Essential Research: 56-44 to Coalition
The latest weekly Essential Research survey shows no change on last week, bar a one point drop in the Greens vote to 10 per cent: the Coalition is on 49 per cent of the primary vote and Labor on 32 per cent, with the Coalition’s two-party lead at 56-44. Essential also found plenty of interesting questions to ask about the Labor leadership. Respondents were asked to evaluate the performance of various actors during the challenge, with Kevin Rudd coming out least badly (33 per cent good, 35 per cent poor), “Labor Party ministers” the worst (10 per cent and 52 per cent), the media also very poorly (14 per cent and 43 per cent), Julia Gillard not well at all (23 per cent and 49 per cent) and Tony Abbott hardly better even if it might be hard to recall what he did exactly (25 per cent and 40 per cent).
Sixty-two per cent of respondents said the leadership challenge was bad for the government and 47 per cent that it has made them less likely to vote Labor (64 per cent among Coalition supporters, obviously including many who wouldn’t vote Labor in a pink fit), against 13 per cent who said it was a good thing and another 13 per cent (or perhaps the same 13 per cent) who they were more likely to vote Labor. A question on Kevin Rudd’s future produces a miraculously even three-way split with 29 per cent saying he should stay in parliament and again challenge for the leadership, 28 per cent saying he should stay in parliament and not challenge for the leadership and 30 per cent saying he should resign from parliament.
Respondents were asked to indicate whether they supported the Australian system of leaders being elected by MPs (36 per cent), American-style presidential primaries (31 per cent) and British-style election by both MPs and party members (11 per cent). Fifty-six per cent believed MPs should be guided by public opinion in leadership contests against 30 per cent by who they believed was the best person. The poll also points to a slight increase in support for an early election since the end of January, up three to 44 per cent with support for a completed term down two to 46 per cent.
We have also had Newspoll publish results from last week’s polling on the most important political issues and the best party to handle them. Such figures are invariably very closely associated with voting intention, and since this was a 53-47 poll result, it finds Labor improving considerably since the question was last asked as part of the poll of October 7-9, which was a 57-43 result. Labor has recovered big leads on its traditional strong suits of health, education, industrial relations and climate change, and closed the gap on the economy, interest rates and national security. Full tables from GhostWhoVotes.
Categories: Federal Politics 2010-
lizzie
Lol!!
by victoria on Mar 8, 2012 at 9:45 am
shellbell
Excellent. I look forward to an improvement in the ABC with someone who is conscious at the top.
by Boerwar on Mar 8, 2012 at 9:45 am
Tin-foil hat time
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-03-08/earth-braces-for-biggest-space-storm-in-five-years/3875508
by This little black duck on Mar 8, 2012 at 9:46 am
TheFinnigans天地有道人无道 @Thefinnigans Reply Delete Favorite · Open
Dear PM @JuliaGillard Congrat for getting an A+ from AGSM for getting things done & managing a hung Parliament – abc.net.au/news/2012-03-0…
by The Finnigans on Mar 8, 2012 at 9:53 am
Smith is perceived very favourably by the female half of our population, and always has been, ’tis my belief.
by Toorak Toff on Mar 8, 2012 at 9:55 am
[Stephen Koukoulas @TheKouk
@JoeHockey Mr Hockey: I read your speech carefully but it is riddled with errors. Can I suggest you look at this: http://stephenkoukoulas.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/great-big-new-economic-and-market-quiz.html
by lizzie on Mar 8, 2012 at 9:56 am
TT
Agreed. He is easy on the eye
by victoria on Mar 8, 2012 at 9:56 am
On Leveson – A clever twitter (if there is such a thing!) -
by CTar1 on Mar 8, 2012 at 9:57 am
Thanks for that, MM. It certainly made sense to me. A pity the pollies don’t follow it up a bit more.
by Gorgeous Dunny on Mar 8, 2012 at 9:59 am
Stephen Smith has lost the confidence of Dennis Shanahan. Well, he’ll have to go now.
Shanahan clearly thinks he is a player, trotting out calls for resignations and condemning hither and thither. The man’s a megalomaniac, full of himself and his self-importance.
The newspaper he works for is just as bad cf. Chris Mitchell’s legal action against Robert Manne.
by Bushfire Bill on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:01 am
Stephen Smith gets what he deserves, he overreached over the Skype Scandal business.
by Thornleigh Labor Man on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:07 am
There appears to have been a previous event during which the Cheetah population was reduced to very, very low numbers. Essentially this created what is known as a genetic bottleneck. That is to say, Cheetahs have a very small genetic range. This means that when their environment changes, they have a limited capacity to evolve in response because they have a limited genetic range from which to draw.
This is, for one species, something that is happening to huge numbers of species around the world.
They are not extinct, or even at immediate risk of extinction, but their genetic range is being reduced. This is due to ‘conventional’ impacts of humans – habitat destruction, pollution, combined with harvesting, hunting, globalisation of weeds and ferals, etc, etc. Reduced genetic range/potential is a mechanism explaining why we have already entered a mass extinction event.
Global Warming can be read as an ‘unconventional’ driver of extinction. It is unleashing rapid and large scale environmental changes on a global suite of species which already has depleted genetic resources to adapt and evolve.
Many, many animals and plants are not going to make it. We are eating our future.
by Boerwar on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:07 am
shellbell @ 2214
Indeed – Justice Spigelman is an eminently suitable candidate for the Chairmanship of our beleaguered ABC.
He will bring to the top job the rigor and forensic skills of an experience judicial officer used to dispassionately weighing evidence, and will serve as an unbiased counterweight to the failed and tainted Mark Scott who has presided over the ABC’s recent sharp decline in standards.
