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Support for tax reforms

14 Mar 2017

Q. Would you support or oppose the following tax reforms to pay off debt and raise more funds for Government services and infrastructure?

  Total support Total oppose   Strongly support Support Oppose Strongly oppose Don’t know   Support Jul 2015 Support Apr 2016
Stop companies and wealthy people using legal loopholes in minimise tax payments by sending funds offshore 85% 6%   62% 23% 3% 3% 8%   na 86%
Force multinational companies to pay a minimum tax rate on Australian earnings 79% 8%   50% 29% 5% 3% 13%   79% 80%
Introduce the “Buffett Rule” – which means that very high earners cannot reduce their income tax rate below 30%. 71% 11%   40% 31% 8% 3% 18%   na na
Increase income tax rate for high earners 64% 21%   31% 33% 14% 7% 15%   63% 65%
Remove superannuation tax concessions for high earners 58% 27%   29% 29% 15% 12% 16%   59% 62%
Remove negative gearing 41% 30%   18% 23% 19% 11% 28%   37% 39%
Remove GST exemptions (e.g. on food, education) 39% 48%   13% 26% 24% 24% 12%   33% 37%
Replace stamp duty with land tax 27% 31%   8% 19% 18% 13% 42%   26% 33%
Increase the GST 26% 63%   6% 20% 29% 34% 11%   24% 27%

There was strong majority support for stopping companies and wealthy people using legal loopholes in minimise tax payments by sending funds offshore (85%), forcing multinational companies to pay a minimum tax rate on Australian earnings (79%), introducing the “Buffett Rule” (71%) and increasing income tax rate for high earners (64%).

There was strong majority opposition to increasing the GST (63%).

There has been little change in these figures since this question was previously asked in April last year.

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