Essential Research: 52-48 to Labor

The only pollster currently in the game finds Labor retaining its modest post-election, and finds opinion finely balanced on superannuation reform and nominating Kevin Rudd for United Nations Secretary-General.

Essential Research, which is still the only polling series back in the game after the election, records Labor maintaining a 52-48 lead in the latest reading of its fortnightly rolling average, with primary votes also unchanged at Coalition 39%, Labor 37%, Greens 10% and Nick Xenophon Team 4%. Also featured:

• Support for nominating Kevin Rudd for Secretary-General of the United Nations was finely balanced at 36% for and 39% against, which was predictably split along party lines.

• Thirty-seven per cent said Tony Abbott should resign from parliament; 25% that he should be given a ministry; and 21% that he should remain on the back bench. A similar question in March found 47% saying he should quit at the looming election, with 18% saying he should be given a ministry and 15% that he should remain on the back bench.

• Capping after-tax super contributions backdated at $500,000 recorded 29% approval and 34% disapproval.

• A question on groups that would be better and worse off under the re-elected Coalition government returned the usual results, with large companies and the high-income earners expected to do very well indeed, small businesses somewhat less well but still net positive, and various categories of struggler expected to do poorly.

• As it does on a semi-regular basis, the pollster asked questions on trust in various media outlets. However, this asked specifically on reportage of the federal election campaign, dropped separate questions for the news and current affairs as distinction from talkback programming of “ABC radio” and “commercial radio”, and in the case of the newspapers, dropped the normal proviso that respondents be be a readers of the paper in question to qualify for inclusion. This led to much lower levels of trust being recorded for the newspapers across the board, while the radio results split the difference between the higher results that are normally recorded for news and current affairs, and the lower results for talkback. As far as relativities are concerned, the results as before find television the most trusted medium, public broadcasters favoured over commercial ones. However, The Australian did not perform significantly better than News Corporation tabloids, as it has usually done in the past, whereas the Fairfax papers continued to record somewhat higher levels of trust than News Corporation ones.

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.

3,123 comments on “Essential Research: 52-48 to Labor”

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  1. markjs @ #2647 Monday, August 8, 2016 at 9:02 am

    The “lying rodent” at least admitted he wanted us all to feel “relaxed and comfortable”…
    ..Truffles hides his Seinfeld govt behind the bullshit “agile and innovative..”
    Another wasted three years is all were going to get..

    I’d gladly take “Another wasted three years” as opposed to what this mob would want to do if they could.

  2. I’d gladly take “Another wasted three years” as opposed to what this mob would want to do if they could.

    Yes, outside of a Labor government, a do-nothing Liberal govt is the best option.

  3. geoffrey @ #2607 Monday, August 8, 2016 at 12:15 am

    Dan
    True. But i think id prefer a quiet blog than feel overhearing essential private conversations on private matters
    maybe we have lost our way a bit = political compass

    I don’t think sharing a few musical favourites is terribly personal and private. OTOH, there has been stuff of that nature we didn’t really need.

  4. bk @ #2615 Monday, August 8, 2016 at 6:50 am

    The PBO backs up Labor’s 10 year costings.
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/parliamentary-budget-office-backs-up-election-costings-of-coalition-and-labor-20160805-gqlszd.html

    This is good news: confirmation Labor were right in the ballpark with their costings unlike claims from the screeching banshees in the LNP of black holes and all that usual gibberish they like to come out with. I cannot wait until Labor get back hold of the reins.

  5. Que?

    Primrose Riordan ‏@primroseriordan · 11m11 minutes ago

    Michael Kroger says Malcolm Roberts is a “very thoughtful and intelligent man” #sky #auspol

  6. Hi Bludgers

    What is the consensus on the census? Boycott, be selective in answers or lie?
    I have real privacy concerns. Whenever I phone my bank, insurer, utility supplier etc I’m asked to confirm my id with my address and birth date.
    Lizzie’s earlier link re the Bureau using personal info to create “new products” is a worry. To whom will these new products be available?
    What is to stop Government from linking personal census data with the the meta data it already collects about us and profiling each and every Australian citizen? It sends an Orwellian chill down my spine.

