Return to Surplus

Q. Do you think it is more important for the Government to return the budget to surplus by 2012/13 as planned – which may mean cutting services and raising taxes – OR should they delay the return to surplus and maintain services and invest in infrastructure?

	April 4	Total	Vote Labor	Vote Lib/Nat	Vote Greens
Return to surplus by 2012/13, cut services, raise taxes	14%	13%	13%	19%	7%
Delay return to surplus, maintain services, invest in infrastructure	69%	71%	76%	68%	82%
Don’t know	17%	15%	11%	13%	11%

13% support the return to surplus by 2012/13 if it means cutting services and raising taxes and 69% think the Government should delay the return to surplus and maintain services and investment. Opinions are unchanged since this question was asked in April.

No more than 19% of any demographic or voter group supported the return to surplus by 2012/13.