Labor is divided, out of touch with ordinary people, and doesn’t have good leaders. And even some Labor sympathisers are saying it.
The latest polling from Essential Research maps out a party very clearly and comprehensively on the nose. Respondents were asked to give a positive or negative response to the two major parties on a range of factors. Labor is lost in a sea of red ink, while the Coalition is holding steady and is therefore well ahead.
Unsurprisingly, after a disastrous spell in which a faux challenge launched against Julia Gillard’s leadership failed, sending key ALP talent packing to the backbench, 82% of those polled think Labor is divided (73% said that a year ago; three years ago 36% gave that response).
There’s been a jump in those who think Labor is out of touch with ordinary people, to 63% (a year ago it was 58%). Some 38% of those polled thought Labor was “extreme” (up seven points in a year), and just 39% thought the ALP “understands the problems facing Australia” (a seven-point drop). Less than a quarter of respondents thought Labor “has a good team of leaders”.
Meanwhile, the Coalition is holding steady in the public regard — and on some indicators, people are slowly warming to Tony Abbott’s team. The Coalition was rated as having good leadership material by 41% of those polled, a small rise on a year ago. Just 32% thought the Abbott team was divided, a drop of five points on a year ago, and a much better number than two or three years ago. And more people think the Coalition has a vision for the future (52%).
People are not overjoyed at the thought of an Abbott government, however. Some 67% think the Coalition would “promise to do anything to win votes”, a number that has been pretty constant over time. And 59% think the Coalition is too close to the big end of town.
When the two major parties went head to head on the 12 factors rated by Essential, the Coalition won on 10 of them. Labor leads the Coalition on “looks after the interests of working people” (and even there it was only by 42 to 40%), and in not being so close to the big end of town.
On voting intention, Essential indicates Labor has had a horror fortnight. The party’s primary vote has slipped from 35% to 31%, with the lost votes cleaving between the Coalition and the Greens to give a two-party preferred wipeout result of 56% to 44% in the Coalition’s favour. That compares with the slightly less disastrous result of 54% to 46% a fortnight ago.
As bad as Labor’s voting intention numbers are, however, they are very close to what they were four weeks ago. Rock bottom, perhaps?
What Labor supporters Cathy? Well what Labor supporters which matter anyway! When it comes to “the two parties not much preferred” next September or earlier, anyone still taking a how to vote form outside a polling booth at the next federal election whenever. Then voting the Labor party line may have an IQ which is lower than their shoe size! Their actions at the polling booth. Would be like a contestant in a survival show. Shouting, put the leach on me, put the blood sucking leaches on me ! Edward James
“Yeah, give us buboes anytime!”?
Voters are warming to Tony Abbott because of his effective soft focus “family man beloved of his women” campaign.
The space for such an extreme sort of publicity campaign was of course laid by Julia Gillard in October last year through her misogyny speech. At the time, Crikey commentators were gushing about politics “being changed forever”. Maybe they’re right as Abbott would never get away with what he’s doing now without it.
Or maybe it’s another McTernan driven mis-step coming home to roost. That’s my theory anyway.
Oh another almost daily pollshit by essential research! we’ll start ruuning around in diminishing circles over the latest – you betcha!
Here’s a question for yet another poll: do you think polls are an irrelevance or a vital part of your daily life?
Polls are of interest only to politicians, their numerous retainers and the media. Otherwise I couldn’t name anyone who gives a rats.