  7. BK, my raspberries are sprouting. I am getting in and doing spring planting now.
    But under the shadow of Mt Lofty, plenty of cold foggy days still to come.

    Still, time for the beard to come off.

  8. Lizzie

    Kroger is a builder of bridges and has been assiduously courting the cross benchers eg the Greens.

    Naturally he will try to get PHON on side. As i said yesterday Roberts is a clever man, that does not necessarily mean intelligent The way to get people like that on side is to treat them as knowledgeable and wise. Laugh at them and you have lost them forever. What is a little surprising to me is that unlike ON Mark I, this new PHON seems to be attracting a more educated sort of membership. Burston is an ex-uni lecturer for example.

    So we have an educated sort of xenophobe. Bit like Barnaby really.

  9. vote1julia:

    I’m also somewhat leery about the compulsory identification in this Census. I can’t see why names are needed at all.

  10. ‘This is good news: confirmation Labor were right in the ballpark with their costings’

    A half way decent journalist could have worked most of this out for themselves, considering how important it was to the outcome of the election.

  11. lizzie @ #2659 Monday, August 8, 2016 at 9:40 am

    Que?

    Primrose Riordan ‏@primroseriordan · 11m11 minutes ago
    Michael Kroger says Malcolm Roberts is a “very thoughtful and intelligent man” #sky #auspol

    If he comes up with his ideas by himself, yes, he must be both “thoughtful” and creative, although initial evidence suggests he’s just another denier parrot.
    But intelligence requires the ability to disseminate facts from bulls%^t so he fails badly on this count.

  12. Re the Census. Former deputy privacy commissioner was very good on ABC breakfast this morning, despite the attempts of Robbie Buck to cut her off.
    She has serious misgivings around the lack of consultation, explanation, and the inability of the ABS to be able to guarantee the security of the data.

  13. Vote 1
    Yes we may as well all have microchips in our ears. It is Orwellian, although I suspect the horse has bolted.

    Of course they share information. Although I would cannot possibly suggest there is any link, there is an uncanny co-incidence between stressful financial problems through my bank CBA and calls from LJ Hooker. Happening the first time just a week or so after divorce settlement and then again when there was mortgage stress.

    Commission mentality of course.

  14. lizzie @ #2633 Monday, August 8, 2016 at 8:37 am

    A landmark freedom of information case set to be heard on Monday will test whether the Australian government can hide details of asylum seeker boat turnbacks by claiming they are a matter of national security.
    The policy will come under unprecedented legal scrutiny, with the commander of Operations Sovereign Borders set to give evidence in a public hearing in the the administrative appeals tribunal.
    The case surrounds access to government orders to executive turnback operations in 2013 and early 2014. It is part of a long running freedom of information case initiated by Guardian Australia journalist Paul Farrell.

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/aug/08/asylum-seekers-australias-silence-over-on-water-matters-faces-legal-test

    Good on Paul for taking on this matter. I look forward to hearing about the outcome on Tuesday. Hopefully we will see an end to this cover up and at least some transparency restored.

  15. Things are about to get interesting for Barnett.

    Pilbara MP Brendon Grylls looks set to seize back leadership of the WA Nationals from Terry Redman at a snap party room meeting on Monday.

    It comes after the ABC revealed on Friday Mr Grylls had been canvassing support for a return to the leadership and had declared his plans to Mr Redman.

    The ABC also understands that after being installed, Mr Grylls is likely to threaten to fracture the Government alliance if the Liberals do not consider switching leader from Colin Barnett to another senior minister, possibly Transport Minister Dean Nalder.

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-07/brendon-grylls-expected-to-push-for-new-libs-leader/7698808

  16. Dutton goes into automatic: blames first Labor, then Unions.

    The CFMEU is calling for a halt in negotiations for a free trade deal with India until customs procedures are fixed, because it says India is the second largest manufacturer of products made with asbestos.

    “We’ve already got a free trade agreement with China and China is sending us asbestos which kills people,” Noonan said.

