28 May 2012, 280512, australian business, Australian Government, cost of living, GFC, strong economy
Q. What is the main reason you don’t think the state of the economy is good? *
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Increasing cost of living |
34% |
34% |
32% |
40% |
| Poor economic management by Government |
27% |
8% |
36% |
7% |
| Businesses are struggling |
13% |
14% |
12% |
19% |
| Increasing gap between rich and poor |
9% |
22% |
6% |
15% |
| Global financial problems |
7% |
11% |
5% |
11% |
| Incomes aren’t increasing fast enough to keep up |
7% |
11% |
7% |
– |
| Other reason |
2% |
– |
1% |
8% |
| Don’t know |
1% |
– |
1% |
– |
* Based on those who disagree that economy is good.
Those who disagreed that the economy was good said the main reasons were the increasing cost of living (34%) and poor economic management by Government (27%).
36% of respondents aged 55+ blamed poor economic management by Government while the increasing cost of living was the major factor for 43% of respondents aged 25-44.
There were no significant differences across income groups in relation to the increasing cost of living.
28 May 2012, 280512, Australian economy, Australian Government, Carbon Tax, Craig Thompson, Julia Gillard, kevin rudd, Mining Boom, Peter Slipper
Q. Although Australia’s economy is doing very well, according to opinion polls the Government is very unpopular. What do you think is the main reason for this? *
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Voters don’t trust the Prime Minister |
28% |
21% |
35% |
44% |
| The carbon tax will increase the cost of living |
17% |
17% |
19% |
8% |
| The economy is doing well for other reasons, like China and the mining boom, not because of the government |
15% |
13% |
19% |
5% |
| Voters are still angry about the treatment of Kevin Rudd. |
12% |
18% |
6% |
14% |
| Voters aren’t benefiting from the strong economy. |
12% |
10% |
14% |
8% |
| The government looks sleazy because of Craig Thomson and Peter Slipper. |
4% |
5% |
3% |
8% |
| Some other reason |
8% |
12% |
3% |
11% |
| Don’t know |
3% |
5% |
1% |
3 |
* Based on those who agree the economy is good.
Respondents who thought the economy was doing well, thought the main reasons for the Government’s unpopularity were that voters don’t trust the Prime Minister (28%), that the carbon tax will increase the cost of living (17%) and that the economy is doing well for other reasons, not because of the Government (15%).
Both Liberal/National and Greens voters said trust in the Prime Minister was the key issue, while Labor voters were somewhat more likely to nominate anger over the treatment of Kevin Rudd.
28 May 2012, 280512, Finance, full-time work, household, income
Q. How would you describe the current financial situation of your household?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Total satisfactory |
43% |
53% |
39% |
49% |
| Total unsatisfactory |
28% |
27% |
30% |
17% |
| Very satisfactory |
7% |
12% |
3% |
15% |
| Satisfactory |
36% |
41% |
36% |
34% |
| Neither satisfactory nor unsatisfactory |
28% |
19% |
31% |
33% |
| Unsatisfactory |
18% |
18% |
19% |
10% |
| Very unsatisfactory |
10% |
9% |
11% |
7% |
| Don’t know |
1% |
1% |
* |
1% |
43% consider their current household financial situation to be satisfactory and 28% say it is unsatisfactory. 28% said it was neither.
Those most likely to be satisfied were full-time workers (49%) and those on incomes over $1,600pw (61%).
Those most likely to be dissatisfied were aged 45-54 (38%), not working (34%) and on incomes under $1,000pw (44%).
28 May 2012, 280512, holiday, new car, property, renovations, school fees
Q. In the last 12 months have you –
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/ Nat |
Vote Greens |
Financial situation satis-factory |
Neither satis-factory nor unsatis-factory |
Financial situation unsatis-factory |
Econ. good |
Neither good nor poor |
Econ. poor |
|
| Bought a house or other property |
10% |
10% |
12% |
11% |
15% |
8% |
6% |
11% |
10% |
9% |
| Bought a new car |
12% |
12% |
13% |
14% |
16% |
11% |
7% |
15% |
13% |
8% |
| Bought a used car |
17% |
17% |
17% |
22% |
18% |
15% |
16% |
20% |
12% |
17% |
| Renovated your current home |
17% |
20% |
16% |
18% |
23% |
15% |
9% |
22% |
17% |
11% |
| Purchased a major household item (stove, TV, Fridge, furniture etc.) |
39% |
42% |
40% |
45% |
47% |
35% |
30% |
48% |
33% |
35% |
| Taken an overseas holiday |
30% |
25% |
31% |
38% |
40% |
26% |
19% |
32% |
29% |
27% |
| Taken an Australian holiday |
45% |
47% |
48% |
48% |
61% |
43% |
25% |
51% |
44% |
41% |
| Paid private school fees |
12% |
11% |
15% |
8% |
13% |
14% |
7% |
16% |
7% |
11% |
| Bought shares |
13% |
11% |
16% |
16% |
16% |
17% |
5% |
13% |
11% |
15% |
| None of the above |
20% |
22% |
18% |
14% |
9% |
21% |
36% |
15% |
24% |
22% |
The most common major spending items over the last 12 months were holidays in Australia (45%), purchase of major household item (39%) and overseas holidays (30%).
Spending rate of those who consider their financial situation unsatisfactory was about half that of those who were satisfied for most items. Whereas taking an Australian holidays was the most common item of major spending for those satisfied (61%) and the neither group (43%), those who were dissatisfied were more likely to have purchased a major household item (30%).