The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

Concern about economic issues

27 Nov 2017

Q. How concerned are you personally about each of the following economic issues facing Australia today?

  Total

con-cerned

  Very con-cerned Some-what con-cerned Not so con-cerned Not at all con-cerned Don’t know
Energy prices 88% 56% 32% 8% 2% 1%
Food prices and inflation generally 83%   44% 39% 12% 3% 2%
Affordability of housing 80%   50% 30% 14% 5% 1%
Petrol prices 76% 39% 37% 16% 6% 2%
Improving wages for low income earners 75%   39% 36% 17% 5% 2%
Jobs going overseas 71%   39% 32% 20% 6% 3%
Excessive executive salaries 69%   39% 30% 21% 6% 3%
The age pension 68%   35% 33% 22% 8% 3%
Unemployment 68%   34% 34% 24% 6% 3%
Personal income tax rates 65%   30% 35% 24% 6% 4%
Not enough superannuation 64%   31% 33% 24% 7% 5%
Not enough regulation of large corporations 61%   30% 31% 28% 6% 4%
Interest rates 61%   28% 33% 26% 9% 4%
Government debt 60%   26% 34% 28% 8% 4%
Not enough regulation of banks 58%   27% 31% 29% 9% 4%
Cuts in penalty rates 57% 28% 29% 26% 11% 5%

 

 

Issues most concerned about were energy prices (88% concerned including 56% very concerned), affordability of housing (80%/50%) and food prices and inflation generally (83%/44%).

Issues least concerned about were cuts in penalty rates (57%/28%), regulation of banks (58%/27%) and Government debt (60%/26%).

Major differences by demographics were –

42% of aged 18-34 very concerned about energy prices compared to 65% of those aged 55+.

28% of aged 18-34 very concerned about executive salaries compared to 52% of those aged 55+.

60% of aged 18-34 very concerned about housing affordability compared to 35% of those aged 55+.

50% of women very concerned about food prices compared to 38% of men.

46% of women very concerned about wages of low income earners compared to 33% of men.

40% of women very concerned about unemployment compared to 28% of men.

Error: