Class Warfare
Q. The Federal Opposition has accused the Government of “class warfare” for criticising and increasing taxes for Australia’s richest people and companies. The Government says they are just trying to ensure that all Australians benefit from the mining boom and other wealth derived from Australia’s resources and economic development. Which position do you most agree with?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| The Government |
46% |
77% |
20% |
77% |
| The Opposition |
28% |
5% |
56% |
5% |
| Don’t know |
26% |
18% |
25% |
18% |
28% agree with the Federal Opposition’s claim that the Government is carrying out “class warfare” and 46% agree with the Government’s position that they are just trying to ensure that all Australians benefit from the mining boom.
Those on higher incomes were only a little more likely to agree with the Opposition. For those earning less than $600pw, 53% agree with the Government and 23% agree with the Opposition. For those on incomes over $1,600pw, 45% agree with the Government and 31% with the Opposition.
Support for Levy on Financial Transactions
Q. A number of governments around the world and international organisations have argued for a financial transactions tax – which is a small levy on large transactions of currencies, bonds and shares which could raise 480 billion euros (about $600 billion) globally. The idea behind this levy is that this would be a good way for the banking sector to contribute back to society for their part in the financial crisis.
Would you support or oppose such a levy?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Total support |
59% |
66% |
57% |
63% |
| Total oppose |
16% |
12% |
22% |
10% |
| Strongly support |
20% |
26% |
15% |
21% |
| Support |
39% |
40% |
42% |
42% |
| Oppose |
10% |
7% |
13% |
7% |
| Strongly oppose |
6% |
5% |
9% |
3% |
| Don’t know |
25% |
22% |
21% |
27% |
59% supported the idea of a levy on large financial transactions and 16% opposed.
A majority of all demographic and voter groups supported the concept. Highest support came from Labor voters (66%) and men (65%).
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%.
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%).
Return to Surplus
Q. Do you think it is more important for the Government to return the budget to surplus by 2012/13 as planned – which may mean cutting services and raising taxes – OR should they delay the return to surplus and maintain services and invest in infrastructure?
|
Total 4/4/11
|
Total 28/11/11 |
Total 10/4/12 |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Return to surplus by 2012/13, cut services, raise taxes |
14% |
13% |
12% |
13% |
13% |
7% |
| Delay return to surplus, maintain services, invest in infrastructure |
69% |
71% |
73% |
73% |
76% |
81% |
| Don’t know |
17% |
15% |
15% |
13% |
12% |
12% |
12% support the return to surplus by 2012/13 if it means cutting services and raising taxes and 73% think the Government should delay the return to surplus and maintain services and investment. Support for a return to surplus has not significantly changed since this question was asked in November last year.
Measures to Return to Surplus
Q. In order to meet their commitment to return to surplus in 2012-13, which measures should the Government take?
|
Total 11/4/11 |
Total 10/4/12 |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Increase taxes for big corporations |
63% |
67% |
81% |
55% |
80% |
| Reduce tax breaks for high income earners |
51% |
57% |
65% |
52% |
71% |
| Postpone major infrastructure projects like the NBN |
na |
41% |
29% |
58% |
19% |
| Reduce defence spending |
32% |
38% |
42% |
30% |
64% |
| Cut “middle class welfare” such as the Baby Bonus, first home buyers grant and Family Tax Benefit payments |
36% |
36% |
37% |
38% |
36% |
| Cut spending on unemployment and disability benefits |
21% |
23% |
18% |
32% |
12% |
| It does not need to return to surplus so quickly |
38% |
63% |
67% |
66% |
58% |
Overall, the most favoured means of returning the budget to surplus were increasing taxes for big corporations (67%) and reducing tax breaks for high-income earners (57%). Both these measures were strongly favoured by Labor and Greens voters.
Although support was less strong, these two measures were also two of the three the most preferred among Liberal/National voters – 58% think the Government should postpone major infrastructure projects like the NBN.
The main changes since this question was asked 12 months ago are increases in support for reducing tax breaks for high-income earners (up 6%) and reducing defence spending (up 6%).
Note, although 63% thought that the budget does not need to return to surplus so quickly, some of these respondents also agreed with some of the measures listed.
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.
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).
Tax reform by Voting Intention
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 Support – Labor | Total Support – Lib/Nat | Total Support – Greens | ||
| Decreasing income tax for low income earners | 81% | 85% | 81% | 81% | |
| Improving tax breaks for small-medium business | 76% | 74% | 85% | 71% | |
| Increasing the mining tax | 47% | 67% | 35% | 72% | |
| Abolishing negative gearing on new property purchases | 33% | 37% | 33% | 38% | |
| Cutting the company tax rate | 32% | 24% | 43% | 25% | |
| Repealing the fringe benefits tax | 30% | 25% | 40% | 22% | |
| Increasing the carbon tax | 19% | 29% | 8% | 60% | |
| Introducing an inheritance tax | 10% | 14% | 10% | 18% | |
| Increasing the goods and services tax (GST) | 9% | 7% | 12% | 12% |
Labor voters are far more likely to support increasing the mining tax (47% total support) and increasing the carbon tax (29% total support).
Coalition voters are more likely to support improving tax breaks for small-medium business (85% total support), cutting the company tax rate (43% total support), repealing the fringe benefits tax (40% total support) and increasing the GST (12% total support).
Greens voters are the most likely to support increasing the mining tax (72%) and by far the most likely to support increasing the carbon tax (60% total support). They are also more likely to support introducing an inheritance tax (18% total support) and increasing the GST (12% total support).
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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