20 August 2012, 200812, Carbon Tax, cost of living, goods or services, increase
Q. Since the carbon tax was introduced on 1st July, have you noticed any increase in the costs of goods or services?
|
Total 9 July |
Total 20 Aug |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Yes, have noticed an increase in costs |
31% |
52% |
34% |
68% |
29% |
| No, have not noticed any increase in costs |
54% |
36% |
54% |
21% |
64% |
| Don’t know |
15% |
12% |
12% |
11% |
7% |
52% say they have noticed an increase in the costs of goods or services since the carbon tax was introduced – up 21% from 31% recorded the week after the carbon tax was introduced – and 36% say they have not noticed any increase in costs.
Those most likely to say they have noticed an increase in costs were aged 35-54 (56%) and Liberal/National voters (68%).
09 July 2012, 090712, Carbon Tax, cost of living, goods or services, increase
Q. Since the carbon tax was introduced on 1st July, have you noticed any increase in the costs of goods or services?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Yes, have noticed an increase in costs |
31% |
23% |
40% |
17% |
| No, have not noticed any increase in costs |
54% |
69% |
43% |
77% |
| Don’t know |
15% |
8% |
17% |
6 |
31% say they have noticed an increase in the costs of goods or services since the carbon tax was introduced and 54% say they have not noticed any increase in costs.
Those most likely to say they have noticed an increase in costs were aged 25-44 (36%), Liberal/National voters (40%) and full-time workers (34%).
25 June 2012, 250612, Carbon Tax, cost of living, energy prices, fresh fruit and vegetable prices, Fuel Prices, grocery prices, Interest rates, unemployment
Q. And what impact do you expect the carbon tax to have on each of the following?
|
Increase a lot |
Increase a little |
Stay much the same |
Decrease a little |
Decrease a lot |
Don’t know |
|
| Energy prices |
67% |
26% |
4% |
* |
– |
3% |
| Fuel prices |
53% |
31% |
11% |
1% |
* |
4% |
| Grocery prices |
41% |
41% |
14% |
1% |
– |
4% |
| Fresh fruit and vegetable prices |
39% |
39% |
18% |
* |
* |
4% |
| Unemployment |
31% |
27% |
32% |
2% |
1% |
8% |
| Interest rates |
22% |
18% |
38% |
8% |
1% |
13% |
A majority expect that energy prices (67%) and fuel prices (53%) will increase a lot due to the carbon tax. 41% expect grocery prices to increase a lot and 39% expect fresh fruit and vegetable prices to increase a lot.
A majority of all demographic groups expect energy prices to increase a lot – even 48% of Labor voters agree.
Those most likely to think fuel prices will increase a lot were women (57%), aged 45-54 (60%) and Liberal/National voters (68%).
Those most likely to think grocery prices will increase a lot were aged 45+ (50%), Liberal/National voters (55%) and those on incomes under $600pw (47%). Opinions about fresh fruit and vegetable prices were similar.
58% also think that unemployment will increase and 40% think interest rates will increase because of the carbon tax.
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.
carbon pricing scheme, Carbon Tax, climate change, cost of living, Essential Report, Labor, Liberal, Polling, polls
Q. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the Government’s carbon pricing scheme?
| Total agree | Total disagree | Strongly agree | Agree | Disagree | Strongly disagree | Don’t know | |
| The Government has got the balance right in compensating households for a carbon price | 31% | 48% | 6% | 25% | 23% | 25% | 22% |
| A carbon price will lead to a big rise in the cost of living | 68% | 22% | 32% | 36% | 18% | 4% | 11% |
| The carbon price scheme won’t reduce our carbon emissions | 51% | 34% | 25% | 26% | 24% | 10% | 15% |
| There’s too much compensation for industry in the package | 33% | 32% | 9% | 24% | 26% | 6% | 35% |
| There’s not enough compensation for households in the carbon price scheme | 49% | 29% | 20% | 29% | 25% | 4% | 22% |
| Politicians should just get on with taking action on climate change | 59% | 27% | 23% | 36% | 15% | 12% | 15% |
| The cost of living increases are less than I expected | 26% | 52% | 5% | 21% | 29% | 23% | 23% |
| The cost of living increases are less than I expected | 46% | 33% | 14% | 32% | 21% | 11% | 22% |
| The government’s carbon pricing scheme won’t have much effect on me and my family | 25% | 57% | 3% | 22% | 31% | 26% | 18% |
| Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party are more interested in votes than tackling climate change | 54% | 32% | 31% | 23% | 17% | 15% | 14% |
These responses suggest that the main concern about the carbon pricing scheme is the cost of living increases. The statement with the highest level of agreement is that a carbon price will lead to a big rise in the cost of living (68% agree/22% disagree). Only 25% agree that the government’s carbon pricing scheme won’t have much effect on me and my family. And 26% agree that the cost of living increases are less than I expected.
The only positive aspect of the scheme is that 46% agree that the cost of living increases are less than I expected.
Regarding the opposition, 54% agree that Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party are more interested in votes than tackling climate change.
Australian economy, cost of living, economy, Essential Media, Essential Report, Federal Government, Greens, Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Polling, polls, State Governments, wages
Q. What do you think is the main reason for the increasing cost of living?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| The strong Australian dollar | 17% | 30% | 9% | 17% |
| Excessive company profits | 18% | 24% | 10% | 27% |
| Lack of competition | 14% | 18% | 9% | 24% |
| Economic management of the Federal Government | 28% | 8% | 51% | 9% |
| Economic management of State Governments | 6% | 3% | 8% | 6% |
| Wage increases | 4% | 3% | 4% | 3% |
| Don’t know | 14% | 14% | 8% | 14% |
28% believe that economic management of the Federal Government is the main reason for the increasing cost of living. 18% blame excessive company profits and 17% the strong Australian dollar. Only 4% said wage increases.
Most of those blaming the Federal Government were Liberal/National voters. Labor voters nominated the strong Australian dollar and excessive company profits while Greens votes said excessive company profits and lack of competition.