Essential Report
Returning to budget surplus
Q. Before the 2019 Federal election, the Government promised the 2019-2020 budget would return to surplus. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about achieving a budget surplus?
NET: Agree | NET: Disagree | Strongly agree | Somewhat agree | Somewhat disagree | Strongly disagree | Unsure | |
It’s more important to spend money on bushfire recovery than fund the surplus | 79% | 11% | 50% | 30% | 7% | 5% | 9% |
It’s understandable with the coronavirus impacting trade with China that the surplus won’t be achieved | 65% | 18% | 25% | 40% | 12% | 6% | 17% |
The government was wrong to announce the budget ‘was back in the black’ before the last election | 57% | 24% | 25% | 32% | 17% | 7% | 19% |
- Four in five (79%) agree that it’s more important to spend money on bushfire recovery than fund the surplus; 65% agree that it’s understandable with the coronavirus impacting trade on China that the surplus won’t be achieved; and over half (57%) agree that the government was wrong to announce the budget ‘was back in the black’ before the last election.
- Coalition voters are least likely to agree that the government was wrong to announce the budget ‘was back in the black’ before the last election (44%); while Labor (70%) and Greens (68%) voters are most likely to agree.

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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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