It's a well-worn theory that Australia's major political parties are mirror images. But our polling shows there is actually plenty of brand confusion among voters, and there are lessons for the Labor Party in particular, writes Peter Lewis.

"Coke v Pepsi". It's the well-worn refrain about the converging of the modern political parties - the professionalisation of the political classes that has rendered the combatants as mirror images.

Consider this: Turnbull and Abbott were reportedly courted by Labor before they "chose" the other team.

Consider this: since the Keating era, the dominant economic agenda within Labor has been around deregulation and trade liberalisation - albeit at a slower pace than advocated by the conservatives.

Consider this: in the US and UK maverick candidates to the left and right of the major establishment parties are wreaking havoc by breaking the centrist consensus and playing straight to the respective bases.

The outside assault, which we have seen in Australia to a lesser extent with the Palmer United Party, creates a second panic - that the political establishment has become such a closed shop that only a crazy can knock the door down.

The problem is that, just like its underlying premise, much of this political debate takes place amongst the insiders.

So, what does the public think about the major political parties? Too left? Too right? Or do these labels even mean anything?

Q. Do you think the following parties are too right wing/conservative, too left wing/progressive or about right?

Too right wing/ conservative Too left wing/ progressive About right Don't know The Labor Party 16% 20% 28% 36% The Liberal Party 34% 7% 26% 33% The Nationals 29% 7% 21% 43% The Greens 9% 30% 20% 41% Palmer United Party 17% 12% 10% 61%

A few points stick out from this top-line analysis, but it does take a bit of unpacking.

First, witness the large number, more than one third of voters, who don't know about the major political brands' political orientation.

Second, note that fewer than a third of the voters believe the parties orientation is where it should be.

Third, while the Coalition parties are seen by a significant proportion of the electorate as too conservative, views about the ALP are evenly split between those who see it as too right and those who think it is too left.

These findings are reinforced when voters are asked about their perceptions of the change in parties over the past few years.

Q. Do you think over the last few years, these parties have become more right wing/conservative, more left wing/progressive or stayed about the same?

More right wing/ conservative More left wing/ progressive About the same Don't know The Labor Party 19% 16% 31% 34% The Liberal Party 27% 8% 33% 32% The Nationals 20% 6% 35% 39% The Greens 6% 20% 35% 38% Palmer United Party 9% 9% 24% 57%

There is a perception that the Coalition parties are moving to the right, the Greens are drifting to the left, but there is a confusion in Labor's brand and where it is going.

An alternative way of understanding Australia's political brands is to ask people which groups in society they are seen to represent.

Q. Which political party do you think best represents the interests of –

Labor Liberal Greens Don't know Net (Labor- Liberal Big business 9% 61% 3% 27% -52 Working people on high incomes 11% 59% 3% 26% -48 Small businesses and self-employed 25% 40% 4% 31% -15 Rural and regional Australians 19% 27% 13% 41% -8 The next generation of Australians 22% 27% 12% 39% -5 Indigenous people 22% 21% 16% 41% +1 Ethnic communities 21% 19% 17% 43% +2 Families with young children 37% 24% 6% 33% +13 Pensioners 37% 22% 8% 33% +15 Students 36% 20% 11% 33% +16 Working people on average incomes 42% 26% 5% 27% +16 Working people on low incomes 44% 21% 6% 28% +23 People on welfare 41% 18% 10% 31% +23

These findings show the Liberals entrenched as the party for the wealthy and big business, but losing its hold on its traditional small business base.

Labor is seen as the party of the poor and lower and middle incomes, yet their footprint does not represent a majority.

While the Greens have split Labor's hold on some of its traditional sectional bases, critically, no party is seen as representing the next generation.

What does it all mean?

Judging by these findings the Coke v Pepsi analogy doesn't actually hold up. Rather, this is a story about market position and perception.

On the one hand the Coalition is seen as occupying a defined ideological ground and representing a defined set of interests. You may not always like them, but you know where they stand.

In contrast, Labor is seen by many as a party without a clearly defined home, crowded by the Greens to the left and susceptible to being dragged to the right on populist issues.

Labor's ability to resolve these tensions remains fundamental to its long-term viability and the dynamism of the two-party model of government in Australia.

Peter Lewis is a director of Essential Media Communications.