Essential poll The Guardian Essential Report Most Australians say cost of living rising – Guardian Essential poll Poll shows voters fretting about electricity prices, with the majority earning below the average weekly wage believing their income is going backwards Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and treasurer Scott Morrison. Photograph: Mike Bowers for the GuardianVoters think cost of living pressures, particularly energy prices, have increased over the past 12 months, and a majority of Australians earning below the average weekly wage believe their income is going backwards, according to the latest Guardian Essential poll. It shows that a commanding majority think cost of living (73%) and electricity prices (75%) have deteriorated over the past 12 months. The final Guardian Essential poll for 2017 found a majority (54%) of respondents felt 2017 had been a particularly bad year for Australian politics. The first Guardian Essential poll of 2018, published last week, indicates Shorten’s approval went backwards over the summer, slipping from 36% to 32%, and the Labor leader’s disapproval increased from 45% to 49%.

Source: The Guardian January 29, 2018 16:52 UTC