Carbon tax and mining tax
Q. In his reply to the budget Tony Abbott said he would dump the carbon tax and the mining tax but still retain the Labor Government’s compensation payments to households. If he is elected at the next election what do you think he is most likely to do?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Dump the carbon tax and mining tax and keep the compensation to households |
26% |
9% |
47% |
6% |
| Dump the carbon tax and mining tax but will not keep the compensation to households |
29% |
35% |
27% |
35% |
| He won’t dump the carbon tax and mining tax |
28% |
40% |
14% |
38% |
| Don’t know |
17% |
15% |
11% |
20% |
Only 26% think that if Tony Abbott becomes Prime Minister at the next election, he will dump the carbon tax and the mining tax but still retain the Labor Government’s compensation payments to households. 29% think he will dump the taxes but will not keep the compensation to households and 28% think he won’t dump the taxes.
Only 47% of Liberal/National voters believe he will dump the taxes and keep the compensation.
Dumping the carbon tax and mining tax
Q. And which option would you most favour?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Dump the carbon tax and mining tax and keep the compensation to households |
39% |
28% |
53% |
16% |
| Dump the carbon tax and mining tax and not keep the compensation to households |
20% |
6% |
34% |
12% |
| Keep the carbon tax and mining tax |
27% |
53% |
6% |
62% |
| Don’t know |
14% |
13% |
8% |
10% |
39% favour dumping the carbon tax and mining tax and keeping the compensation to households, 27% favour keeping the taxes and 20% favour dumping the taxes and not keeping the compensation.
Strongest support for keeping the mining and carbon taxes came from Labor voters (53%), Greens voters (62%) and people on incomes over $1,600pw (32%).
Strongest support for dumping the taxes and keeping the compensation came from Liberal/National voters (53%) and people on incomes less than $1,000pw (48%).
Are billionaires bullying Australia?
When Wayne Swan attacked mining magnates for undermining Australia’s national interests in pursuit of their own ends it created a storm of controversy.
Yet the mining magnates haven’t been shy about opposing the mining tax and climate change policy.
And now Clive Palmer is running for office, Gina Rinehart has bought big into Fairfax and Twiggy Forrest is challenging the mining tax in the High Court.
CFMEU National President Tony Maher wants our mining magnates to concentrate less on their billions and more on using their wealth to improve Australia. Find out about the CFMEU’s ad campaign here.
He wonders whether Australia will ever have a Warren Buffet or Bill Gates fighting for the rights of many rather than the rights of a few.
Or will the billionaires soon be launching their own campaign to save themselves?
Personal Benefit from Mining Boom
Q. How much have you personally benefited from Australia’s mining boom?
|
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
| A lot |
2% |
3% |
2% |
1% |
| Somewhat |
5% |
8% |
4% |
2% |
| A little |
12% |
14% |
12% |
11% |
| Not at all |
66% |
62% |
70% |
67% |
| Don’t know |
14% |
13% |
12% |
19 |
Only 7% think they have benefited a lot or somewhat from Australia’s mining boom. 78% believe they have benefited a little or not at all.
Those most likely to say they have not benefited at all were women (71%), aged 55+ (74%) and those on incomes under $600 pw (72%).
Mining Companies’ Tax
Q. Overall, do you think mining companies pay too much tax, not enough tax or about the right amount of tax?
|
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
| Pay too much tax |
11% |
8% |
15% |
2% |
| Don’t pay enough tax |
37% |
54% |
25% |
63% |
| Pay about the right amount of tax |
27% |
18% |
37% |
6% |
| Don’t know |
25% |
20% |
22% |
29% |
37% think mining companies don’t pay enough tax, 27% think they pay about the right amount and 11% think they pay too much.
Groups most likely to think they don’t pay enough were men (42%), aged 35-54 (41%) and those earning over $1,600 pw (44%).
