Essential Research: 54-46 to Coalition

This week’s Essential Research poll has Labor recovering the point they lost last week, with the Coalition lead on two-party preferred down from 55-45 to 54-46. However, the primary vote figures suggest there is little in the change: the major parties are steady on 34 per cent for Labor and 48 per cent for the Coalition (although a one-point drop for the Liberals disappears from the Coalition total after rounding), with the Greens up a point to 11 per cent. Other questions find mounting opposition to the contention that the budget should return to surplus at all costs. Seventy-one per cent declared themselves opposed if doing so meant “cutting services and raising taxes”, with only 13 per cent supportive. Fifty-eight per cent said there was no need for the budget to return to surplus so quickly compared with 38 per cent in April, but if the government remains determined, the number who believe it should be paid for by removing tax breaks for high income earners (59 per cent) and increasing taxes for corporations (72 per cent) is up eight and nine points respectively. Only 35 per cent nominated cuts to “middle-class welfare”.

Further evidence of voters’ curiously social democratic bent was furnished by a question in which respondents were asked to indicated whether various parties had benefited from the mining boom: 68 per cent said yes for mining company executives, 48 per cent for shareholders and 42 per cent for foreign companies, against 12 per cent for regional communities and 11 per cent for “all Australians”. There was also an interesting question on the leaders’ performances during Barack Obama’s visit, in light of suggestions that Julia Gillard had been too effusive and Tony Abbott had politicised the occasion. The results suggest much more support for the latter contention than the former: Gillard’s performance was rated good by 38 per cent and poor by 23 per cent, compared with 18 per cent and 30 per cent for Abbott.

Categories: Federal Politics 2010-

4054 Responses

Comments page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 82 |

1. albericie Emma Alberici
   Thrilled to say I’ll be hosting @Lateline in 2012. My husband is taking up a full time job on 60 Minutes .. let the chaos continue!

   YES

   emma a is a straight arrow

   by gusface on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:29 pm

2. Dee – how are the wedding arrangements going. Are you barmy yet?

   by BH on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:29 pm

3. The shelving of climate change action was by far the most damaging thing to the ALP electoral stocks (and the ALP brand in particular) in recent memory.

   So it was just something that the ALP did, was it?

   joe2,

   The ALP was certainly aided and abetted by the Murdoch press but the damage came from declaring AGW as the ‘greatest moral challenge’ and then not going to the wall over it.

   by Scarpat on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:29 pm

4. my say

   the alp is pulling the rug from under the fibs

   i suspect this not a short term strategy

   the real biggie is economic management

   

   by gusface on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:31 pm

5. Did you get to sing NZ’s official unofficial national anthem ?

   Damn, I seem to have missed that!

   BTW: Bananas are $2.50 NZD per kg…

   by Mod Lib on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:32 pm

6. confessions

   poroti:

   There is a fair bit of collaboration between indigenous Australians and Maori. Across all disciplines.

   Very pleased to hear that. You may like to read this little piece about just how early Maori Aboriginal contact began.
   http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/ojs/index.php/sydney_journal/article/view/1882/1946

   by poroti on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:32 pm

7. re’ Emma Alberici – Richard Branson will be disappointed.

   by CTar1 on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:33 pm

8. BH

   Dee – how are the wedding arrangements going. Are you barmy yet?

   The wedding was on Friday down in Brisbane.
   But yes, it was bedlam & my head is still spinning.

   by Dee on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:34 pm

9. Many will ask, what is my personal opinion and where do I stand in the debate? As I have said many times, I support maintaining the Marriage Act in its current form, and the government will not move legislation to change it. My position flows from my strong conviction that the institution of marriage has come to have a particular meaning and standing in our culture and nation and that should continue unchanged. The Labor Party platform currently reflects this view.

   Nice bit of editing Diog, why did you cut the last bit from the speech?

   Julia Gillard

   Robust debate on uranium and gay marriage is what the Labor conference needs.

