Important issues
Q. Which of the following issues are the most important for the Federal Government to address over the next 12 months?
|
Total |
|
Most import-ant |
2nd most import-ant |
3rd most import-ant |
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote Other |
|
| Improving our health system |
47% |
14% |
18% |
15% |
53% |
46% |
34% |
44% |
||
| Reducing unemployment |
37% |
12% |
13% |
12% |
38% |
33% |
30% |
43% |
||
| Reducing the budget deficit |
32% |
16% |
8% |
8% |
15% |
60% |
14% |
20% |
||
| Tax avoidance by big companies |
27% |
9% |
9% |
9% |
29% |
27% |
30% |
31% |
||
| Protecting workers wages and conditions |
24% |
8% |
7% |
9% |
34% |
16% |
10% |
30% |
||
| National security and terrorism |
23% |
8% |
7% |
8% |
16% |
35% |
6% |
32% |
||
| More funds for education |
23% |
6% |
8% |
9% |
26% |
14% |
30% |
26% |
||
| Housing affordability |
22% |
7% |
8% |
7% |
27% |
15% |
15% |
27% |
||
| Addressing climate change |
20% |
9% |
7% |
4% |
25% |
8% |
60% |
11% |
||
| Investing in public transport |
14% |
3% |
5% |
6% |
14% |
11% |
17% |
12% |
||
| Protecting the environment |
13% |
3% |
5% |
5% |
15% |
5% |
45% |
11% |
||
| Investing in roads |
10% |
3% |
2% |
5% |
6% |
15% |
4% |
12% |
||
| Free trade agreements |
6% |
1% |
3% |
2% |
2% |
12% |
5% |
3% |
The most important issues for the Federal Government to address over the next 12 months were improving our health system (47%), reducing unemployment (37%), reducing the budget deficit (32%) and tax avoidance by big companies (27%).
For Labor voters the most important issues were improving our health system (53%), reducing unemployment (38%) and protecting workers wages and conditions (34%). For Liberal/National voters the most important issues were reducing the budget deficit (60%), improving our health system (46%) and national security and terrorism (35%).
Reason for Budget Deficit
Q. The Federal Government is currently running a budget deficit, but intends to return to surplus with the budget for 2012-13 to be announced next month. Which of the following do you think has been most responsible for the deficit over the last few years?
|
Total 11/4/11 |
Total 10/4/12 |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Poor economic management by the Government |
23% |
28% |
7% |
48% |
7% |
| Big companies not paying their fair share of taxes |
17% |
16% |
28% |
5% |
28% |
| Lower tax revenues because of the Global Financial Crisis |
13% |
16% |
27% |
10% |
22% |
| Spending on big projects like the National Broadband Network |
14% |
15% |
14% |
17% |
10% |
| The cost of the Government’s GFC stimulus packages |
19% |
12% |
11% |
13% |
15% |
| Don’t know |
15% |
14% |
13% |
8% |
18% |
Overall, respondents believe the main reasons for the budget deficit are poor economic management by the Government (28%), big companies not paying their fair share of taxes (16%) and lower tax revenues because of the Global Financial Crisis (16%).
Since this question was asked 12 months ago, those blaming the Government for poor economic management has increased from 23% to 28% and those blaming the cost of the Government’s GFC stimulus packages has declined from 19% to 12%.
Labor voters were most likely to blame big companies not paying their fair share of taxes (28%) and lower tax revenues because of the GFC (27%) while Liberal/National voters blame poor economic management by the Government (48%). Greens voters tended to blame big companies not paying their fair share of taxes (28%).
Reason for Budget Deficit
Q. The Federal Government is currently running a budget deficit, but intends to return to surplus in 2012-13. Which of the following do you think is most responsible for the deficit?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Poor economic management by the Government | 23% | 5% | 43% | 8% |
| The cost of the Government’s GFC stimulus packages | 19% | 19% | 20% | 21% |
| Big companies not paying their fair share of taxes | 17% | 29% | 6% | 30% |
| Spending on big projects like the National Broadband Network | 14% | 8% | 18% | 10% |
| Lower tax revenues because of the Global Financial Crisis | 13% | 25% | 4% | 19% |
| Don’t know | 15% | 14% | 9% | 11% |
Overall, respondents believe the main reasons for the budget deficit are poor economic management by the Government (23%), the cost of the Government’s GFC stimulus (19%) and big companies not paying their fair share of taxes (17%).
Labor voters were most likely to blame big companies not paying their fair share of taxes (29%) and lower tax revenues because of the GFC (25%) while Liberal/National voters blame poor economic management by the Government (43%). Greens voters tended to blame big companies not paying their fair share of taxes (30%).
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Essential Report
Sign up for updates
Receive the Essential Report in your inbox.Essential Tags
Recent Comments