Opinion of Mining Tax
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the proposed mining tax (called the Minerals Resource Rent Tax) on large profits of mining companies?
|
12 Jul 2010 |
5 Sep 2011 |
21 Nov |
20 Feb 2012 |
12 Mar 2012 |
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Total approve |
50% |
46% |
51% |
55% |
52% |
51% |
77% |
35% |
77% |
| Total disapprove |
28% |
34% |
33% |
28% |
34% |
29% |
8% |
50% |
7% |
| Strongly approve |
13% |
18% |
18% |
23% |
20% |
19% |
36% |
8% |
41% |
| Approve |
37% |
28% |
33% |
32% |
32% |
32% |
41% |
27% |
36% |
| Disapprove |
18% |
18% |
20% |
17% |
22% |
20% |
6% |
33% |
7% |
| Strongly disapprove |
10% |
16% |
13% |
11% |
12% |
9% |
2% |
17% |
- |
| Don’t know |
22% |
19% |
15% |
17% |
14% |
20% |
16% |
15% |
16% |
51% approve the Government’s proposed mining tax and 29% disapprove. This represents a strengthening in support over the last 6 weeks (from net +18% to net +22%).
Labor voters (77%) and Greens voters (77%) strongly support the tax – but Liberal/National voters disapprove 50% to 35%.
Opinion of Mining Tax
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the proposed mining tax (called the Minerals Resource Rent Tax) on large profits of mining companies?
|
12 Jul 2010 |
5 Sep 2011 |
21 Nov |
20 Feb 2012 |
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Total approve |
50% |
46% |
51% |
55% |
52% |
76% |
33% |
79% |
| Total disapprove |
28% |
34% |
33% |
28% |
34% |
12% |
55% |
12% |
| Strongly approve |
13% |
18% |
18% |
23% |
20% |
36% |
7% |
51% |
| Approve |
37% |
28% |
33% |
32% |
32% |
40% |
26% |
28% |
| Disapprove |
18% |
18% |
20% |
17% |
22% |
9% |
34% |
10% |
| Strongly disapprove |
10% |
16% |
13% |
11% |
12% |
3% |
21% |
2% |
| Don’t know |
22% |
19% |
15% |
17% |
14% |
13% |
12% |
8% |
52% approve the Government’s proposed mining tax and 34% disapprove. This represents a weakening in support over the last 3 weeks (from net +27% to net +18%) but a similar result to that of November 2011.
Labor voters (76%) and Greens voters (79%) strongly support the tax – but Liberal/National voters disapprove 55% to 33%.
Opinion of Mining Tax
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the proposed mining tax (called the Minerals Resource Rent Tax) on large profits of mining companies?
| 12 Jul 2010 | 5 Sep 2011 | 21 Nov 2011 | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total approve | 50% | 46% | 51% | 55% | 80% | 39% | 74% |
| Total disapprove | 28% | 34% | 33% | 28% | 7% | 46% | 12% |
| Strongly approve | 13% | 18% | 18% | 23% | 46% | 7% | 44% |
| Approve | 37% | 28% | 33% | 32% | 34% | 32% | 30% |
| Disapprove | 18% | 18% | 20% | 17% | 6% | 26% | 9% |
| Strongly disapprove | 10% | 16% | 13% | 11% | 1% | 20% | 3% |
| Don’t know | 22% | 19% | 15% | 17% | 13% | 14% | 14% |
Approval for the proposed mining tax has increased over the course of the last 6 months, rising 9 percentage points from 46% in September 2011 to 55% total approval in this week’s poll.
Labor voters are the most in favour of the proposed mining tax, with 80% in favour, followed by Greens voters (74% in favour). The majority of Coalition voters remain opposed to the proposed tax, with 46% opposed and 39% in favour.
Important Decisions
Q. Which of the following decisions made by the Federal Labor Government since they were elected do you think is most important for Australia’s future? And which is second? And which is third?
| First | Second | Third | Total | |
| The mining tax on large profits | 17% | 18% | 13% | 48% |
| Addressing climate change with the carbon tax | 19% | 11% | 13% | 43% |
| Increase compulsory superannuation to 12% | 17% | 13% | 12% | 42% |
| Provide 18 weeks paid parental leave | 7% | 6% | 7% | 20% |
| Childcare rebate increased from 30% to 50% | 4% | 7% | 6% | 17% |
| Allow Labor politicians to have a conscience vote on same-sex marriage | 4% | 6% | 5% | 15% |
| Allow the export of uranium to India | 4% | 5% | 4% | 13% |
| Gambling reforms which require poker machine players to set a limit on losses. | 3% | 5% | 5% | 13% |
| Plain packaging for cigarettes | 3% | 4% | 5% | 12% |
| None of them | 13% | 3% | 3% | 13% |
| Don’t know | 8% | 1% | 2% | 8% |
The three most important decisions made by the Government were the mining tax, the carbon tax and the increase in compulsory superannuation.
Mining Tax
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the proposed mining tax (called the Minerals Resource Rent Tax) on large profits of mining companies?
| 12 Jul 2010 | 5 Sep 2011 | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total approve | 50% | 46% | 51% | 74% | 32% | 85% |
| Total disapprove | 28% | 34% | 33% | 13% | 55% | 7% |
| Strongly approve | 13% | 18% | 18% | 32% | 5% | 51% |
| Approve | 37% | 28% | 33% | 42% | 27% | 34% |
| Disapprove | 18% | 18% | 20% | 11% | 30% | 7% |
| Strongly disapprove | 10% | 16% | 13% | 2% | 25% | - |
| Don’t know | 22% | 19% | 15% | 12% | 12% | 9% |
51% approve the Government’s proposed mining tax and 33% disapprove. This represents a strengthening in support since this question was asked in September (from net +12% to net +18%).
Labor voters (74%) and Greens voters (85%) strongly support the tax – but Liberal/National voters disapprove 55% to 32%.
Tax reform
Q. For each of the following proposals around tax reform, please indicate whether you strongly support, support, oppose or strongly oppose the suggestion.
| Total Support | Total Oppose | Strongly support | Support | Oppose | Strongly Oppose | Don’t know | ||
| Decreasing income tax for low income earners | 81% | 11% | 34% | 47% | 8% | 3% | 7% | |
| Improving tax breaks for small-medium business | 76% | 10% | 20% | 56% | 7% | 3% | 13% | |
| Increasing the mining tax | 47% | 37% | 16% | 31% | 22% | 15% | 16% | |
| Abolishing negative gearing on new property purchases | 33% | 37% | 8% | 25% | 20% | 17% | 29% | |
| Cutting the company tax rate | 32% | 41% | 6% | 26% | 29% | 12% | 28% | |
| Repealing the fringe benefits tax | 30% | 28% | 7% | 23% | 19% | 9% | 42% | |
| Increasing the carbon tax | 19% | 68% | 5% | 14% | 21% | 47% | 13% | |
| Introducing an inheritance tax | 10% | 75% | 3% | 7% | 24% | 51% | 15% | |
| Increasing the goods and services tax (GST) | 9% | 84% | 1% | 8% | 31% | 53% | 7% |
Decreasing income tax for low income earners has the strongest support from respondents, with 81% either strongly supporting or supporting the suggestion. Improving tax breaks for small-medium business also attracted a similar amount of endorsement (76% total support).
Increasing the mining tax has a significant amount of support (47% total support).
Whilst the proposed reforms of abolishing negative gearing on new property purchases and cutting the company tax rate attracted a significant amount of support, more respondents are opposed to these measures than in favour of them: with 37% opposed to abolishing negative gearing and 41% opposed to cutting the company tax rate.
Strongest opposition is registered against the proposal to increase the GST, with 84% opposed to the idea and only 9% in favour of it. Introducing an inheritance tax is similarly unpopular (75% total opposed).
Essential Report
Two Party Preferred: 17 June 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.
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