The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • May, 2014

    ,

    The Role of Government

    Q. Which of the following statements is closest to your view?

     

    Total

     

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Vote other

     

    April 2012

    An active Government is necessary to provide important public services, and to protect ordinary Australians from unfair policies and practices on the part of large financial and/or industrial groups.

    65%

    68%

    66%

    77%

    61%

    67%

    We don’t need big government and extensive regulation of business and finance to take care of these matters:  the market itself can deal with many of these issues on their own.

    17%

    12%

    24%

    6%

    19%

    20%

    Don’t know

    18%

    19%

    10%

    18%

    19%

    13%

    The majority (65%) of Australians believe that an active government is necessary to provide important public services, and to protect ordinary Australians from unfair policies and practices on the part of large financial and/or industrial groups.

    Just 17% agree with the counter point, that ‘We don’t need big government and extensive regulation of business and finance to take care of these matters:  the market itself can deal with many of these issues on their own’.

    There has been no significant shift in attitudes since the last time this question was asked in April 2012.

    Although Green voters were more likely to select the first statement (77%), the majority of Labor (68%) and Lib/Nat voters did so also.

Error: