Q. Please indicate whether – in general – you agree with the following statements about the Federal budget that was handed down on Tuesday 12th May.
| Total agree | Total dis-
agree
|
Strongly agree | Agree | Neither | Dis-
agree |
Strongly dis-
agree |
Don’t know | ||
| Overall, the budget is fair and balanced | 28% | 32% | 4% | 24% | 28% | 21% | 11% | 12% | |
| This budget does not do enough to reduce the deficit | 37% | 18% | 10% | 27% | 30% | 15% | 3% | 14% | |
| This was the budget Australia needs at this time | 28% | 31% | 4% | 24% | 28% | 19% | 12% | 14% | |
| This budget favours businesses over workers | 47% | 12% | 16% | 31% | 28% | 10% | 2% | 13% | |
| This budget fixes the problems in last year’s budget | 20% | 37% | 3% | 17% | 29% | 26% | 11% | 14% | |
| This budget is more about improving the Government’s popularity than improving the economy | 50% | 19% | 22% | 28% | 20% | 13% | 6% | 11% |
About half the respondents agree that the budget is “more about improving the Government’s popularity than improving the economy” (50%) and that the budget “favours businesses over workers” (47%). They were also more likely to think that the budget “does not do enough to reduce the deficit” (37% agree/18% disagree).
They were more likely to disagree that “this budget fixes the problems in last year’s budget” (20% agree/37% disagree) but split over whether the budget is “fair and balanced” or is “the budget Australia needs at this time”.
Q. Some people say that there is a “budget emergency” in Australia. Which of the following is closest to your view?
| Total
|
Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | May 2014 | |||
| I agree that there is a ‘budget emergency’ in Australia, and I believe that the recently announced budget changes will help bring the budget back into line. | 19% | 9% | 39% | 1% | 8% | 32% | ||
| I agree that there is a ‘budget emergency’ in Australia, but I don’t think the recently announced budget changes will help bring the budget back into line. | 32% | 34% | 32% | 26% | 42% | 24% | ||
| I do not believe we have a budget emergency in Australia | 30% | 40% | 19% | 54% | 31% | 32% | ||
| Don’t know | 19% | 17% | 10% | 19% | 19% | 11% |
Overall, 51% of Australians agree that there is a budget emergency – down 5% since this time last year.
19% agree that there is a budget emergency and that the recent budget will help bring the budget back into line – down 13%. 32% (up 8%) agree that there is a budget emergency, but that the recent budget will not bring the budget back into line.
30% (down 2%) do not believe there is a budget emergency.
Labor (40%) and Greens (54%) voters were more likely to think that we do not have a budget emergency in Australia.
Australian Government, budget, Finance
Q. The government is considering savings and taxing options to pay for the war in Iraq, lower commodity prices and its inability to pass savings from its May budget this year. Would you approve or disapprove of the following actions it might take?
|
|
Total approve |
Total dis-approve |
|
Strongly approve |
Approve |
Dis-approve |
Strongly dis-approve |
Don’t know |
| Higher corporate tax |
68% |
22% |
26% |
42% |
15% |
7% |
10% |
|
| Abandon its paid parental leave scheme |
56% |
31% |
31% |
25% |
17% |
14% |
12% |
|
| Cuts to tax concessions in areas like superannuation |
21% |
67% |
4% |
17% |
33% |
34% |
13% |
|
| Higher income taxes |
21% |
69% |
5% |
16% |
31% |
38% |
10% |
|
| Cuts to social services, health or education |
12% |
81% |
2% |
10% |
26% |
55% |
7% |
A majority approve of higher corporate tax (68%) and abandoning the paid parental leave scheme (56%) to pay for the war in Iraq, lower commodity prices and the Government’s inability to pass savings from its May budget this year.
A majority would disapprove of cuts to social services, health or education (81%), higher income taxes (69%) and cuts to tax concessions in areas like superannuation (67%).
26 November 2012, 261112, budget, infrastructure, NBN, surplus, taxes
Q. In order to keep to their commitment to return to surplus in 2012-13, which measures should the Government take?
|
Total |
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Increase taxes for big corporations |
59% |
70% |
51% |
65% |
|
| Reduce tax breaks for high income earners |
46% |
51% |
41% |
62% |
|
| Cut “middle class welfare” such as the Baby Bonus, first home buyers grant and Family Tax Benefit payments |
43% |
42% |
48% |
52% |
|
| Reduce defence spending |
38% |
40% |
33% |
70% |
|
| Postpone building the NBN |
27% |
18% |
42% |
14% |
|
| Cut spending on unemployment and disability benefits |
26% |
20% |
36% |
17% |
|
| Postpone other infrastructure projects like new roads and highways |
12% |
12% |
13% |
12% |
Measures most supported by respondents in order to keep the commitment to the 2012-13 budget surplus are increasing taxes for big corporations (59%), reducing tax breaks for high income earners (46%) and cutting ‘middle class welfare’ (43%).
Looking at the results by voting intention, the majority of Lib/Nat voters support increasing taxes for big corporations (51%). Labor voters are most in favour of increasing taxes for big corporations (70%) and reducing tax breaks for high income earners (51%). Greens voters are most inclined to support reducing defence spending (70%) and increasing taxes for big corporations (65%).
