Essential Report
Priority for the upcoming budget
Q. Which one of the following options is closest to your thinking about what the priority should be of the upcoming budget?
Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | |||||||||
Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | TOTAL: Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||||
The government should prioritise the reduction of national debt by cutting public funding for services | 20% | 24% | 16% | 27% | 21% | 13% | 15% | 22% | 25% | 33% | ||
The government should prioritise providing support for people and industries struggling because of the pandemic | 80% | 76% | 84% | 73% | 79% | 87% | 85% | 78% | 75% | 67% | ||
Base (n) | 1,092 | 536 | 556 | 340 | 372 | 380 | 371 | 400 | 109 | 111 | ||
- The majority of Australians think the government should prioritise providing support for people and industries struggling because of the pandemic in the upcoming budget (80%), over the reduction of national debt by cutting public funding for services (20%).
- Preference for providing support for people and industries struggling because of the pandemic is highest among women (84%), those over 55 (87%) and Labor voters (85%).

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- Performance of Scott Morrison
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- Preferred Prime Minister
- Views towards re-electing the federal Coalition government
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