Essential Report
Attitudes towards Newstart
Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about job searching and Newstart?
NET: Agree | Strongly agree | Somewhat agree | Neither agree, nor disagree | Somewhat disagree | Strongly disagree | |
In Australia, no-one should have to go without essentials like food, healthcare and power | 84% | 61% | 23% | 10% | 3% | 3% |
Politicians are out of touch with what it’s like for people having to live off Newstart payments | 73% | 49% | 23% | 16% | 7% | 4% |
Increasing the Newstart payment could help people find jobs, by providing funds for transport, internet access and training | 66% | 33% | 33% | 16% | 12% | 6% |
The money it would cost to increase the Newstart payments would be better spent on other services | 30% | 12% | 18% | 30% | 20% | 20% |
- A large majority of participants agreed that no-one should have to go without essentials like food, healthcare and power (84%) with three-fifths (61%) strongly agreeing with this statement.
- Three-quarters (73%) also agreed that politicians are out of touch with what it’s like for people having to live off Newstart payments with almost half (49%) strongly agreeing with this statement.
- Two-thirds (66%) of participants agreed that increasing the Newstart payment could help people find jobs, by providing funds for transport, internet access and training.
- Only 30% agreed that the money it would cost to increase the Newstart payments would be better spent on other services.
NET: Agree | Total | Gender | Age | |||
Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | ||
In Australia, no-one should have to go without essentials like food, healthcare and power | 84% | 81% | 88% | 75% | 86% | 91% |
Politicians are out of touch with what it’s like for people having to live off Newstart payments | 73% | 71% | 75% | 65% | 74% | 78% |
Increasing the Newstart payment could help people find jobs, by providing funds for transport, internet access and training | 66% | 64% | 68% | 61% | 67% | 69% |
The money it would cost to increase the Newstart payments would be better spent on other services | 30% | 32% | 27% | 36% | 30% | 24% |
Base (n) | 1,102 | 543 | 559 | 348 | 374 | 380 |
- Participants over 55 years old were more likely than younger participants to agree that no-one should have to go without essentials like food, healthcare and power (91% compared to 81%); and that politicians are out of touch with what it’s like for people having to live off Newstart payments (78% compared to 70%).
NET: Agree | Total | Federal Voting Intention | |||
Labor | Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | ||
In Australia, no-one should have to go without essentials like food, healthcare and power | 84% | 89% | 82% | 85% | 86% |
Politicians are out of touch with what it’s like for people having to live off Newstart payments | 73% | 79% | 64% | 84% | 82% |
Increasing the Newstart payment could help people find jobs, by providing funds for transport, internet access and training | 66% | 72% | 61% | 78% | 68% |
The money it would cost to increase the Newstart payments would be better spent on other services | 30% | 25% | 38% | 22% | 30% |
Base (n) | 1,102 | 320 | 387 | 107 | 159 |
- Labor voters were more likely than Liberal voters to agree that no-one should have to go without essentials like food, healthcare and power (79% compared to 64%).
- Coalition voters were more likely to agree than all other voters, that the money it would cost to increase the Newstart payments would be better spent on other services (38% versus 26% all other voters).
- Coalition voters were also less likely than all other voters to agree that increasing the Newstart payment could help people find jobs, by providing funds for transport, internet access and training (61% versus 72% all other voters).
NET: Agree | Total | Income | ||
NET: Lower Income | NET: Mid-Income | NET: High Income | ||
In Australia, no-one should have to go without essentials like food, healthcare and power | 84% | 89% | 86% | 76% |
Politicians are out of touch with what it’s like for people having to live off Newstart payments | 73% | 79% | 72% | 66% |
Increasing the Newstart payment could help people find jobs, by providing funds for transport, internet access and training | 66% | 74% | 66% | 57% |
The money it would cost to increase the Newstart payments would be better spent on other services | 30% | 26% | 32% | 34% |
Base (n) | 1,102 | 399 | 301 | 275 |
- Lower income participants were more likely to agree with most of the statements than high income participants.

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- Performance of Scott Morrison
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- Scott Morrison’s impact on Australia’s international reputation
- Views towards Australia’s international reputation
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