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-
It’s one of the reasons I stopped watching. The audience questions were so vacuous, and I couldn’t stand the clapping after responses, and the stupid tweets across the screen.
by confessions on Mar 5, 2012 at 10:54 pm
funny how tories cheer for Amanda V when she says stuff that any self respecting leftie would think was perfectly sensible.
on another point…
Wayne at the NPC today was calm, relaxed, even nonchalant, impressively across detail – as you would expect – assured and suave. Tonight on Lateline he’s jittery, nervous, breathless and agitated…..
What goes wrong with Wayne?
by rosemour on Mar 5, 2012 at 10:54 pm
CTar1
LOL
Leveson now being forensic!
by Allan Moyes on Mar 5, 2012 at 10:55 pm
Oh dear. So many people on twitter getting all excited about Stott Despoja and Van Stone.
Reminders:
Cornelia Rau & Vivien Solo (sorry, is that the name?) on Vanstone’s watch. She was Immigration Minister, remember!
Vanstone always good at convincing people she was a compassionate moderate, but very little she actually did supported that conclusion.
Stott Despoja – remember, her parliamentary colleagues couldn’t stand her. All those people using her appearance tonight to spruik the return of the Democrats forget that.
by zoomster on Mar 5, 2012 at 10:55 pm
“He can give an opinion but he has a lot of money to back that up”
Huh?
What about the unions running multi million dollar political campaigns? Are they wrong?
by Mod Lib on Mar 5, 2012 at 10:57 pm
Allan – Ballpoint washes off very easily!
by CTar1 on Mar 5, 2012 at 10:58 pm
TheFinnigans天地有道人无道 @Thefinnigans Reply Delete Favorite · Open
The confusion over PPL between Abbott, Robb, Hockey & Mesma shows some whiteanting of Abbott #Leadershits is beginning @TurnbullMalcolm ?
by The Finnigans on Mar 5, 2012 at 10:58 pm
that was something Swan was saying by the way…
by Mod Lib on Mar 5, 2012 at 10:58 pm
zoom
viv solon
by gusface on Mar 5, 2012 at 10:58 pm
zoomster – ‘Solon’ or ‘Solan’.
by CTar1 on Mar 5, 2012 at 10:59 pm
Emma’s not holding back.
by This little black duck on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:01 pm
daretotread,
Just popped in before retiring for the night.
Thanks for your concern
Bullies, in the real world or in the cyber world, have never bothered me, nor do they intimidate me.
Threes years plus posting here and I have not been driven away
by Pegasus on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:02 pm
Ross more
Years ago I recall making disparaging mindless remarks about Vanstone and was puled up by a Labor person who pointed out she was a real Lib moderate and quite reasonable on a lot of issues.
BtW William
Could you declare a moratorium on Fat jokes. It actually pretty insensitive and cruel. It was bad when they did it to Beazley and it is bad when they do it to Hockey and Vanstone. it seems pretty awful against women in particular I think. It frankly cheapens the site. – AND YES I AM sensitive on this issue.
by daretotread on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:03 pm
Good on ya Pegasus, my thoughts exactly!
by Mod Lib on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:03 pm
Leveson – “as I said to Mr Clarke last week it was a ‘no brainer’ that it should have gone ahead” …
by CTar1 on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:03 pm
BK:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Touch_of_Class_%28Fawlty_Towers%29
by confessions on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:04 pm
Or better still, insults in general.
by Mod Lib on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:04 pm
LL reporting that Robb has issued a clarifying PPL statement – seems like a complete backdown.
by CO on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:04 pm
Mod Lib,
Your civility and decorum in your exchanges here stands u in good stead and is in sharp contrast to your detractors
by Pegasus on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:04 pm
yeah the obese michellin men and women of the fibs are giving fatties a bad name
a fatwa on fatties funsters
by gusface on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:06 pm
Yep – “insults in general” unless it involves wishy-washy Lone Ranger Talcum supporters?
by CTar1 on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:06 pm
Thanks Pegasus, an appropriate time to head off to bed, Swan seems to be assisting in sending me into slumberland too…
Good night.
by Mod Lib on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:07 pm
Dare, why dont we get Bilbo to lay down exactly:
1. What subjects we can post
2. What jokes we can tell
3. What grandma we can use
4. What flavour we can fart
by The Finnigans on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:07 pm
my favourite tweet of the evening
by sprocket_ on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:08 pm
game set match to the pb flying squad
by gusface on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:09 pm
Ha ha ha surprise surprise, the Greens & The Tories join forces.
