March 22, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The governing Australian Labor Party (ALP) remains the most popular political organization in the country, according to a poll by Roy Morgan International. 55.5 per cent of respondents would vote for the ALP in the next election to the House of Representatives, down one point since late February.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The governing Australian Labor Party (ALP) remains the most popular political organization in the country, according to a poll by Roy Morgan International. 55.5 per cent of respondents would vote for the ALP in the next election to the House of Representatives, down one point since late February.

The opposition Coalition of Liberals and Nationals is second with 30.5 per cent, followed by the Australian Greens with nine per cent, and Family First with 1.5 per cent. Australia’s preferential voting system—where electors indicate an order of predilection for each contender, and the ballots from smaller parties are re-distributed—gives the ALP a 31-point lead over the Coalition.

Australia held a federal election in November 2007. Final results gave the ALP 85 seats in the 150-member House of Representatives. ALP leader Kevin Rudd was officially sworn in as prime minister in December, bringing an end to the 11-year tenure of Liberal leader John Howard as head of Australia’s government.

Howard failed to retain his seat in the Bennelong constituency and stepped down as Liberal leader. Brendan Nelson—a former defence minister—defeated former environment minister Malcolm Turnbull in an internal leadership ballot by just three votes.

On Mar. 20, Rudd said a national budget to be delivered in May will seek a balance between private and public demand in order to stem rising inflation. The Australian prime minister also promised to run a tight spending program, saying, "Not least because the government which preceded us allowed government spending to simply balloon out of control."

Polling Data

If a federal election for the House of Representatives were being held today, which party would receive your first preference?

	Mar. 9	Feb. 24	Feb. 10
Australian Labor Party	55.5%	56.5%	54%
Coalition (Liberal / National)	30.5%	31.5%	33%
Australian Greens	9%	6.5%	7.5%
Family First	1.5%	1.5%	1.5%
Others	3.5%	4%	4%

Two-Party Preferred Vote

	Mar. 9	Feb. 24	Feb. 10
Australian Labor Party	65.5%	64.5%	63%
Coalition (Liberal / National)	34.5%	35.5%	37%

Source: Roy Morgan International
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 2,019 Australian voters, conducted on Mar. 1, Mar. 2, Mar. 8 and Mar. 9, 2008. No margin of error was provided.