The G20 was a waste of time, Tony Abbott performed poorly, and the electorate’s trust in the government on international relations has deteriorated, today’s Essential Report shows, while voters believe we’re on the wrong path on climate change.
In the wake of the G20 in Brisbane, 55% of voters believe it was an expensive talkfest unlikely to change anything, compared to 26% who believe it delivered real outcomes. That’s an improvement on the electorate’s view prior to the event, when 62% of voters believed it would be an expensive talkfest and 16% thought it would achieve real outcomes. Labor, Greens and Other voters all strongly believe it was a waste of time (a view almost certainly that would have been reversed for Labor voters if a Labor Prime Minister had hosted it), while Coalition voters split almost evenly, 43%-40% saying it was a talkfest. Indeed, it is Coalition voters who have shifted their views most of the major-party voters, having split 54%-23% ahead of the event.
Voters tended to split along partisan lines on Tony Abbott’s performance at the G20, with 37% overall saying he’s performed poorly, including 24% who said very poor, while 31% thought he’d performed well. Fifty-nine per cent of Labor voters and 75% of Greens voters said he performed poorly, while 67% of Coalition voters said he performed well. But overall trust in the government’s handling of international relations has dropped in the aftermath of the G20 and APEC, with 57% of voters saying they have little or no trust (the latter, 37%) while 38% say they have some or a lot of trust (the latter, 15%). Again, voting intention more or less determines voters’ response, but even 19% of Liberal voters have little or no trust in the government’s capacity to handle international relations.
After the government’s humbling on climate change by US President Barack Obama, 42% of voters believe Australia is taking the wrong approach to handling the issue of climate change compared to 28% who believe it’s the right approach: 14% of Coalition voters believe it’s the wrong approach and 13% of Labor voters believe it’s the right approach; even 36% of Other and PUP voters — normally socially conservative and not strong climate action supporters — believe our approach is wrong, compared to 25% who believe it is the right one. And approval of the government’s free trade agreement with China has increased in the wake of coverage of its conclusion, with 51% of voters backing it compared to 44% last week, while opposition has edged up from 18% to 20%.
On voting intention, the Coalition remains on 40%, Labor is up a point to 39%, the Greens remain on 10% and the Palmer Not So United Party on 3%; the two-party preferred outcome remains the same at 52%-48%.
Bernard, perhaps you should help my mob understand that they need to state clearly we will reverse [to the extent it’s possible] what was agreed as soon as we regain Government?
According to the poll, 15% of people still have “a lot of trust” in Tony Abbott!? You know, if the polling company was unscrupulous, they could make an awful lot of money, offering these folks Nigerian investment schemes, Russian brides and cut price bridges,
31% thought Abbott performed well at the G20!?! Sir Les Patterson could have done a better job. Abbott came across as a clueless, provincial hick, whining about the difficulty he was having imposing a $7 doctor’s co-payment he hadn’t bothered taking to the electorate among other matters of earth-shattering importance. All those powerful world leaders must have thought him some politician! Cringe-worthy.
Also, his own comments on AGW since suggest even he now knows how utterly he misread the changing mood of the most powerful players towards finally beginning the move away from a carbon-based economy. This is “the converted one” speaking after his recent meeting with French President Hollande:
“It’s very important that we get strong and effective outcomes from the conference in Paris next year.
“It is a subject that the world needs to tackle as a whole.
“We all are doing what we can … and we need a strong and effective agreement from Paris next year.”
“I think it’s very important that we don’t have another disaster like Copenhagen and it’s vital that the Paris Conference be a success, unlike Copenhagen.”
Tony Abbott – Climate Warrior!
Wonder how the 31% feel about that?
Honestly, you couldn’t make this stuff up.
This is frightening…28% believe the Govt has the right approach to climate change.
Can you ask some of them to write here where they see that occuring, such as
The Direct Action policy paying polluters to pollute?
Cutting back on Renewable energy funding,
Selling 50+ years worth of coal to India (what the heck, in for a penny in for a pound in C02 emmisions; if you are going to stuff the climate lets get in there with boots on);
Having Bishop bagging out the US President for stating what is supported by the Governments own reports?
I think a section of the populace is either in denial or “I am all right jack” mode on this.
Tyger, are you sure that was Captain Australia speaking? I mean, that was four whole sentences on climate change, without mentioning the glories of coal?
And yes, MJPC, it does tend to suggest that a certain amount of the population will doggedly ignore the evidence that’s put in front of them. Or choose to assimilate propaganda that’s claimed to be evidence, like Andrew Bolt columns and the pronouncements of pretty well any commercial talkback radio demogogue.