is out and relegate this mob to the Opposition benches decisively.
2148
To stop any legislation or regulation only 38 Senators are needed because when the vote is equal the votes “shall pass in the negative” (Section 23 of the Constitution).
@ ShowsOn 2182
Yes, it doesn’t make sense. It’d also never get passed into law, so I’m not overly concerned.
2194
I agree on not negotiating. I also say that this government`s supply bills, especially those that cut spending already allocated, should not be rubber stamped.
Abbott’s climate policies are becoming a (relatively) minor issue for me, mainly for the simple reason that the rest of the world is clearly starting to take CC seriously, and their collective economic and political power will easily be able to force Australia to adopt effective carbon reduction.
We simply won’t have any choice.
I don’t believe Abbott would have the nerve to call a double dissolution election if push came to shove. He knows he got in on lies and deceit and that he was widely disliked.
It would be magnificent to watch him squirm trying to figure out what to do. And then, I strongly suspect, Turnbull would ride to the rescue.
[Abbott’s climate policies are becoming a (relatively) minor issue for me, mainly for the simple reason that the rest of the world is clearly starting to take CC seriously, and their collective economic and political power will easily be able to force Australia to adopt effective carbon reduction.
We simply won’t have any choice.]
According to the budget papers, the $2.55 billion for Direct Action is all the funding the program will receive for the next TEN years!