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Groups better off under Labor or Liberal Government

3 Sep 2012

Q. Do you think the following groups of people would be better off under a Labor Government or a Liberal Government?

 

Better off under a Labor Government

Better off under a Liberal Government

Makes no difference

Don’t know

Difference

(Labor minus Liberal)

Pensioners

36%

20%

29%

15%

+16

Unemployed people

41%

14%

29%

15%

+27

People with disabilities

36%

16%

30%

17%

+20

People and families on low incomes

44%

17%

25%

13%

+27

People and families on middle incomes

26%

33%

28%

13%

-7

People and families on high incomes

11%

54%

21%

13%

-43

Single parents

39%

16%

29%

16%

+23

Average working people

32%

27%

28%

13%

+5

Large corporations

9%

57%

20%

14%

-48

Banks and other financial institutions

9%

47%

27%

16%

-38

Small businesses

21%

37%

26%

16%

-16

Families with children at public school

38%

19%

28%

15%

+19

Families with children at private school

14%

44%

27%

16%

-30

Recent immigrants to Australia

35%

17%

30%

17%

+18

Farmers and other agricultural producers

19%

32%

31%

19%

-13

Respondents were substantially more likely to think the following groups would be better off under a Labor Government – unemployed, low income families, single parents and people with disabilities.

They were substantially more likely to think the following groups would be better off under a Liberal Government – large corporations, high income families, banks and financial institutions, families with children at private schools.

Groups better off under by Respondent Category 

Respondent category (respondent or family member is in this category) Groups better or worse off

Better off under a Labor Government

Better off under a Liberal Government

Makes no difference

Don’t know

Difference

(Labor minus Liberal)

Pensioners Pensioners

41%

25%

26%

8%

+16

Unemployed Unemployed people

42%

13%

30%

15%

+29

Have a disability People with disabilities

44%

18%

31%

8%

+26

On low income People and families on low incomes

44%

17%

26%

13%

+27

On middle income People and families on middle incomes

25%

37%

27%

11%

-12

On high income People and families on high incomes

16%

58%

15%

11%

-42

Single parent Single parents

38%

19%

27%

16%

+19

Working Average working people

30%

29%

29%

12%

+1

Work for a large corporation Large corporations

11%

57%

18%

14%

-46

Work for a bank or other financial institution Banks and other financial institutions

23%

45%

16%

16%

-22

Work for a small business Small businesses

24%

37%

25%

14%

-13

Self-employed or own a small business Small businesses

24%

40%

20%

17%

-16

Have children at public school Families with children at public school

39%

17%

27%

16%

+22

Have children at private school Families with children at private school

21%

42%

22%

15%

-21

Recent immigrants to Australia * Recent immigrants to Australia

63%

9%

20%

9%

+54

Farmers and other agricultural producers Farmers and other agricultural producers

27%

38%

19%

17%

-11

* small sample – less than 100

This table shows groups affected mainly held views similar to the total sample. The main exceptions were that people with disabilities were more likely to think they would be better off under Labor, people working in banks/finance were more likely to think banks/financial institutions would be better off under Labor and people with children at primary school were more likely to think they would be better off under a Labor Government.

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