The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

Returning to budget surplus

11 Feb 2020

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.
Error: