Real man v metro man

In October, when Turnbull was Liberal leader, Rudd was seen as having a better team and being more concerned with people.

This was contrasted with the Liberals who were disunited and an extension of business, although business was also a plus for the Liberals as it underscored their economic credentials.

There was also an issue of honesty with neither having the advantage. Rudd has problems with spin and substance, while Turnbull was viewed as being too business oriented.

With Abbott economics and business have almost disappeared from responses for who is preferred PM. Climate change is at the centre of debate, and for the first time in my lifetime religion has become an issue.

In Rudd and Abbott we have the two most overtly religious party leaders Australia has seen, but it colours public perceptions of them in different ways.

While only one-third of respondents are uncomfortable with Rudd holding religious views, almost half are uncomfortable with Abbott holding them.

Why the difference? One clue is given by the fact that honesty was an issue between Turnbull and Rudd, but the honours were finely balanced.

In this new contest honesty is very strongly associated with Abbott. Rudd seems more the populist and Abbott seems authentic. So it appears that voters see Rudd as formally, but not fundamentally, committed to religion, and essentially a secularist. But they think Abbott is a man of religious conviction who will act on his beliefs.

They are also making a judgment on what beliefs both men hold. "Extreme" is a word that is applied to Abbott's Catholicism, which is associated with "abortion" and "stem cell".

So it is also partly a women's rights agenda, and when one looks at Abbott's approval from women one finds that it is much worse than his approval from men, particularly with women under 45.

Two other concepts define Abbott. One is "country", which gathers together all the threads of nationalism. Some of his critics even label Abbott a Hansonite. That label won't trouble the values voters who are likely to find the volunteer lifeguard and firefighter an icon of Aussie virtues.

The other concept is "people", which references concern for others. Normally it is associated with the ALP, which is seen as the party of empathy, but it seems Abbott is seen as more caring than Rudd.