The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

Attitudes towards the amount Australia spends on foreign aid

1 Dec 2020

Q. Do you think Australia spends too much or too little on foreign aid?

  Nov’20 Jun’17 Jun’15 Jul’11
 
Spends too much 37% 41% 44% 42%
Spends too little 16% 16% 16% 16%
Spends about the right amount 23% 19% 21% 21%
Don’t know 24% 24% 19% 21%
  • Over a third (37%) of people think Australia spends too much on foreign aid. This is lower than previous years (41% in 2017 and 44% in 2015). 16% think too little is spent and 23% think about the right amount is spent. 24% aren’t sure.
  Total Gender Age Group Federal Voting Intention
  Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor TOTAL: Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
Spends too much 37% 37% 37% 27% 42% 39% 30% 43% 17% 52%
Spends too little 16% 20% 13% 24% 14% 13% 22% 11% 29% 15%
Spends about the right amount 23% 27% 18% 23% 19% 26% 23% 27% 27% 15%
Don’t know 24% 16% 32% 26% 25% 22% 25% 19% 26% 18%
Base (n) 1,034 528 506 329 320 385 322 430 88 107
  • Those voting for minor parties are the most likely to think too much is being spent on foreign aid (52%), followed by Coalition voters (43%).
  • Conversely, Greens voters are the most likely to think too little is being spent (29%).
  Total        
  Less than 1% 1% to 5% Over 5% Don’t know
Spends too much 37% 23% 31% 68% 31%
Spends too little 16% 48% 28% 5% 5%
Spends about the right amount 23% 25% 33% 21% 14%
Don’t know 24% 4% 9% 6% 50%
Base (n) 1,034 70 408 169 387
  • Of those who incorrectly think over 5% of government expenditure is spent on foreign aid, 68% think too much is spent.
  • Of those who correctly know that less than 1% is being spent on foreign aid, about half (48%) think too little is spent. A quarter (25%) think the right amount is spent and 4% don’t know. 23% still think too much is spent on foreign aid.
Error: