The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

Increase in GST

4 Nov 2014

Q. Would you support an increase in the GST if it was : 

 

Total

 

Vote Labor

Vote Lib/Nat

Vote Greens

Vote other

Directly invested in hospitals and health services

56%

57%

63%

66%

46%

Invested in aged pensions

44%

47%

52%

34%

37%

Directly invested in vital infrastructure like roads and railways

39%

40%

50%

32%

24%

Used to pay off our national debt

28%

21%

45%

18%

18%

 

A majority (56%) would support an increase in the GST if it was directly invested in hospitals and health services. There was also substantial support for increasing the GST if invested in aged pensions (44%) or directly invested in vital infrastructure like roads and railways (39%). Only 28% support increasing the GST to pay off the national debt.

Liberal/National voters were more likely to favour increasing the GST for all purposes. Increasing the GST to invest in hospitals and health services was supported by 66% of Greens voters and 57% of Labor voters.

There were few differences by income – except that 53% of those earning less than $1,000 pw supported raising the GST to invest in aged pensions.

Error: