Labor has edged up to its first 2PP lead of the year in today’s Essential Report poll, despite its primary vote declining one point. The Liberals also lost one point on their primary vote and the Greens picked up one, yielding a two-week rolling average of 51-49 to Labor. This fractional lead is courtesy of a drop in the Coalition primary vote over the past fortnight from a high of 46%. It is now back at 43%, well below its level so far in 2011. The Liberals spent last week fighting among themselves over asylum seekers and attacks on Muslims, with leaks against Scott Morrison; Tony Abbott had a shocker of a week before that with more leaks and the “shit happens” story.
Julia Gillard’s health agreement with the states also received strong endorsement from voters right across party lines, 81% of Labor voters, 62% of Liberal voters and 74% of Greens voters backing the deal. Liberal voters were much more likely to believe the deal would make no difference, however. In total, 49% of voters think the deal will improve healthcare, compared to 28% who think it will make no difference and 6% who think it will worsen healthcare outcomes. A majority of voters across the three parties thought the Liberals should back the deal — 51% to 11% who think they should oppose it. That includes 36% of Liberal voters who don’t want their party to oppose, compared to 20% who do and 16% who think they should remain neutral.
Voters were also asked to compare Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd as leaders. 28% think Julia Gillard has been a better leader than Rudd; 33% think she’s been worse, including 18% who feel she’s been “a lot worse” and 33% think there’s no difference. The PM does well with Labor voters — 47-18% — but worse with Greens voters — 30-35% — and, predictably, poorly with Liberal voters, 13-48%.
Essential also asked about support for higher taxes on mining companies, finding strong support — 56-27%. Unsurprisingly, Labor and Greens voters were strongly in favour and Liberal voters opposed — although 36% of Liberal voters supported higher mining taxes, compared to 49% against.
Gillard vs Rudd, nothing in it.
Gillard vs Abbott, thank %diety% that she’s PM and not him.
Interesting there is no Newspoll this morning. Usually if it is good news for Abbott, it is out after midnight Sunday. Of course I am not suggesting the Newspoll release is dictated by the ups or downs in the fortunes of the Leader of the Oppo, merely um well saying it is sort of late.
@david “…Newspoll..is usually good for Abbott..”
So was the last Nielsen poll, which Fairfax publishes, also good for Abbott, with the Opposition leader’s party firmly ahead.
I think it extraordinary that having knocked off a first term PM, Abbott is more than competitive with Rudd’s successor, and, remarkably, so is Rudd!
Gillard will come under enormous pressure, as she ‘bleeds’, not just to the Right, but to the Left as well.
Gillard conned the Australian peolple last time, with her talk about a processing centre in East Timor, a great NEW deal with the States on health, a deal she has just junked, no new carbon tax, a commitment she junked about 5 minutes after the independents gave her the nod, and a happy arrangement with the miners.
Also interesting to watch fate of the Independents in the upcoming NSW election.
Besseling’s seat covers a large swathe of Oakeshott’s Federal seat, and one senses Oakeshott is getting very nervous, because he, like Gillard, has dudded the conservative voters who elected him, and they’re coming for him!
JJ..to save all that typing, you could have simply said…”I Love you Tone”. We would understand!!! xoxo
@JOHN JAMES – If you’re going to support “Tone” do you think you could perhaps, if you don’t mind, try and find something intelligent to say? Truly! As an alleged grown up, your ‘comments’ are pathetic! As a woman, I have not one supportive thought for Abbott. As he’s an ultra right wing patronising, pathetic sexist moron, I still can’t find one supportive thought for Abbott. As someone who was raised in the catholic right wing misogynist bs, I have lots of thoughts re Abbott – all of them bad!
Seeing Abbott supposedly did so well at the last federal election, don’t you think the support for him as an alternative PM would be better? The reality says the opposite! Don’t confuse the adverse response to the ALP as an endorsement for Abbott! It’s not! He’s doing badly as the peoples’ idea of an alternate PM! Most women can’t stand him as he’s a sleaze! I think I’ve seen you on TV also, and you come across as a giant sleaze as well – in word and in person! I have had a ‘sleaze barometer’ for many years now – my ‘gut’ reactions have been spot on up to this point! You’re a pathetic whining misogynist! No wonder “Tone” is your man!