    “The minister clearly doesn’t have the capacity in his department to keep Australian workers safe.

    “I’m not prepared to put members’ lives at risk and people incurring mesothelioma, a devastating cancer, just so the government can tick a free trade box.”

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/aug/05/peter-dutton-denounced-for-suggesting-import-of-asbestos-is-cfmeus-fault?CMP=share_btn_tw

  17. Adrian:

    Plus I’m yet to hear anyone from the ABS coherently explain why after 100 + years we need to provide our names.

  18. Vote1julia

    I have seen one suggestion: Don’t put your date of birth, just your age. That might muddy the water a little. Having a very common surname helps, too, I expect, when cross-checking.
    I’m still not sure what to do. Providing pension and medicare details everywhere already makes me easy to find, I suspect.

  19. Good morning all,

    I have no idea why labor would actively engage with Pauline Hanson specifically.

    ON will blow itself up just as PUP did after 2013 and the senate will have a mix of weird and disgruntled ex ON senators running around each of whom will have their own agenda. As well as the internal ON structure is held together by a piece of tape and string that will slowly unravel as differing personalities try to push for influence.

    Nothing central is holding ON together, no real core beliefs apart from having had a gut full of politics as is and or a intent to use ON simply to get to the senate.

    ON is a ticking disaster that will, given its own time, blow up.

    More important things for labor to do than worry about Hanson.

    Cheers.

    If labor needs to dealt

  20. ‘Adrian:

    Plus I’m yet to hear anyone from the ABS coherently explain why after 100 + years we need to provide our names.’

    Yes, that’s because they haven’t.
    The whole thing has become a farce, but I suspect that most people will comply, either through apathy, or fear of the fine.

  21. Simon,

    Re your raspberries and the cold weather. My advice is to puff vigorously or even use a hair dryer to keep them dry.
    Of course, that depends if you want to blow raspberries.

  22. The Commonwealth Bank is expected to unveil a record profit of almost $9.5 billion this week, which may further fuel the political debate over banks triggered by last week’s skinny mortgage interest rate cuts.

    http://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/commonwealth-bank-profits-tipped-to-hit-95-billion-20160805-gqls7z.html

    and malcolm and the libs want to cut corporate tax to 25% to further boosts bank profits and shareholder returns.

    and the banks and other businesses will pass on the benefits of the reduced tax rate, otherwise if they dont then they will be called before a parliamentary committee once a year to say why they didn’t.

    because we are a business, not a charity, and the reason for existence of any business is to maximise profits and shareholder returns.

  23. barney in saigon @ #2652 Monday, August 8, 2016 at 9:25 am

    markjs @ #2647 Monday, August 8, 2016 at 9:02 am

    The “lying rodent” at least admitted he wanted us all to feel “relaxed and comfortable”…
    ..Truffles hides his Seinfeld govt behind the bullshit “agile and innovative..”
    Another wasted three years is all were going to get..

    I’d gladly take “Another wasted three years” as opposed to what this mob would want to do if they could.

    I must agree. The less damage the better. I hope Turnbull stays on as leader. Abbott was far scarier when he held the reins inflicting as much damage as he possibly good following the IPA’s agenda. Give me a hot air balloon any day. The wrecking ball should remain on the back bench where it can only do damage to Turnbull and enemies within his own party.

  24. ‘Interesting’ that 4 Corners do a program on turnbull and the tories – after the election.

    Many of the issues relating to his poor standing within his own party and party infighting were applicable prior to the election.

    Don’t expect too many fireworks. Many journalists expect Turnbull to suddenly come good, to reveal his brilliant strategy to wedge the RWNJs. The Media’s starting point is that Turnbull is the Man For All Seasons. All he needs is clear air in order to demonstrate his true Magnificence.

    We’ve already seen lots of brillliant strategies.

    * How he humiliated the Premiers on state collection of income tax.
    * How he silenced the GST Hike proponents by demonstrating it didn’t add up.
    * Ditto for Negative Gearing.
    * His brilliant herding of the Greens to vote for a measure that reduced their representation in the Senate.
    * How he saved the furniture after the debacle of Abbott.
    * His cunning plot to get the ABCC bills passed.
    * His dire threat to the Banks to wag his finger at them for being naughty.
    * His grand gesture to the CSIRO by increasing theif funds.

    These are tactical moves that lesser mortals couldn’t possibly even contemplate, much less bring off so beautifully. He lulls his enemies into think he’s weak, then strikes when they least expect it. Even a final majority of 1 in the House works in his favour as he forces the Right Wing to look over the edge of the abyss. What a genius he is for arranging that. He’s got them all where he wants them. Sheer brilliance. As Bill Shorten runs around the country putting out fires and causing trouble for trouble’s sake, Turnbull.Just.Quietly.Governs (thanks to Hartcher for that insight). We ain’t seen nothin’ yet!

    So when 4-Corners goes after him don’t be surprised if they put him on show trial, only to exonerate him. It’s been done before…

  25. lizzie @ #2644 Monday, August 8, 2016 at 8:59 am

    Who to believe?

    BUREAU of Statistics bosses discussed secret plans to crossmatch people’s private details as they planned tomorrow’s controversial census.
    The ABS insists it will not hand over private census data to other government agencies or businesses.
    But confidential internal documents reveal the ABS, which earned $41 million last year selling data, wants to link names and addresses to census data to make “new products’’.

    http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/census-2016-abs-bosses-discussed-plans-to-crossmatch-private-data/news-story/5770de257b4ab56a6a3039dad0e0bcfa?utm_content=SocialFlow&utm_campaign=EditorialSF&utm_source=DailyTelegraph&utm_medium=Twitter

    This is not news. The ABS has already announced plans to do this. They will also release your linked information – names and all – for ‘research’ purposes. Most people don’t seem to have understood the implications of this yet.

  26. ‘Don’t expect too many fireworks. Many journalists expect Turnbull to suddenly come good, to reveal his brilliant strategy to wedge the RWNJs. The Media’s starting point is that Turnbull is the Man For All Seasons. All he needs is clear air in order to demonstrate his true Magnificence.’

    Those expecting fireworks, or even a tuppeny banger, from 4 Corners are likely to be disappointed.
    I hope that I am wrong, but it all sounded pretty anodyne when discussed on ABC Sydney breakfast this morning. However that could have been the host…

  27. We’ll be using TOR Browser to do the submissions.

    TOR Browser is supposed to make your URL impossible to detect.

  28. Player One

    Assurances “your data is safe with us” are of no comfort.
    I believe in the universal law: if something can go wrong, it will.

  29. adrian @ #2666 Monday, August 8, 2016 at 9:51 am

    ‘This is good news: confirmation Labor were right in the ballpark with their costings’
    A half way decent journalist could have worked most of this out for themselves, considering how important it was to the outcome of the election.

    Oh but didn’t you see Morrison’s costings chart that looked like a Social Media meme. It showed Labor’s debt and deficit as far as the eye could see which is not very far when you are so severely short-sighted. 🙄

  30. [Dutton goes into automatic: blames first Labor, then Unions.]

    Dutton appears to be saying that the builders knowingly imported asbestos material.

    His statements could affect any future court actions, has he divulged confidential info from the preliminary investigations into this ?

  31. boris @ #2690 Monday, August 8, 2016 at 10:28 am

    Dutton goes into automatic: blames first Labor, then Unions.

    Dutton appears to be saying that the builders knowingly imported asbestos material.
    His statements could affect any future court actions, has he divulged confidential info from the preliminary investigations into this ?

    A very interesting point. A good one for QT.

  32. 4C will be of interest for me simply to see what it comes up with in coming weeks in the way of offering ” balance” to the political discussion ie what crap they come up with re the labor party and its leader.

    We shall see.

    Cheers.

    We

  33. Morning Bludgers : )

    Could someone have a word in Abbott’s shell-like that the IPA, well-known Conservative LOBBYING outfit are also avid Liberal ear-worms and if Tony is at all serious about divorcing Lobbyists from the Liberal Party, then he better start by getting Tim Wilson and James Patterson and a bunch of other sitting Liberal MPs dis-endorsed toot sweet!

