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  • Mar, 2020

    , ,

    Better at managing the economy

    Q Which party do you think is better at managing:

      Coalition Labor Neither Difference (Coalition minus Labor)
    The economy to benefit big business 53% 22% 26% +31
    The economy generally 40% 31% 29% +9
    The economy to benefit small business 36% 35% 29% +1
    The economy to benefit older Australians 32% 35% 33% -3
    The economy to benefit people living in regional communities 29% 35% 37% -6
    The economy to benefit workers 26% 46% 28% -20
    • The Coalition is perceived to be better at managing the economy to benefit big business (53%) and managing the economy generally (40%) than Labor (22% and 31% respectively).
    • Labor is seen as better at managing the economy for workers (46%) than the Coalition (26%).
    • Between a quarter (26%) and a third (37%) of participants believe that neither Coalition nor Labor is better at managing any economic elements.
  • Feb, 2015

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    Management of the 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

    Vote other

     

    May 2013

    May 2014

    Oct 2014

    Total good

    34%

    20%

    59%

    26%

    22%

    39%

    40%

    39%

    Total poor

    30%

    46%

    9%

    45%

    39%

    32%

    31%

    28%

    Very good

    7%

    5%

    14%

    4%

    11%

    9%

    11%

    Good

    27%

    15%

    45%

    26%

    18%

    28%

    31%

    28%

    Neither good nor poor

    31%

    30%

    31%

    27%

    32%

    24%

    24%

    28%

    Poor

    16%

    24%

    7%

    25%

    22%

    17%

    14%

    15%

    Very poor

    14%

    22%

    2%

    20%

    17%

    15%

    17%

    13%

    Don’t know

    5%

    5%

    1%

    3%

    7%

    5%

    5%

    5%

    34% of Australians rate the government’s management of the economy, compared to other countries around the world, as good.

    30% rate their management of the economy as poor.

    This represents a net decline from +11 to +4 since October.

    Labor (20%), Greens (26%) and other (22%) voters were less likely to rate the government’s management of the economy as ‘good’. Liberal/National voters (59%) were more likely to rate the government’s management of the economy as ‘good’ – although this has dropped from 68% in October.

    40% of those earning $1,600+ pw rate the government’s management ‘good’ and 44% of those earning less than $600 pw rate it ‘poor’.

  • Aug, 2014

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    Managing the economy

    Q. Which party – Labor or Liberal – do you think is best when it comes to:

     

    Labor

    Liberal

    No Difference

    Don’t Know

    Difference (Labor v. Liberal)

     

    Difference May 2014

    Representing the interests of Australian working families

    48%

    17%

    25%

    11%

    +31%

    +27%

    Representing the interests of you and people like you

    35%

    27%

    27%

    11%

    +8%

    +10%

    Standing up for the middle class in Australia

    30%

    28%

    27%

    15%

    +2%

    +14%

    Representing the interests of the large corporate and financial interests

    9%

    59%

    19%

    13%

    -50%

    -41%

    Being more concerned about the interests of working families in Australia than the rich and large business and financial interests

    47%

    15%

    24%

    14%

    +32%

    +29%

    Handling the economy overall

    23%

    37%

    27%

    14%

    -14%

    -14%

    Handling the economy in a way that tries to take the interests of working families into consideration as much as it takes the interests of the large corporate and financial groups

    34%

    23%

    27%

    15%

    +11%

    +10%

    Handling the economy in a way that best helps small business

    24%

    32%

    27%

    17%

    -8%

    -5%

    Handling the economy in a way that best helps the middle class

    25%

    32%

    28%

    14%

    -7%

    +1%

    Handling the economy in a way that helps you and people like you the most.

    32%

    27%

    27%

    14%

    +5%

    +8%

    Labor was more likely to be selected as the party best at all of the items, except for ‘Representing the interests of the large corporate and financial interests’ (59% Liberal, 9% Labor), ‘Handling the economy overall’ (37% Liberal, 23% Labor), ‘Handling the economy in a way that best helps small business’ (32% Liberal, 24% Labor) and ‘Handling the economy in a way that best helps the middle class’ (32% Liberal, 25% Labor).