   Labor meets next month in Sydney. As Australia's oldest and largest political party, we must take our opportunity to speak to the country, to be clear about Labor's vision for the future.

   Anyone who joins a political party loves an argument. Sometimes those arguments get noisy, but that's a healthy sign. A party able to hold robust debates is a party full of energy and ideas for the future.

   That's why I'm looking forward to some noise being made in Sydney. A quiet conference would disappoint because it would mean our party was lying dormant in the face of the challenges that face us.

   As Australia becomes one of the richest countries in the world, how can we ensure fair shares for all? How can we ensure that no one is left behind by accident of birth or circumstance? How can we combine prosperity with stewardship of the environment?

   As a party, these are questions for discussion, but as a government we have the privilege - and responsibility - of implementing our decisions. Our debates have real outcomes. Nowhere is this more true than in economic policy.

   Labor has always been the party of jobs, and as a government we take pride in creating more than 700,000 jobs and supporting working people through the global financial crisis. Our unemployment rate is now 5.2 per cent - a stark contrast to the US, Britain and Europe.

   We are determined to keep our economy and our businesses strong. Through the hard work of businesses and employees, supported by government, we are meeting the aspirations of working families for decent secure jobs, fair treatment at work and better ways of balancing work and family life. In doing this hard work and in ensuring fairness and respect in Australian workplaces, we are proud to operate in partnership with our colleagues from the union movement.

   But just as I have said to the nation that we must analyse and understand the opportunities and challenges of this Asian century, the Labor Party too has to focus on our long-term economic goals and be prepared to confront difficult questions about maximising prosperity and the strength of our relationships in our region of the world.

   One of our nearest neighbours is India. Long a close partner. The world's biggest democracy. Growing at 8 per cent a year. Yet despite the links of language, heritage and democratic values, in one important regard we treat India differently. We will not sell India uranium for peaceful purposes - though Canada is preparing to - while policy allows us to export it to countries such as China, Japan and the United States.

   It is time for Labor to modernise our platform and enable us to strengthen our connection with dynamic, democratic India. As in other areas, broadening our markets will increase jobs. We must, of course, expect of India the same standards we do of all countries for uranium export - strict adherence to International Atomic Energy Agency arrangements and strong bilateral undertakings and transparency measures that will provide assurances our uranium will be used only for peaceful purposes.

   There are two other debates that will be lively. The first is on same-sex marriage, a debate that elicits strongly held personal views across society. I am proud that Labor has been at the forefront of changing our laws to end discrimination against same-sex couples in so many areas. We have come a long way as a more inclusive and fair society in a relatively short time.

   However, I equally recognise the deeply held convictions in society on the questions of marriage. This diversity of public opinion is reflected in the passionate debate inside the Labor Party. Given the personal nature of the issue and the deeply held beliefs, I believe that in future it is appropriate that a conscience vote flow to Labor parliamentarians. They should be free to vote in the Parliament according to their own values and beliefs.

   Many will ask, what is my personal opinion and where do I stand in the debate? As I have said many times, I support maintaining the Marriage Act in its current form, and the government will not move legislation to change it. My position flows from my strong conviction that the institution of marriage has come to have a particular meaning and standing in our culture and nation and that should continue unchanged. The Labor Party platform currently reflects this view.

   This is a debate I have not shirked from, and it is one the party will hold. What we must do when that debate is over is to respect each other's point of view.

   The second issue is party reform. I want a Labor Party that is growing in membership, with an extra 8000 members as a first step. In every community, there are far more loyal Labor supporters than there are ALP members. If we can directly engage the community in selecting the best Labor candidates by trialling ''community preselections'', or primaries, we can tap into that deeper support.

   Personally, I am looking forward to conference. I always do. But this year, with the global economy at a crossroads, Australia faces some important choices too. We can continue to face the future with confidence if we make the right choices.

