Nearly two-thirds of voters want Bronwyn Bishop to leave politics altogether now that she has resigned as speaker of the House of Representatives, and more than half of voters oppose reducing Sunday penalty rates, this week’s Essential Report shows.
Neither Tony Abbott nor Bill Shorten have significantly shifted their standing with voters since July, the poll shows. Abbott’s approval/disapproval numbers — 38% and 53% respectively — are virtually unchanged since July (37%/53%); Shorten’s approval rating is 29%, just above his nadir in July of 27%, but his disapproval rating remains 52%. Abbott’s lead as preferred prime minister is down a little — he leads Shorten 36%-32%, compared to 37%-30% in July.
The Coalition has picked up a point on its primary vote (40%) but so has Labor (39%), while the Greens are down a point to 11%, for an unchanged two-party preferred result of 53%-47% in favour of Labor.
The strength of feeling against Bronwyn Bishop over her travel entitlements abuse is remarkable: 66% of voters think Bronwyn Bishop should leave Parliament and just 18% think she should stay. That includes 52% of Liberal voters who want her gone from politics (35% of Liberal voters want her to stay).
In the wake of the Productivity Commission’s industrial relations report, which recommended that penalty rates be retained but Sunday double-time penalty rates be reduced to Saturday time-and-a-half levels in “non-essential” industries, 54% of voters oppose the idea, while 32% back it. Liberal voters split 51%-40% in favour, while Labor voters split 65%-24% against. Full-time workers are much more even — 47%/40% opposed — compared to part-time workers, 62%-27% opposed.
And just 29% of voters think the booing of Aboriginal AFL player Adam Goodes was racist, while 45% think it wasn’t.
Voters’ responses reflect a spectrum of voting intention, with Greens voters most likely to say it was racist, Labor voters somewhat less, few Liberal voters being willing to label it racist and even fewer “other” voters. However, 54% of voters believe racism against indigenous Australians is a “large” or “moderate” problem in Australia, up from 51% in June. Perhaps because of the same-sex marriage debate, perceptions of homophobia have also increased since June, from 42% (who saw it as a large or moderate problem) then to 47%.
I saw the assistant treasurer who spends our money taking his kids on holiday at our expense on Q and A last night. He was talking about penalty rates and how in places like Cairns a reduction in penalty rates would result in more jobs for our young people. He obviously doesnt get to Cairns as often as Ruddock or Hockey but what he asserts is bollocks. cairns hospitality industry employees are overwhelmingly foreigners. Young backpackers and flashpackers on 417 visas or 457 visas.
Cracking down on visa rorts is the best way to ensure that our young people get a job in Cairns.
Remember that people chasing a second years visa often work here for three months for free as if we have no labour laws.
29% of my brain thinks Australia is racist. The rest tells you to go home if you don’t love racism.
Wrong Ken. Best thing for Cairns or any regional centre outside of Toorak is to fly pollies kids in to flip lobster burgers. They’re learning about surfing the turf from their dads already!
If liberal voters want to see the back of Bronnie, how do they feel. About Christopher Pyne taking his kiddies on summer holidays at the tax payers expense?
ken svay@1: agreed. I saw Q&A, they allowed a light weight back on Q&A to carry the LNP flag, but still saw some grimacing when the wrong questions were asked.
As he made comments about Cairns maybe we will see him have a Cairns penalty rate study tour in the next parliamentary break to check (with family in business class of course).