    Since this question was asked in May, the main shifts have been for “Standing up for the middle class in Australia “ (Labor down 12%), “Handling the economy in a way that best helps the middle class” (Labor down 8%) and “Representing the interests of the large corporate and financial interests” (Liberals up 9%).

  • Jun, 2013

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    Party trust to handle issues

    Q.  Which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?

     

    Labor

    Liberal

    Greens

    Don’t know

    Difference 17 Jun 13

    Difference 11 Feb 13

    Difference

    19 Nov 12

    Difference

    18 Jun 12

    Management of the economy

    28%

    46%

    2%

    24%

    -18

    -15

    -14

    -18

    Ensuring a quality education for all children

    37%

    36%

    4%

    23%

    +1

    +2

    +5

    -2

    Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system

    32%

    37%

    6%

    26%

    -5

    -3

    -3

    -6

    Protecting the environment

    19%

    24%

    34%

    22%

    +10

    +18

    +16

    +17

    A fair industrial relations system

    37%

    34%

    5%

    24%

    +3

    +6

    +9

    +6

    Political leadership

    23%

    42%

    5%

    30%

    -19

    -8

    -12

    -16

    Addressing climate change

    19%

    26%

    26%

    28%

    +5

    +9

    +7

    Controlling interest rates

    25%

    42%

    2%

    31%

    -17

    -14

    -11

    -18

    Australian jobs and protection of local industries

    30%

    37%

    4%

    29%

    -7

    -3

    -2

    -6

    Ensuring a quality water supply

    19%

    33%

    18%

    31%

    -14

    -6

    -7

    -12

    Housing affordability

    24%

    36%

    5%

    35%

    -12

    -6

    -5

    -11

    Ensuring a fair taxation system

    28%

    39%

    4%

    29%

    -11

    -6

    -9

    -10

    Security and the war on terrorism

    23%

    41%

    3%

    34%

    -18

    -13

    -15

    -22

    Treatment of asylum seekers

    17%

    39%

    12%

    32%

    -22

    -17

    -18

    -20

    Managing population growth

    18%

    37%

    8%

    38%

    -19

    -12

    -15

    -19

    Note – Differences are calculated by subtracting Liberal % from Labor % – except for the two issues on which the Greens lead in which case it is Greens minus Liberal.

    The Liberal Party has maintained strong leads on management of the economy, controlling interest rates, political leadership, security and the war on terrorism, treatment of asylum seekers and managing population growth.

    There is little difference between Labor and the Liberals on ensuring a quality education for all children and a fair industrial relations system. Since February, there have been significant shifts to the Liberals on protecting the environment, political leadership, ensuring a quality water supply and managing population growth.

  • May, 2013

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    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.

  • Apr, 2012

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    Reason for Budget Deficit

    Q. The Federal Government is currently running a budget deficit, but intends to return to surplus with the budget for 2012-13 to be announced next month. Which of the following do you think has been most responsible for the deficit over the last few years?

     

    Total 11/4/11

    Total 10/4/12

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Poor economic management by the Government

    23%

    28%

    7%

    48%

    7%

    Big companies not paying their fair share of taxes

    17%

    16%

    28%

    5%

    28%

    Lower tax revenues because of the Global Financial Crisis

    13%

    16%

    27%

    10%

    22%

    Spending on big projects like the National Broadband Network

    14%

    15%

    14%

    17%

    10%

    The cost of the Government’s GFC stimulus packages

    19%

    12%

    11%

    13%

    15%

    Don’t know

    15%

    14%

    13%

    8%

    18%

    Overall, respondents believe the main reasons for the budget deficit are poor economic management by the Government (28%), big companies not paying their fair share of taxes (16%) and lower tax revenues because of the Global Financial Crisis (16%).

    Since this question was asked 12 months ago, those blaming the Government for poor economic management has increased from 23% to 28% and those blaming the cost of the Government’s GFC stimulus packages has declined from 19% to 12%.

    Labor voters were most likely to blame big companies not paying their fair share of taxes (28%) and lower tax revenues because of the GFC (27%) while Liberal/National voters blame poor economic management by the Government (48%). Greens voters tended to blame big companies not paying their fair share of taxes (28%).

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