   Entire speech for context robbers like the SA voter for nothing, who cares about nothing except scandals involvoing barmaids.

   by ruawake on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:34 pm

10. Talk Turkey at The Political Sword has come up with a nice rhyming slogan! .

    Abbott is a failure!
    The Liberals are a mess!
    LABOR FOR AUSTRALIA!
    The Government says YES!

    http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/post/2011/11/27/Julia-Gillards-Vision-for-the-Asian-Century.aspx

    by PatriciaWA on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:35 pm

11. Mari, did u travel first class, on the train we decide to as we had all meals provided,
    We did all europe and to London first class by train 500 aus. Dollars each good value

    by my say on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:36 pm

12. Mod Lib
    Posted Friday, December 2, 2011 at 7:01 pm | Permalink

    When dog-whistling loses its charm…

    This may not be politically correct, but I think things need to change on the Aboriginal side as much as they do on the non-Aboriginal side.

    The Maori certainly do not play victims. They demand respect and they get it. They seem to understand that they are not in power, but expect to have a say in how the country is run, and they are respected for it. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia need to stop spending all their time complaining about things (although I completely agree with them on the issues they complain about) and start working towards a common future. Some of the new Aboriginal leaders seem to be quite constructive like this (ie less bitter) so I think the future is promising.

    Fine words. You want to talk about Respect.

    Yet you own party, your own leader howard could not, Never! Ever! say sorry.

    Senior members of your party boycotted the Sorry Ceremony.

    “facta non verba”

    by dave on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:36 pm

13. Mod Lib

    Did you get to sing NZ’s official unofficial national anthem ?

    Damn, I seem to have missed that!

    BTW: Bananas are $2.50 NZD per kg…

    That is something else Australians should be educated about.Just how deep is the gouging and rip off that is the Australian banana industry. The economic rationalists had no probs letting the TCF industry be exposed to free trade so why not the bloody banana industry ?

    by poroti on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:36 pm

14. If you’re heading towards Canberra soon make sure you go the ‘HandWritten’ exhibition at the National Library.

    Since the pages are on temporary loan from the German equivalent of the national library most of the exhibits are of great german contributors to our civilisation.

    But there are a few odds and ends from other lands and it was nice to see one of my ancestors in the mix.

    For those with an interest in classical music there are original scores from many of Germany’s top composers, including Mr Beethoven.

    It’s free, but the holiday demand is expected to be such that you need to book a time slot. You can do this online.

    by Boerwar on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:36 pm

15. mod lib

    tough love eh

    

    by gusface on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:37 pm

16. CTar1

    Posted Friday, December 2, 2011 at 7:26 pm | Permalink

    @mari – I’ve written down your website, thank you. If you ‘google’ you get sent to a site of whoever pays google to be put at the top of the list. I think we’re in furious agreement that travel is not nearly as expensive in Europe as it appears to be!

    Did you see my link comment 3741, I just keep this in my favourites good luck and have a great time over there

    by mari on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:39 pm

17. The news is all about gillard low polls and gay marriage.
    Way to kick a own goal

    by Joe6pack on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:39 pm

18. If you’re heading towards Canberra soon make sure you go the ‘HandWritten’ exhibition at the National Library.

    swmbo and tin lids are there

    visiting the exhibit sunday

    the boys want to see einsteins stuff

    

    by gusface on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:39 pm

19. albericie Emma Alberici
    Thrilled to say I’ll be hosting @Lateline in 2012.

    Joy of joys!!!

    How soon before we can have her moved to 730Report?

    by confessions on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:39 pm

20. Gosh tweeters what a great rhyme

    Thanks. Patricia

    by my say on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:39 pm

21. The news is all about gillard low polls and gay marriage.
    Way to kick a own goal

    how so?

    by gusface on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:41 pm

22. Fine words. You want to talk about Respect.

    Yet you own party, your own leader howard could not, Never! Ever! say sorry.