Well, i never. Remember CPRS?
by The Finnigans on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:09 pm
emma tough but fair – wayne not entirely convincing, but good on him for putting it out there. The speed with which the Tories jumped to Palmers defence wasnt a good look, as others have pointed out. On balance, good to see Labor on the front foot
by Rossmore on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:10 pm
Why can’t I ever get some Liberal to nominate a creditable ministry. Is it too hard?
by CTar1 on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:12 pm
Swan v Hockey = actually saved us from the GFC vs “sorry I didnt save the rest of you any of the KFC but would you like fiscal incompetence with that”.
by Marrickville Mauler on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:13 pm
finns
fine cotton, my son, fine cotton
by gusface on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:15 pm
MM – Noice.
by CTar1 on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:15 pm
Ignoring your misrepresentation, the number of times Labor and the Coalition join forces to vote together in parliament to defeat progressive motions and bills put forward by the Greens and Independents obviously does not bother you.
The number of times Labor and the Coalition join forces to vote together to push through abhorrent legislation such as the Cluster munitions bill obviously doesn’t bother you.
Speaks volumes
by Pegasus on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:17 pm
Agreed. Gina and Clive seem to represent the gross excesses of the super rich. You don’t align with them in order to argue about the middle class, as Abbott tried unsuccessfully to do today.
by confessions on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:18 pm
It is true that at this point in the polls Labor is clearly the underdog.
But as with any sporting scenario this CAN be turned to your advantage. In the form of hubris.
An interesting ALP supporter’s line might be…
“Yes, Labor IS toast by the looks. Tony Abbott WILL be the next Prime Minister of Australia. Yes, he WILL be able to implement ALL of his policies.”
Sometimes a reality shot helps to focus the mind. You should also expect that in a one sided race, many MSM may want to appear edgy/contrasted to the “common” memes.
I think a sense of inevitability for the libs will actually work in Labor’s favour.
… well to a point anyway. Assuming the recent ass-hatted pork choppery is well and truly behind them. (FOCUS)
by Sir Oftswing on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:18 pm
That was a line in Qanda, that there is no difference between the union movement advocating on behalf of millions if workers by collecting money for advertising campaigns and being engaged in promoting policies in the ALP, and a billionaire buying into our concentrated media to subvert the well-being of the country for the their own personal benefit.
Pure tea-baggery.
by Puff, the Magic Dragon. on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:18 pm
gee Horsey, i thought you have gone to bed. See, you miss me.
Come-on, say solly.
by The Finnigans on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:20 pm
I knew a cluster ‘something’ had happened – now all is explained.
by CTar1 on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:20 pm
Sir O
basically
labor has withstood the slings and arrows
now its time to deliver in kind
by gusface on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:23 pm
yo, don’t ever stop posting pegasus
by p m z on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:23 pm
Puff, it was more than a line from Qanda — its the line Hockey has ran all day …. and its a line that will work in Labors favour. Here in Victoria nurses are encamped outside all public hospitals protesting and on my reading getting a lot of support and admiration from the community. They vote too and will be perplexed by the demonisation of the unions.
by Rossmore on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:24 pm
Sir Paul keen to leave.
by CTar1 on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:25 pm
Yo back at you, p m z
Good intentions come unstuck and I have stayed longer that I was going to
by Pegasus on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:26 pm
i’ll bet Mr Lunchalot is quick to find a whisky bottle to settle the nerves.
by Gaffhook on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:26 pm
To fight the Evil Empire & The Tories, we need structures and we have now instituted:
1. The BISONs
2. The PB Flying Squad
3. We need a name for George’s excellent photshooppen pixz.
Plus others, if any
by The Finnigans on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:26 pm
Finns
by gusface on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:28 pm
I am completely surprised anyone on PB, even Liberal, could defend Palmer, Rhinehart, Forrest et al. They are the epitome of the ugly rich, the ones who couldn’t follow a camel through the eye of a needle.
by Puff, the Magic Dragon. on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:29 pm
Puuuffyyyyyyyyyyy, some people just love the smell of moneys
by The Finnigans on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:30 pm
I endorse this
after a week, peg will be plum tuckered out
should give us about a 3 mth breather
by gusface on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:31 pm
Puff – ‘Price’ v ‘Value’. Trash in ermine.
by CTar1 on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:33 pm
finns
compadre
its just the smell
by gusface on Mar 5, 2012 at 11:34 pm