Essential Report
Financial situation
Q. Which of the following statements best describes your financial situation?
Total | Gender | Age | Results at Sep’17 | |||||
Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | ||||
I am financially comfortable | 38% | 41% | 35% | 42% | 32% | 41% | 33% | |
I can manage household bills but struggle to afford anything extra | 39% | 39% | 40% | 37% | 39% | 41% | 43% | |
I feel under financial pressure | 22% | 19% | 25% | 19% | 29% | 17% | 20% | |
Don’t know | 1% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 0% | 0% | 4% | |
Base (n) | 1,033 | 516 | 517 | 298 | 366 | 369 | 1,011 |
- Participant’s financial situations have improved since Sep’17 with 38% now saying they are financially comfortable (up 5pt) and 39% (down 4pt) saying they can manage household bills but struggle to afford anything extra.
- Still 22% (up 2pt from Sep’17) feel under financial pressure.
- Those aged 35-54 (29%), low income earners (37%) and single people (33%) are more likely to feel under financial pressure, than those aged 18-34 (19%) or 55+ (17%), earning higher incomes (13%) or married/in a de facto relationship (14%).
- Capital city residents (41%), those with a university education (49%) and high-income earners (58%) are more likely to feel financially comfortable than non-capital residents (32%), those with a lower level of education (31%) and lower income earners (31%).

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In this week's report:
- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Views towards re-electing the federal Coalition government
- Party trust to handle issues
- Importance of Australia’s international reputation
- Scott Morrison’s impact on Australia’s international reputation
- Views towards Australia’s international reputation
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