    Senior members of your party boycotted the Sorry Ceremony.

    “facta non verba”

    I completely agree with you dave. In fact I think I have posted here before that in my opinion John Howard was a racist and did not have a passion for Indigenous reconciliation.

    Others in the Liberal party do and have (and I suspect Tony Abbott is amongst them). There have been many moderate liberals who are passionate about this, although you are right that there have been right wing liberals who have been a hindrance to progress.

    by Mod Lib on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:41 pm

23. my say

    Posted Friday, December 2, 2011 at 7:36 pm | Permalink

    Mari, did u travel first class, on the train we decide to as we had all meals provided,
    We did all europe and to London first class by train 500 aus. Dollars each good value

    For these trips no, did the Swiss first class pass, as it included the Glacier and Panorama Expresses, the Glacier had the Glass roof and was wonderful

    by mari on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:42 pm

24. Wow emma
    Is my oh favourite.

    Are we really saying good to jones

    Wow

    His he doing 7.30

    by my say on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:43 pm

25. Nice little late rally on the market Boerwar and Dave.

    That’s how to do it

    How many times must it be said?

    The abolishing of the CPRS had zero detrimental affect on Labor’s chances at the last election.
    It was:-
    1. Pink Batts
    2. School Halls
    3. Mining Tax

    The Greens have really got to get over themselves

    by Centre on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:44 pm

26. The news is all about gillard low polls and gay marriage.
    Way to kick a own goal

    Ok, so what’s the answer? Don’t talk about it?

    by Gary on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:44 pm

27. Boerwar – Do us a favour and don’t go promoting ‘KanBra’ to the great unwashed. It’s bad enough having to put up with their ‘representatives’ and their hangers on without having to do queues at the National Library as well.

    by CTar1 on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:44 pm

28. So what is happening to Tony Jones?

    by Mod Lib on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:44 pm

29. Saying good bye to jones

    by my say on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:44 pm

30. poroti:

    There are several international indigenous-specific conferences which feature Aust-NZ collaboration (indigenous mental health for eg), and like LIME have been going for years.

    That said, having collaborated with Canadians, I still say the most analogous situation to indigenous Australia is the inuit people in Canada. The dispossession, the institutional racism, the health and SES data all pretty much align with indigenous Australian circumstances of same.

    I don’t understand where the African-American stuff fits in, as I’d argue the Native American circumstance fits better with our first people here.

    by confessions on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:45 pm

31. You little bewdy. Emm A for Lateline will be a must watch for me. My favourite for years. Her reports from the UK have been excellent. I think it was Emma who was in Russia for awhile and her husband is Russian or am I thinking of somebody else. I used to love those reports from Russia.

    by BH on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:46 pm

32. I used to love those reports from Russia.

    u commie

    

    by gusface on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:47 pm

33. So what is the verdict on gay marriage?

    Conscience vote or party policy?

    Conscience vote surely!

    by Centre on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:48 pm

34. O that sound s great ‘ it was our first trip, and we sort of did it ourselves,
    When we went to canada we had a similar train, then took the boat to Alaska,

    by my say on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:48 pm

35. So what is happening to Tony Jones?

    Other projects?

    by ruawake on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:48 pm

36. Is it rumoured that Jones has accepted an appointment as Abbott’s media manager?

    Has he denied it?

    by Fulvio Sammut on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:48 pm

37. FMD

    7.30 state line is doing a hatchet on BER

    by gusface on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:49 pm

38. Hopefully Tony Jones is being consigned to a perennial preener on qanda.

    Although I’m somewhat trepidatious. The usual pattern for ABC correspondents returning home is for them to ditch their journalistic intuition in favour of tabloid tendencies.

