The Coalition’s vote has surged in today’s Essential Report poll, carrying it to its highest ever 2PP lead over Labor, of 53-47. Its primary vote has hit a new high of 47%, with Labor dropping a point to 36% and the Greens on 10%.
There is also strong opposition to the government’s carbon pricing announcement, with 48% of voters opposed compared to 35% in support. Twenty-five percent of Labor voters oppose the oppose the scheme, but opposition is most trenchant in the ranks of Liberal voters, who oppose it 72-18%. The issue of the Prime Minister’s pre-election “no carbon tax” promise also elicited a strong response. Fifty-nine percent of voters agreed with the statement “the Prime Minister has broken an election promise and should wait until after the next election before introducing a carbon pollution tax”, and only 27% agreed she was showing strong leadership. Thirty-three percent of Labor voters believe she has broken her promise and even 26% of Greens voters.
Despite the opposition to the government’s announcement, there remains strong support for immediate action on climate change, with 47% of voters wanting action “as soon as possible”, 19% opposing any action and 24% favouring action “in a few years”. Even Liberal voters were evenly split, 33-33%, between taking action ASAP or waiting.
On the specifics of a carbon pricing scheme, there is also strong opposition to compensation for polluting industries. Asked who should receive compensation, 84% agree that low-income households should get it, 74% farmers, 70% all households and small business. But for trade-exposed industries, 44% believe they should not receive compensation, compared to 28% in favour. For manufacturing industries, 51% are opposed to compensation and 26% in favour, and the aluminium industry attracts 56-18% opposition. The sector that voters least want to see compensated are power companies, with only 15% supporting compensation and 68% opposed.
There’s no particular contradiction between strong support for climate change action and opposition to the government’s announcement. Voters have long indicated they want to see action on climate change — one of the reasons why Kevin Rudd’s support vanished so quickly when he walked away from his CPRS. What voters are reacting to is Labor’s extraordinary cynicism in reversing itself not once but twice on this key issue. But Labor now has no alternative but to wear that reaction and try to convince voters it is determined to achieve good policy even at the expense of support. It is stuck with a carbon price now for good.
The problem is, Labor is now so tarnished that it will be hard to recover anything much. Not even the NSW Labor trick of dumping leaders is going to address this. The Labor brand is taking a battering and the damage is all self-inflicted.
So what do “they” want?
Something done but not having to pay for it – as Mark Shields said someone else said, something about “We’re not prepared to pay for the government we want”?
Less than 50% oppose it before the compensation is explained. Hardly slash your wrists time.
Labor have no idea how to talk to the public.
When I first heard the criticisms of Gillard “breaking her promise not to introduce a carbon tax” why on earth did not Labor say: “That promise was made on the assumption that Labor would be elected to office with actual full control of govt. It was a promise made regarding a possible future labor govt. BUT the voters did not vote for a Labor govt. They did not vote for a coalition govt either. NO. They voted in a MINORITY govt with a combination of groups forming an alliance to work together. So any promises we made on the basis of being elected as a Labor Govt can not be expected to automatically be carried into the future. NOW we have to negotiate with ex-Nationals (who want to fight climate change) and Greens (who want to fight climate change) and a Tassie independent (who wants to as well).”
I just don’t get how they can be so bad at communicating to the public. I think they are terrified at admitting that they dont run the country ALONE. Will they look weak perhaps?
Whenever I have explained the above to people who call Gillard a hypocrite, they say “that makes sense, … why don’t Labor tell us that?”
Idiots pulling the labor media release strings…. that is all I can put it down to.
Labor have lost the media war. Ever since the mining tax proposal. They just cant seem to talk to the community any more. They are terrified. And yet that inactivity and gutlessness is seriously backfiring on them. Idiots.
Ya gotta wonder, the way they carry on, from results (or lack of) is “Labor” an “equal operatunity” employer or a “shattered workshop” – the sort of slip-shod, slap-dash product they turn out, for what should be a “specialised market”!
Seems everyone’s watching their own backs, too scared to take a big step, for fear of tripping and being run over, by their “mates” – being seen to fail – and losing their place in that “pecker order” that seems to run their show.
The only thing they have going for that “unnatural order” of their’s is “Abbott’s rabbits”, keeping them from being eaten alive, if “results” were an actual criteria of success there.
No more polls. No more polls. I have had a gutful of polls whining and nagging and whinging.
The reason we have over 1,000 kids in illegal detention is because of whining, ignorant frigging questions in polls and whining shock jocks responding to whinging, ignorant frigging questions in polls.
This particular poll is nothing – it is online and people hijack it to peddle their own tripe so why is it even reported.
Over it.
After the worst election in living memory led by trashy, worthless polls with trashy worthless question will you pollsters JUST FUCK OFF