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  • Dec, 2020

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    Christmas gift spending

    Q. When considering your Christmas gift spending this year compared with previous years are you likely to:

      Total Gender Age Group
      Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+
    Spend more than usual 13% 18% 8% 16% 18% 5%
    Spend roughly the same as usual 48% 51% 46% 42% 45% 57%
    Spend less than usual 31% 26% 36% 30% 30% 32%
    Not sure 8% 6% 11% 12% 7% 6%
    Base (n) 1,071 539 532 339 374 358
    • Just under half of people intend to spend about the same amount as usual on Christmas gifts (48%), but 31% say they will spend less than usual.
  • Jun, 2020

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    Alternative spending options for JobKeeper surplus

    Q. On which of the following would you prefer the Government use the $60B it has previously allocated to the JobKeeper program?

        Federal Voting Intention
    Total Labor Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    Extend financial schemes supporting those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic (JobSeeker increases, JobKeeper and free early  learning childcare) beyond their current end dates 35% 40% 28% 48% 29%
    Broaden JobKeeper scheme to include universities, migrant workers and employees of companies owned by foreign governments 20% 23% 15% 25% 24%
    Put money towards reducing national debt accumulate during the Covid-19 pandemic 45% 37% 57% 27% 47%
    Base (n) 1,059 299 413 95 136
    •  A third of people would prefer the JobKeeper budget to be spent on extending the scheme beyond its current end date, with a further 20% preferring the scheme to be broadened to include more workers. 45% want the money to be put towards reducing the national debt.
    • Younger people (aged 18-34) are more likely to want the money extending (42%) or broadening the scheme (29%) compared to those over 55 (25% and 16%).
    • Over half of Coalition voters (57%) and retired people (58%) prefer using the money to reduce National debt, rather than providing more support for those who have lost work due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • May, 2017

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    Budget Surplus or Spending

    Q. Do you think it is more important for the Government to return the budget to surplus as soon as possible – which may mean cutting services and raising taxes – OR should they delay the return to surplus and maintain services and invest in infrastructure? 

      Total   Vote Labor Vote Lib/Nat Vote Greens Vote other
    Return to surplus as soon as possible, cut services, raise taxes 18%   12% 28% 7% 16%
    Delay return to surplus, maintain services, invest in infrastructure 65%   75% 59% 81% 67%
    Don’t know 18%   13% 12% 12% 17%

    65% thought it was more important to delay a return to surplus, maintain services and invest in infrastructure. Those most likely to think this were Greens voters (81%) and ALP voters (75%).

    18% it was more important to return to surplus as soon as possible. Those most likely to sat think were Liberal/National voters (28%), those aged 65+ (22%) and those earning over $104,000 (22%).

  • Apr, 2013

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    Major spending in last 12 months

    Q. In the last 12 months have you –

     

    28 May 12

    Total

    8 Apr 13

    Vote ALP

    Vote Lib

    Vote Greens

    Financial situation satisfactory

    Neither satisfactory nor un-
    satisfactory

    Financial situation un-
    satisfactory

    Bought a house or other property

    10%

    10%

    11%

    11%

    11%

    13%

    7%

    5%

    Bought a new car

    12%

    12%

    10%

    15%

    12%

    17%

    10%

    5%

    Bought a used car

    17%

    13%

    14%

    13%

    12%

    14%

    11%

    13%

    Renovated your current home

    17%

    16%

    17%

    16%

    18%

    22%

    13%

    6%

    Purchased a major household item (stove, TV, Fridge, furniture etc.)

    39%

    40%

    42%

    41%

    49%

    47%

    36%

    30%

    Taken an overseas holiday

    30%

    34%

    29%

    35%

    39%

    44%

    24%

    21%

    Taken an Australian holiday

    45%

    46%

    41%

    49%

    52%

    56%

    39%

    28%

    Paid private school fees

    12%

    11%

    9%

    15%

    6%

    11%

    14%

    12%

    Bought shares

    13%

    12%

    10%

    14%

    16%

    17%

    8%

    3%

    The most common major spending items over the last 12 months were holidays in Australia (46%), purchase of major household item (40%) and overseas holidays (34%). Spending results were similar to those recorded last May.

    Spending rate of those who consider their financial situation unsatisfactory was about half that of those who were satisfied for most items. Whereas taking an Australian holidays was the most common item of major spending for those satisfied (56%) and the neither group (39%), those who were dissatisfied were more likely to have purchased a major household item (30%).

  • Dec, 2012

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    Christmas spending on credit cards

    Q. How much of your Christmas spending will you put on your credit cards?

     

    5 Dec 11

    3 Dec 12

    All or most of it

    23%

    26%

    A bit more than half

    7%

    8%

    About half

    9%

    7%

    A bit less than half

    5%

    5%

    Not much

    17%

    10%

    None of it

    37%

    36%

    Won’t be buying Christmas gifts

    na

    4%

    Don’t know

    3%

    4%

    41% say they will put at least half their Christmas spending on credit cards – and a further 15% will put some spending on their credit cards.

    Those most likely to use credit cards for at least half their spending were aged 35-44 (54%) and those least likely were aged 18-24 (18%). Those on higher incomes were much more likely to use their credit cards for Christmas spending – 55% of those on incomes over $1,600pw said they would put at least half on credit cards compared to only 20% of those on incomes under $600pw.

  • Jan, 2012

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    Spending

    Q. Compared to 12 months ago, are you spending more or less on the following –

    Total spending more Total spending less Spending a lot more Spending a little more Spending about the same Spending a little less Spending a lot less Don’t know
    Food and groceries 60% 10% 20% 40% 30% 7% 3% 1%
    Gas and electricity 70% 9% 36% 34% 20% 5% 4% 1%
    Telephone and internet services 38% 11% 11% 27% 49% 9% 2% 1%
    Entertainment such as cinemas and restaurants 20% 39% 5% 15% 38% 20% 19% 3%
    Retail products such as clothing and electrical goods 20% 38% 5% 15% 41% 22% 16% 1%

    70% say they are spending more on gas and electricity and 60% say they are spending more on food and groceries. But they were more likely to be spending less on entertainment (20% more/39% less) and other retail products (20% more/38% less).

    Perceptions of spending on food and groceries is similar across demographic groups. However, older respondents are more likely to say they are spending more on gas and electricity (80% of those aged 55+) and less on entertainment (46% of those aged 55+). For those aged under 35, 28% are spending more on entertainment and 34% less.

    There is a similar pattern for spending on retail products – for those aged under 35, 27% are spending more and 32% less while for those aged 55+, 15% are spending more and 44% less.

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