The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

Federal Budget Approval

9 Apr 2019

Q. Overall, do you approve or disapprove of the Federal Budget that was handed down on Tuesday 2nd April? 

  Total Vote Labor Vote Liberal / National Vote Greens NET: Vote Other
NET: Approve 51% 39% 79% 32% 48%
NET: Disapprove 27% 45% 8% 44% 28%
Strongly approve 11% 5% 23% 2% 8%
Somewhat approve 40% 34% 56% 29% 39%
Somewhat disapprove 18% 28% 7% 28% 17%
Strongly disapprove 9% 16% 1% 16% 11%
Don’t know 21% 16% 13% 24% 25%
  • Just over half (51%) of voters approve of the 2019 Budget, with 27% disapproving and 21% unsure.
  • Approval was highest among Coalition voters (79%), males (57%), those aged over 55 (57%), and those with an annual household income of between $52k and $104k (58%).
  • However approval was lowest among Greens (32%) and Labour voters (39%), and those not in paid employment (38%).
  2019 Budget 2018

Budget

 2017

Budget
NET: Approve 51% 44% 41%
NET: Disapprove 27% 28% 33%
Strongly approve 11% 5% 5%
Somewhat approve 40% 39% 36%
Somewhat disapprove 18% 19% 23%
Strongly disapprove 9% 9% 10%
Don’t know 21% 28% 25%
  • The 2019 Budget has been met with higher approval than the previous two Budgets. Approval in 2019 is 7%pts higher than last year (44%) and 10%pts higher than 2017.
  • Those disapproving of the Budget is similar in 2019 and 2018 (27% and 28%) and slightly lower in 2017, when 33% disapproved.
Error: