Measures Government should take to Return to Surplus

Q. In order to meet their commitment to return to surplus in 2012-13, which measures should the Government take?

	April 4	Total	Vote Labor	Vote Lib/Nat	Vote Greens
Increase taxes for big corporations	63%	72%	81%	65%	86%
Reduce tax breaks for high income earners	51%	59%	63%	57%	64%
Reduce defence spending	32%	37%	32%	37%	67%
Cut “middle class welfare” such as the Baby Bonus, first home buyers grant and Family Tax Benefit payments	36%	35%	31%	40%	29%
Cut spending on unemployment and disability benefits	21%	21%	15%	28%	13%
It does not need to return to surplus so quickly	38%	58%	65%	56%	61%

The most favoured measures for returning the budget to surplus were increasing taxes for big corporations (72%) and reducing tax breaks for high-income earners (59%).

Labor voters were more likely to support increasing taxes for big corporations (81%).

Liberal/National voters were more likely to support cutting spending on unemployment and welfare benefits (28%), and cutting “middle class welfare” (40%).

Since this question was last asked in April, support has increased for increasing taxes for big corporations (+9%) and reducing tax breaks for high income earners (+8%).

However, the major change since April has been a substantial increase in support for the position that the Government does not need to return to surplus so quickly – up 20% to 58%. This position is supported by 65% of Labor voters and 56% of Liberal/National voters.