Australia's economy, Australia’s economy, economic management
Q Which party do you think is better at managing:
| Coalition | Labor | Neither | Difference (Coalition minus Labor) | |
| The economy to benefit big business | 53% | 22% | 26% | +31 |
| The economy generally | 40% | 31% | 29% | +9 |
| The economy to benefit small business | 36% | 35% | 29% | +1 |
| The economy to benefit older Australians | 32% | 35% | 33% | -3 |
| The economy to benefit people living in regional communities | 29% | 35% | 37% | -6 |
| The economy to benefit workers | 26% | 46% | 28% | -20 |
economic management, management of the economy
Q. How would you rate the government’s management of the Australian economy compared to how governments in other countries around the world have managed their economies?
|
|
Total
|
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote other |
|
May 2013 |
May 2014 |
Oct 2014 |
| Total good |
34% |
20% |
59% |
26% |
22% |
39% |
40% |
39% |
||
| Total poor |
30% |
46% |
9% |
45% |
39% |
32% |
31% |
28% |
||
| Very good |
7% |
5% |
14% |
– |
4% |
11% |
9% |
11% |
||
| Good |
27% |
15% |
45% |
26% |
18% |
28% |
31% |
28% |
||
| Neither good nor poor |
31% |
30% |
31% |
27% |
32% |
24% |
24% |
28% |
||
| Poor |
16% |
24% |
7% |
25% |
22% |
17% |
14% |
15% |
||
| Very poor |
14% |
22% |
2% |
20% |
17% |
15% |
17% |
13% |
||
| Don’t know |
5% |
5% |
1% |
3% |
7% |
5% |
5% |
5% |
34% of Australians rate the government’s management of the economy, compared to other countries around the world, as good.
30% rate their management of the economy as poor.
This represents a net decline from +11 to +4 since October.
Labor (20%), Greens (26%) and other (22%) voters were less likely to rate the government’s management of the economy as ‘good’. Liberal/National voters (59%) were more likely to rate the government’s management of the economy as ‘good’ – although this has dropped from 68% in October.
40% of those earning $1,600+ pw rate the government’s management ‘good’ and 44% of those earning less than $600 pw rate it ‘poor’.
Australia's economy, economic, economic management
Q. Which party – Labor or Liberal – do you think is best when it comes to:
|
Labor |
Liberal |
No Difference |
Don’t Know |
Difference (Labor v. Liberal) |
|
Difference May 2014 |
|
| Representing the interests of Australian working families |
48% |
17% |
25% |
11% |
+31% |
+27% |
|
| Representing the interests of you and people like you |
35% |
27% |
27% |
11% |
+8% |
+10% |
|
| Standing up for the middle class in Australia |
30% |
28% |
27% |
15% |
+2% |
+14% |
|
| Representing the interests of the large corporate and financial interests |
9% |
59% |
19% |
13% |
-50% |
-41% |
|
| Being more concerned about the interests of working families in Australia than the rich and large business and financial interests |
47% |
15% |
24% |
14% |
+32% |
+29% |
|
| Handling the economy overall |
23% |
37% |
27% |
14% |
-14% |
-14% |
|
| Handling the economy in a way that tries to take the interests of working families into consideration as much as it takes the interests of the large corporate and financial groups |
34% |
23% |
27% |
15% |
+11% |
+10% |
|
| Handling the economy in a way that best helps small business |
24% |
32% |
27% |
17% |
-8% |
-5% |
|
| Handling the economy in a way that best helps the middle class |
25% |
32% |
28% |
14% |
-7% |
+1% |
|
| Handling the economy in a way that helps you and people like you the most. |
32% |
27% |
27% |
14% |
+5% |
+8% |
Labor was more likely to be selected as the party best at all of the items, except for ‘Representing the interests of the large corporate and financial interests’ (59% Liberal, 9% Labor), ‘Handling the economy overall’ (37% Liberal, 23% Labor), ‘Handling the economy in a way that best helps small business’ (32% Liberal, 24% Labor) and ‘Handling the economy in a way that best helps the middle class’ (32% Liberal, 25% Labor).
Since this question was asked in May, the main shifts have been for “Standing up for the middle class in Australia “ (Labor down 12%), “Handling the economy in a way that best helps the middle class” (Labor down 8%) and “Representing the interests of the large corporate and financial interests” (Liberals up 9%).
17 June 2013, 170613, economic management, Education, environment, health system, party trust
Q. Which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?
|
Labor |
Liberal |
Greens |
Don’t know |
Difference 17 Jun 13 |
Difference 11 Feb 13 |
Difference 19 Nov 12 |
Difference 18 Jun 12 |
|
| Management of the economy |
28% |
46% |
2% |
24% |
-18 |
-15 |
-14 |
-18 |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children |
37% |
36% |
4% |
23% |
+1 |
+2 |
+5 |
-2 |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system |
32% |
37% |
6% |
26% |
-5 |
-3 |
-3 |
-6 |
| Protecting the environment |
19% |
24% |
34% |
22% |
+10 |
+18 |
+16 |
+17 |
| A fair industrial relations system |
37% |
34% |
5% |
24% |
+3 |
+6 |
+9 |
+6 |
| Political leadership |
23% |
42% |
5% |
30% |
-19 |
-8 |
-12 |
-16 |
| Addressing climate change |
19% |
26% |
26% |
28% |
– |
+5 |
+9 |
+7 |
| Controlling interest rates |
25% |
42% |
2% |
31% |
-17 |
-14 |
-11 |
-18 |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries |
30% |
37% |
4% |
29% |
-7 |
-3 |
-2 |
-6 |
| Ensuring a quality water supply |
19% |
33% |
18% |
31% |
-14 |
-6 |
-7 |
-12 |
| Housing affordability |
24% |
36% |
5% |
35% |
-12 |
-6 |
-5 |
-11 |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system |
28% |
39% |
4% |
29% |
-11 |
-6 |
-9 |
-10 |
| Security and the war on terrorism |
23% |
41% |
3% |
34% |
-18 |
-13 |
-15 |
-22 |
| Treatment of asylum seekers |
17% |
39% |
12% |
32% |
-22 |
-17 |
-18 |
-20 |
| Managing population growth |
18% |
37% |
8% |
38% |
-19 |
-12 |
-15 |
-19 |
Note – Differences are calculated by subtracting Liberal % from Labor % – except for the two issues on which the Greens lead in which case it is Greens minus Liberal.
The Liberal Party has maintained strong leads on management of the economy, controlling interest rates, political leadership, security and the war on terrorism, treatment of asylum seekers and managing population growth.
There is little difference between Labor and the Liberals on ensuring a quality education for all children and a fair industrial relations system. Since February, there have been significant shifts to the Liberals on protecting the environment, political leadership, ensuring a quality water supply and managing population growth.
06 May 2013, 060513, economic management, Labor Government
Q. How would you rate the government’s management of the Australian economy compared to how governments in other countries around the world have managed their economies?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Total good |
39% |
71% |
14% |
62% |
| Total poor |
32% |
4% |
58% |
10% |
| Very good |
11% |
26% |
1% |
18% |
| Good |
28% |
45% |
13% |
44% |
| Neither good nor poor |
24% |
21% |
24% |
22% |
| Poor |
17% |
4% |
31% |
6% |
| Very poor |
15% |
* |
27% |
4% |
| Don’t know |
5% |
3% |
3% |
6% |
39% think that government’s management of the Australian economy compared to how governments in other countries around the world have managed their economies has been good/very good and 32% think it has been poor/very poor.
10 April 2012, 100412, budget, Budget Deficit, Budget Surplus, deficit, economic management, GFC, Polling, polls, return to surplus, surplus, tax, tax revenues, taxes
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%).