Chalk up another one on the side of the forces of goodness and niceness …
by The Big Ship on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:08 am
Thanks for that, Leroy.
Happy Days!
by Gorgeous Dunny on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:09 am
Well, if he can, I can.
I call for Mr Shanahan’s resignation.
by Boerwar on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:09 am
The Member for Griffith getting on with business:
by Thornleigh Labor Man on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:09 am
Boerwar
The whole Canberra Press Gallery should give themselves the sack
by victoria on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:12 am
I can see why some of the chaps are on the attack.
Any other organisation in Australia that is faced with decades of litigation arising from hundreds upon hundreds of complaints of sexual abuse would be hiding their heads in shame.
So, what do the chaps do? Why, don’t you know that attack is the best form of defence?
Mr Shanahan is just looking after the home fires for the chaps at the front. With the Coalition sandbagging the military seats, this is playing right into their hands.
by Boerwar on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:13 am
boerwar
Yes it is playing right into their hands.
by victoria on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:15 am
in the next budget the govt need to seriously consider reducing the tax incentives in the mining industry. accelerated depreciation, diesel fuel rebate etc are hardly needed to stimulate investment in an industry making money by the bucketful. I would expect to see something along those lines. in addition gold should be added to the mining tax. over time ofcourse I would expect the mining tax to be tweeked to boost revenue further.
by the spectator on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:16 am
boerwar
Should have added the comment that surely the govt have a strategy?
by victoria on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:16 am
Oh dear, PM Gillard lost Shanananana’s confidence from day 1. How come she is still the PM?
Especially after getting the A+ from AGSM for getting things done & managing a hung Parliament.
To be real sexist again and proud of it: Go Girl, Go.
by The Finnigans on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:17 am
BW, isnt that a bit sexist to call them “The Chaps”
by The Finnigans on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:18 am
The ABC is very keen to say that “Smith refuses to apologize.”
Not a lot of analysis of exactly why he should.
by This little black duck on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:18 am
BW, I strive for imperfection
by shellbell on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:19 am
I don’t think “The Chapettes” are in BW‘s frame.
by This little black duck on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:20 am
Finns
Given the Coalition’s outbursts against those bestowing the award after Swan was named the World’s Best Treasurer I’d say the AGSM better stand by for some serious slagging.
by BK on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:21 am
ie Smith supported JG.
by Gary on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:21 am
I second that.
by joe2 on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:23 am
Great re ABC appointment if its true. Unfortunately for Abbott, Turnbull has already come out and said how good it is (a friend of his)
Poor Dennis and the OO. The Smith thing is all they have got for the Newspoll weekend. Very disappointing
by Andrew on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:24 am
Spigelman as ABC Chairperson. The first thing the Judge should do is to setup an inquiry to the proliferation & infiltration of #IPA in ABC
by The Finnigans on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:24 am
I call for Evan’s resignation from this blog
by Andrew on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:25 am
Rudd looking after his constituents. Now there’s a novel idea for a politician.
by Gary on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:25 am
I lost a comment in the ether, so an abridged version follows:
I spent 20 years in uniform (and subsequently 12 years working for Defence), and can well attest to the culture of bullying that exists witin it.
My admiration for Smith just went up a notch. I wish that the media would grow a set and challenge these old farts, and their ‘values’, which are (I assume) to be very different from ‘ordinary Australians’. But, of course, Smith is Labor, and the hacks smell blood.
by Super on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:25 am
Collar fake bomber pleads guilty.
by This little black duck on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:27 am
Super
Nicely put.
The hacks are desperately circling like ageing vultures looking for their last feed.
by BK on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:27 am
Not alot of Chapettes about in the days of yore holding high ranks so I reckon it will be wall to wall Chaps
by poroti on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:28 am
Abbott, according to procedure, would have already been consulted on the appointment. Not sure what happens if he disapproved, though.
by joe2 on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:29 am
I do hope this isn’t a sign of things to come…
by confessions on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:29 am
Insteresting to see what he says in mitigation at his sentencing hearing.
by shellbell on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:29 am
Just a reminder that #Newspoll weekend is coming. Now #Ruddstoration is gone. Watchout for #Swannieration & #Smithylation from #MSMhacks
by The Finnigans on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:30 am
Andrew,
Farts can’t resign.
by Greensborough Growler on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:31 am
confessions
?
by victoria on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:32 am
Forbes List of World’s Billionaires: http://www.forbes.com/billionaires/
18 Australians made the list of the 100 wealthiest people on the planet.
Some of the Australians on Forbes List: http://www.theage.com.au/executive-style/executive-women/gina-rinehart-at-29-on-forbes-rich-list-20120308-1ulhy.html
It’s a competitive business being obscenely rich.
by Pegasus on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:32 am
Add convergence with Newslimited fantasised news resources.
by joe2 on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:33 am
so the member for rudd, justs keep rattling em off
give it a rest, evan
by gusface on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:34 am
Classy lot those LNP candidates. If Newman does not dump this chump then he (Newman) will lose Ashgrove. It’s that serious for him. If he does dump him then Labor will retain the seat of Albert in a canter.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-03-08/lnp-candidate-ran-porn-website-report/3875782
by Tom Hawkins on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:35 am
http://www.theage.com.au/national/officer-courtmartialled-for-reaction-to-racial-slur-20120303-1ua4j.html
by Pegasus on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:37 am
victoria:
Running FA commentary as a way of detracting from the incumbent FM’s performance.
Time will tell.
by confessions on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:38 am
Joe, for you:
by The Finnigans on Mar 8, 2012 at 10:38 am