    What’s that I hear you say, Tony? … “Naff off with the logic already! I have a new reason for continuing to exist and it’s called undermining and ultimately, hopefully, destroying the Moderate faction of the Liberal Party!”

    Me: “Oh, OK, Toned Abs. As you were!” ; )

    Because, I mean, that’s all this invigorated democracy for the rank and file members of the Liberal Party which Tony Abbott and Walter Villatora are championing now is all about, isn’t it? Reclaiming power for the Conservative faction of the Liberal Party via the votes of the Conservative base, found in their increasingly sclerotic branches lacking flexibility of thought about contemporaneous society and it’s issues, loving the past and trying to wall yourself off from the present and the future and having to deal constructively with it.

    Anyway, if Abbott is successful and generates another DLP-like split, but this time in the Liberal Party, I say, “Go hard, Tony!” : )

  34. @Adrian, This is the meme/chart I am referring to. What kind of a joke was this during the Liberal Party’s costings media release? What a joke of a government they are.

  35. They will also release your linked information – names and all – for ‘research’ purposes.

    That is not my understanding. I understood the de-identified linked data would be released to researchers. Not information that identifies individuals.

  36. Nicole,
    You could simply try using a Private Window to do the Census. It also does not provide external servers with your IP Address.

  37. c@tmomma @ #2694 Monday, August 8, 2016 at 10:37 am

    Morning Bludgers : )
    Could someone have a word in Abbott’s shell-like that the IPA, well-known Conservative LOBBYING outfit are also avid Liberal ear-worms and if Tony is at all serious about divorcing Lobbyists from the Liberal Party, then he better start by getting Tim Wilson and James Patterson and a bunch of other sitting Liberal MPs dis-endorsed toot sweet!
    What’s that I hear you say, Tony? … “Naff off with the logic already! I have a new reason for continuing to exist and it’s called undermining and ultimately, hopefully, destroying the Moderate faction of the Liberal Party!”
    Me: “Oh, OK, Toned Abs. As you were!” ; )
    Because, I mean, that’s all this invigorated democracy for the rank and file members of the Liberal Party which Tony Abbott and Walter Villatora are championing now is all about, isn’t it? Reclaiming power for the Conservative faction of the Liberal Party via the votes of the Conservative base, found in their increasingly sclerotic branches lacking flexibility of thought about contemporaneous society and it’s issues, loving the past and trying to wall yourself off from the present and the future and having to deal constructively with it.
    Anyway, if Abbott is successful and generates another DLP-like split, but this time in the Liberal Party, I say, “Go hard, Tony!” : )

    What she said and she is the cat’s mother. Check her avatar. 😉

  38. [This is not news. The ABS has already announced plans to do this. They will also release your linked information – names and all – for ‘research’ purposes. ]

    P1

    There was an earlier story of how this matching has already been done with previous census data, specifically for the life expectancy for aborigines.

    Census data was crossed matched to other data, births deaths etc, to get a more reliable figure on life expectancy.

    Does open up a wealth of opportunities,
    use tax centrelink data to ensure more accurate picture of income.
    medicare pharmacy hospital health fund data for better picture of health
    betting accounts and club data for gambling spend
    link to supermarket pos data for actual spend on groceries etc
    link to utilities data for energy costs

    Will give a more accurate picutre of disposable income and what people are spending their money on and take out a lot of the guesswork.

    Can use it to track whether those on welfare are buying essentials or blowing it on frivolous items.

    Can use to offer helpful real time suggestions to people like
    we noticed you a high spend on what could be seen as luxury items, if you cut back on such items you will be able to save for a deposit for a home earlier.
    or
    we see that you are still buying cigarettes or alcohol whilst you have health issues, this is putting an unnecessary strain on the public health system and you need to think more on your choices.

  39. Briefly
    Thank you it is good to be home, despite I still have Pruneface as my MP
    Going through my mail, the mystery what happened to my missing postal vote, which AEC assured me went to the overseas address I nominated, actually was sent here to my home address grrrrr

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