Paying tax
Q. Do you think the following pay too much tax, not enough tax or about the right amount?
|
Total |
Labor voters |
Lib/Nat voters |
||||||||||
|
Pay too much |
Don’t pay eno |
Pay about right |
Don’t know |
Pay too much |
Don’t pay eno |
Pay about right |
Don’t know |
Pay too much |
Don’t pay eno |
Pay about right |
Don’t know |
|
| Large bus. |
7% |
63% |
17% |
13% |
4% |
75% |
12% |
9% |
9% |
52% |
25% |
14% |
| Small bus. |
43% |
7% |
37% |
14% |
37% |
8% |
43% |
11% |
49% |
5% |
34% |
11% |
| People on low incomes |
41% |
8% |
41% |
10% |
49% |
3% |
41% |
7% |
33% |
11% |
46% |
10% |
| People on average incomes |
37% |
7% |
49% |
8% |
32% |
8% |
54% |
6% |
38% |
6% |
50% |
6% |
| People on high incomes |
12% |
60% |
19% |
8% |
5% |
77% |
13% |
6% |
18% |
47% |
27% |
7% |
| Mining co. |
7% |
62% |
16% |
15% |
4% |
78% |
8% |
11% |
11% |
49% |
24% |
16% |
A majority think that large businesses (63%), mining companies (62%) and people on high incomes do not pay enough tax.
They are more likely to think that small businesses pay too much tax (43%) and that people on average incomes pay about the right amount (49%).
They were split over whether people on low incomes pay too much or about the right amount.
At least three quarters of Labor voters think mining companies, people on upper incomes and big businesses do not pay enough tax.
Government’s management of economy
Q. How would you rate the government’s management of the Australian economy compared to how governments in other countries around the world have managed their economies?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Total good |
39% |
71% |
14% |
62% |
| Total poor |
32% |
4% |
58% |
10% |
| Very good |
11% |
26% |
1% |
18% |
| Good |
28% |
45% |
13% |
44% |
| Neither good nor poor |
24% |
21% |
24% |
22% |
| Poor |
17% |
4% |
31% |
6% |
| Very poor |
15% |
* |
27% |
4% |
| Don’t know |
5% |
3% |
3% |
6% |
39% think that government’s management of the Australian economy compared to how governments in other countries around the world have managed their economies has been good/very good and 32% think it has been poor/very poor.
Trust to handle economy
Q. Who would you trust most to handle Australia’s economy – The Treasurer Wayne Swan or the Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Wayne Swan |
32% |
70% |
9% |
48% |
| Joe Hockey |
35% |
4% |
67% |
17% |
| Don’t know |
32% |
26% |
25% |
36% |
32% trust Wayne Swan more to handle Australia’s economy and 35% trust Joe Hockey more. Men favour Joe Hockey 41%/34% while women are evenly split – 31% Wayne Swan and 30% Joe Hockey.
Those on incomes under $1,000pw favour Wayne Swan 34%/31% while those earning over $1,000pw favour Joe Hockey 37%/32%.
Same sex marriage
Q. Do you think people of the same sex should or should not be allowed to marry?
|
15 Nov 10 |
14 Mar 11 |
4 Jul 11 |
13 Aug 12 |
24 Sep 12 |
22 Apr 13 |
Total 6 May 13 |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Should be allowed to marry |
53% |
49% |
54% |
54% |
55% |
54% |
58% |
66% |
49% |
91% |
| Should not be allowed to marry |
36% |
40% |
35% |
33% |
36% |
33% |
32% |
24% |
43% |
3% |
| Don’t know |
11% |
10% |
11% |
13% |
9% |
13% |
10% |
10% |
9% |
6% |
There has been slightly increased support for same sex marriage since the question was polled last month (and since the suggestion of holding a referendum): with a 4% increase in those in favour of same sex marriage (58%) and a 1% decrease in those opposed (32%).
Those most in favour of same sex marriage were Greens voters (91%), Labor voters (66%) and women (63%). 49% of Liberal/National voters, 36% of men and 54% of people aged 65+ opposed.
Referendum on same sex marriage
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of holding a referendum on same sex marriage?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Should be allowed to marry |
Should not be allowed to marry |
|
| Total approve |
53% |
55% |
48% |
73% |
68% |
31% |
| Total disapprove |
36% |
32% |
41% |
14% |
22% |
62% |
| Strongly approve |
26% |
27% |
21% |
50% |
38% |
10% |
| Approve |
27% |
28% |
27% |
23% |
30% |
21% |
| Disapprove |
21% |
19% |
25% |
8% |
14% |
32% |
| Strongly disapprove |
15% |
13% |
16% |
6% |
8% |
30% |
| Don’t know |
12% |
13% |
10% |
13% |
10% |
7% |
53% of respondents approved a referendum on same sex marriage and 36% disapproved.
Of those who support same sex marriage, 68% approve a referendum and 22% disapprove – while 31% of those who are opposed to same sex marriage approve a referendum and 62% disapprove.
Federal politics – voting intention
Q. If a Federal Election was held today to which party will you probably give your first preference vote? If not sure, which party are you currently leaning toward?
Q. If don’t know -Well which party are you currently leaning to?
Sample size = 1,822 respondents
| First preference/leaning to |
Election 21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago 2/4/13 |
2 weeks ago 15/4/13 |
Last week 22/4/13 |
This week 29/4/13 |
| Liberal |
|
47% |
44% |
44% |
45% |
| National |
|
2% |
3% |
3% |
3% |
| Total Lib/Nat |
43.6% |
49% |
48% |
48% |
48% |
| Labor |
38.0% |
31% |
34% |
34% |
34% |
| Greens |
11.8% |
11% |
9% |
9% |
9% |
| Other/Independent |
6.6% |
9% |
9% |
9% |
9% |
| 2PP |
Election 21 Aug 10 |
4 weeks ago |
2 weeks ago |
Last week
|
This week |
| Total Lib/Nat |
49.9% |
56% |
55% |
55% |
55% |
| Labor |
50.1% |
44% |
45% |
45% |
45% |
NB. The data in the above tables comprise 2-week averages derived from the first preference/leaning to voting questions. Respondents who select ‘don’t know’ are not included in the results. The two-party preferred estimate is calculated by distributing the votes of the other parties according to their preferences at the 2010 election. These estimates have a confidence interval of approx. plus or minus 2-3%.
Interest in budget
Q. Thinking about the Federal Budget to be announced next month – how interested are you in reading and hearing about the Federal Budget?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Very interested |
34% |
39% |
39% |
27% |
| Somewhat interested |
32% |
35% |
32% |
37% |
| A little interested |
19% |
19% |
17% |
23% |
| Not at all interested |
10% |
7% |
10% |
13% |
| Can’t say |
4% |
1% |
2% |
1% |
66% said they were very or somewhat interested in the Federal Budget.
Those most interested were aged 55+ (50% very interested), Labor voters (39%) and Liberal/National voters (39%).
The economy – heading in the right/wrong direction
Q. Overall, from what you have read and heard, do you think the Australian economy is heading in the right direction or the wrong direction?
|
17 May 10 (Post 2010 budget) |
9 May 11 (Post 2011 budget) |
4 Jul 11 |
26 Mar 12 |
18 Jun 12 |
Total 29 Apr 13 |
Vote ALP |
Vote Lib |
Vote Greens |
|
| The right direction |
51% |
45% |
37% |
36% |
43% |
36% |
68% |
21% |
45% |
| The wrong direction |
25% |
29% |
43% |
41% |
32% |
39% |
13% |
62% |
15% |
| Don’t know |
24% |
25% |
20% |
22% |
25% |
25% |
19% |
17% |
40% |
36% of respondents think that Australia’s economy is heading in the right direction – 39% think it is heading in the wrong direction. Since this question was asked in June last year, “right direction” has declined 7% and “wrong direction” increased 7%.
68% (down 3%) of Labor voters, 21% (down 5%) of Liberal/National voters and 45% (down 18%) of Greens voters think the economy is heading in the right direction. There were no major differences across demographic groups.
Expectations of budget
Q. Overall do you expect the budget to be good or bad for you personally?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Total good |
12% |
20% |
10% |
16% |
| Total bad |
38% |
20% |
53% |
24% |
| Very good |
2% |
4% |
2% |
1% |
| Good |
10% |
16% |
8% |
15% |
| Neither good nor bad |
38% |
49% |
31% |
50% |
| Bad |
29% |
18% |
38% |
19% |
| Very bad |
9% |
2% |
15% |
5% |
| Don’t know |
11% |
11% |
6% |
10% |
12% expect the budget will be good for them personally and 38% think it will be bad. 38% think it will be neither good nor bad for them personally.
Those most likely to think it will be bad for them personally were aged 45+ (46%) and Liberal/National voters (53%).
Budget measures
Q. Would you support or oppose the following budget measures to increase revenue or decrease spending?
|
Total |
Support |
|||||
|
Support |
Oppose |
Don’t know |
Vote ALP |
Vote Lib |
Vote Greens |
|
| Increase taxes for big corporations |
64% |
17% |
19% |
77% |
54% |
86% |
| Reduce tax breaks for high income earners |
45% |
38% |
17% |
51% |
42% |
54% |
| Cut “middle class welfare” such as the Baby Bonus, first home buyers grant and Family Tax Benefit payments |
37% |
48% |
15% |
38% |
41% |
35% |
| Reduce defence spending |
35% |
48% |
17% |
37% |
29% |
57% |
| Postpone building the NBN |
34% |
45% |
20% |
18% |
52% |
13% |
| Postpone the increase in education spending recommended by the Gonski Report |
29% |
51% |
20% |
21% |
39% |
16% |
| Cut spending on unemployment and disability benefits |
25% |
60% |
15% |
23% |
32% |
13% |
| Postpone other infrastructure projects like new roads and highways |
14% |
71% |
15% |
17% |
15% |
7% |
In terms of possible budget measures to increase revenue or decrease spending, a majority supported increasing taxes for big corporations and were also more likely to support reducing tax breaks for high income earners.
A majority opposed postponing infrastructure, cutting spending on unemployment and disability benefits and postponing increasing the education spending recommended by the Gonski Report.
Measures most supported by Labor voters were increasing taxes for big corporations and reducing tax breaks for high income earners.
Measures most supported by Liberal/National voters were increasing taxes for big corporations and postponing the NBN.
Opinion of Qantas
Q. Compared to 12 months ago, how do you feel about Qantas – more positive, more negative or about the same?
|
27 Feb 12 |
Total 29 Apr 13 |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Fly regularly |
Fly once or twice a year |
Fly less often |
|
| Total more positive |
11% |
18% |
19% |
19% |
8% |
29% |
23% |
9% |
| Total more negative |
41% |
18% |
18% |
17% |
26% |
18% |
20% |
16% |
| A lot more positive |
4% |
5% |
4% |
7% |
3% |
10% |
7% |
2% |
| A little more positive |
7% |
13% |
15% |
12% |
5% |
19% |
16% |
7% |
| About the same |
43% |
55% |
57% |
57% |
58% |
51% |
55% |
59% |
| A little more negative |
23% |
11% |
11% |
10% |
23% |
10% |
11% |
12% |
| A lot more negative |
18% |
7% |
7% |
7% |
3% |
8% |
9% |
4% |
| No opinion |
5% |
9% |
6% |
7% |
7% |
2% |
3% |
16% |
18% say that, compared to 12 months ago, they feel more negative about Qantas, 18% feel more positive and 55% feel about the same. This is a substantial improvement for Qantas since this question was asked last February following major industrial disputes.
Regular flyers are somewhat more positive – 29% feel more positive and 18% more negative.
There were no substantial differences across demographics.
Essential Report
Two Party Preferred: 20 May 2013
In this week's report:
3Q: Latest episodes
-
Essential Report with EMC’s Peter Lewis and Jackie Woods
Comments19 Sep 2012Lewis and Woods talk through this week’s polling numbers: voting intention, leader attributes, drug laws in Australia, and more…
-
Are we ready for the grey revolution?
Comments12 Sep 2012Ken Morrison says our cities need to be transformed for our ageing population – and it’s not solely about nursing homes.
-
Ships, trains and submarines — can we build them here?
Comments11 Sep 2012Tim Ayres wishes Clive Palmer and other mining giants would give local manufacturers a go instead of heading overseas.
-
Do we undervalue our public sector innovations?
Comments11 Sep 2012Nadine Flood questions whether governments take our science and other publicly funded breakthroughs for granted.
Essential Tags
Recent Comments
- Workers Care About Kids At Risk on Would You Ask Your Grandmother To Live On $35 A Day?
- Morgan on Federal politics – voting intention
- Krusha on Time for Activities
- Jonathan Tasini on We Can’t Eat Austerity
- Clarkejeremy3 on We Can’t Eat Austerity