    I hope Alberici is the exception to the rule on that front.

    by confessions on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:49 pm

39. @mari – Got it, thanks. Enjoy your trip as well. You should do Edinburgh when the festival is on – my niece says it’s a hoot!

    by CTar1 on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:49 pm

40. rua @ 3758

    One of our nearest neighbours is India. Long a close partner. The world's biggest democracy. Growing at 8 per cent a year. Yet despite the links of language, heritage and democratic values, in one important regard we treat India differently. We will not sell India uranium for peaceful purposes - though Canada is preparing to - while policy allows us to export it to countries such as China, Japan and the United States.

    IMHO there is a major, significant PhD waiting to be done on the relationships (physical, trade, race relations, governance/conceptual) between Colonial Britain-in-India and Colonial Britain-in-Australia. References in our histories to direct links between the British Raj and Australia and the 19thC are curiously limited.

    My hypothesis would be that despite what we thought here, Australia was only every a British afterthought compared with British interests in India. Australians appear to have turned a blind eye to this, subsuming it in notions of Empire and subsuming it in notions that we were part of the ruling race.

    This curious set of relationships lasted up to, and including the Second World War when Mr Churchill was more interested in using Australian divisions to defend India than in Australia using Australian divisions to defend Australia.

    Australia still appears to have a bit of a blind eye when it comes to India. But that does appear to be changing.

    by Boerwar on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:49 pm

41. Emma A, despite being lured to the ABC from commercial TV as a finace guru, will scare the living daylights out of the Burke, Crabb clique. A real journalist hide hacks.

    by ruawake on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:51 pm

42. My oh said we have to email emma and tell he r not to change

    Well there will bea new head of the board soon

    by my say on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:52 pm

43. ru

    emma a is good

    like real good

    by gusface on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:52 pm

44. Gary
    Posted Friday, December 2, 2011 at 7:44 pm | Permalink
    The news is all about gillard low polls and gay marriage.
    Way to kick a own goal

    Ok, so what’s the answer? Don’t talk about it?

    Talk about it all you want. debate . anguish over issues that the people that actually decide elections do not care about, and give the media and libs free reign to point out labors shortcomings.
    Do people here really want labor to win the next election or are you happy to lose over some principles that mean zero to the general public.

    by Joe6pack on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:52 pm

45. I demand legislation for threesomes

    by Centre on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:52 pm

46. ru:

    What is the ‘Burke Crabbe clique’?

    Who is Burke?

    by confessions on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:53 pm

47. [Abbott is a failure!
    The Liberals are a mess!
    LABOR FOR AUSTRALIA!
    The Government says YES!] … is doggerel.

    It used to be a far more popular mode of political expression than it is now.

    by Boerwar on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:54 pm

48. centre

    seconded

    on one condition

    u aint one of the three!

    by gusface on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:54 pm

49. Any theories what has bought this on in the abc

    by my say on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:56 pm

50. Mod Lib
    Posted Friday, December 2, 2011 at 7:41 pm | Permalink

    Fine words. You want to talk about Respect.

    Yet you own party, your own leader howard could not, Never! Ever! say sorry.

    Senior members of your party boycotted the Sorry Ceremony.

    “facta non verba”

    I completely agree with you dave. In fact I think I have posted here before that in my opinion John Howard was a racist and did not have a passion for Indigenous reconciliation.

    Others in the Liberal party do and have (and I suspect Tony Abbott is amongst them). There have been many moderate liberals who are passionate about this, although you are right that there have been right wing liberals who have been a hindrance to progress.

    Just more words, still. The deeds of your party speak much much louder across so many aspects relating to our country and those deeds say the opposite of the words and the decent people in your party rollover saying bugger all.

    Your party trash every convention of our democracy at the drop of a hat.

    The *passion* of the so called, many moderate liberals is exquisitely concealed and has been silent now for many years.

    Truth be told the many so called *moderate liberals* are long gone from the party.

    Today’s libs imitate the repubs, tea party sect.

    Name the so called *moderate liberals*, link their speeches and policies, please.

    by dave on Dec 2, 2011 at 7:56 pm