15 May 2012, 150512, 3Q Ep 12, AMWU, budget, Ep 12, Federal Budget, manufacturing, Paul Bastian
Paul Bastian welcomes the tax on mining profits and the Government’s continued commitment to manufacturing.
It’s no secret that the mining boom has pushed the dollar sky high and caused problems for manufacturers. But Paul Bastian believes the Government is right to be investing in the future and promoting maths and science.
He tells 3Q that innovation in manufacturing is the key to the future and it must be protected at all costs.
14 May 2012, 140512, budget, budget 2012, Budget Surplus, Federal Budget, Polling, polls
Q. Thinking about the Federal Budget – how much attention did you pay to this week’s Federal Budget?
|
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
|
| Total a lot/some |
66% |
53% |
52% |
54% |
| Total a little/none |
31% |
44% |
45% |
43% |
| A lot |
29% |
18% |
19% |
20% |
| Some |
37% |
35% |
33% |
34% |
| A little |
25% |
29% |
31% |
31% |
| None |
6% |
15% |
14% |
12% |
| Can’t say |
3% |
3% |
2% |
3% |
Just over half (54%) of respondents said they paid a lot or some attention to the Federal Budget. This is much the same as the corresponding figure of 52% for last year’s budget.
Those most interested were Liberal/National voters (61%), Labor voters (59%) and people aged 55+ (64%). Only 42% of respondents aged 18-34 paid a lot or some attention to the budget.
14 May 2012, 140512, Australian businesses, budget, Budget Surplus, Federal Budget, Polling, polls, working people
Q. Do you think the Federal Budget was good or bad for you personally?
Q. Do you think the Federal Budget was good or bad for average working people?
Q. Do you think the Federal Budget was good or bad for Australian businesses?
Q. Do you think the Federal Budget was good or bad for the Australian economy overall?
|
You personally |
Working people |
Australian businesses |
Economy overall |
|||||||
|
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2012 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
|
| Total good |
22% |
11% |
17% |
31% |
27% |
20% |
10% |
36% |
27% |
26% |
| Total bad |
26% |
29% |
26% |
24% |
32% |
25% |
43% |
28% |
29% |
32% |
| Very good |
3% |
2% |
2% |
4% |
3% |
3% |
1% |
6% |
4% |
4% |
| Good |
19% |
9% |
15% |
27% |
24% |
17% |
9% |
30% |
23% |
22% |
| Neither good nor bad |
33% |
44% |
44% |
33% |
9% |
31% |
29% |
10% |
25% |
25% |
| Bad |
18% |
21% |
17% |
19% |
22% |
19% |
28% |
18% |
21% |
21% |
| Very bad |
8% |
8% |
9% |
5% |
10% |
6% |
15% |
10% |
8% |
11% |
| Don’t know |
20% |
16% |
12% |
12% |
31% |
23% |
18% |
26% |
20% |
17% |
In terms of the economy overall there was a similar response to the 2012 budget compared to last year’s. 26% (down 1%) thought the economy was good for the economy and 32% (up 3%) thought it was bad.
44% of respondents thought the Federal budget was neither good nor bad for them personally – 17% (up 6%) said it was good and 26% (down 3%) bad. 28% of respondents aged 35-44 thought it was good for them while 38% of those aged 55+ thought it was bad.
31% thought it was good for working people and 24% thought it was bad. 35% of part-time workers thought it was good for working people.
43% (up 18%) thought the budget was bad for business, 10% (down 10%) good and 29% said it was neither.
14 May 2012, 140512, Bonus payments, budget, Budget Surplus, defence, dental health, Federal Budget, parenting payments, Polling, polls, super contributions
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the following parts of the Federal budget?
|
Total approve |
Total disapprove |
Strongly approve |
Approve |
Disapprove |
Strongly disapprove |
Don’t know |
|
| Reduced spending on defence |
48% |
43% |
14% |
34% |
28% |
15% |
10% |
| Increased spending on dental health |
87% |
8% |
30% |
57% |
7% |
1% |
6% |
| Bonus payments to low-income families with children at school |
60% |
33% |
16% |
44% |
20% |
13% |
7% |
| Returning the budget to surplus |
61% |
26% |
15% |
46% |
19% |
7% |
14% |
| Tightening eligibility for parenting payments for single mothers |
65% |
25% |
26% |
39% |
17% |
8% |
10% |
| Increasing tax on super contributions for people on high incomes |
60% |
31% |
28% |
32% |
20% |
11% |
9% |
Respondents were divided on reduced defence spending – 48% approved and 43% disapproved. Support for reduced defence spending was highest among those aged 18-34 (57%).
On all other items measured there was quite strong approval – in particular on increased spending on dental health (87%). Other items received at least 60% support – including 61% approval of returning the budget to surplus. 71% of Labor voters and 58% of Liberal/National voters approved the return to surplus.
Increasing tax on super contributions for people on high incomes was approved by 52% of those on incomes of $1,600+ pw and disapproved by 40%.