Essential Report
Likelihood of federal budget delivering outcomes
Q. How likely do you think it will be that the budget will deliver the following outcomes over the next few years?
TOTAL:
Quite likely / Very likely |
This budget
May’21 |
Last budget
Oct’20 |
Create jobs | 52% | 53% |
Help Australia recover from the economic impacts of Covid-19 | 55% | 56% |
Keep debt under control | 31% | 36% |
Create long-term problems that will need to be fixed in the future | 55% | 58% |
Place unnecessary burdens on future generations | 58% | 62% |
Base (n) | 1,100 | 1,082 |
- There is no significant difference in people’s views towards the likelihood of the federal budget delivering on the listed outcomes compared to last October.
TOTAL:
Quite likely / Very likely |
TOTAL:
Not very likely / Not at all likely |
Very likely | Quite likely | Not that likely | Not very likely | Not at all likely | |
Create jobs | 52% | 13% | 9% | 43% | 35% | 8% | 6% |
Help Australia recover from the economic impacts of Covid-19 | 55% | 16% | 11% | 44% | 29% | 10% | 6% |
Keep debt under control | 31% | 34% | 6% | 25% | 36% | 21% | 12% |
Create long-term problems that will need to be fixed in the future | 55% | 16% | 17% | 38% | 29% | 12% | 4% |
Place unnecessary burdens on future generations | 58% | 14% | 17% | 41% | 28% | 10% | 4% |
- Out of the budget outcomes listed, most Australians think it’s likely that the budget will place unnecessary burdens on future generations (58%).
- While 55% think it’s likely the budget will help Australia recover from the economic impacts of Covid-19, 55% also think it’s likely the budget will create long-term problems that will need to be fixed in the future.
- The budget is not expected to keep debt under control, with 34% thinking this is not very / not all likely.
TOTAL:
Quite likely / Very likely |
Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | ||||||||
Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | TOTAL: Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||||
Create jobs | 52% | 55% | 49% | 47% | 49% | 58% | 39% | 75% | 42% | 44% | ||
Help Australia recover from the economic impacts of Covid-19 | 55% | 59% | 51% | 52% | 53% | 60% | 46% | 76% | 47% | 40% | ||
Keep debt under control | 31% | 32% | 30% | 35% | 34% | 24% | 25% | 43% | 19% | 22% | ||
Create long-term problems that will need to be fixed in the future | 55% | 60% | 50% | 52% | 53% | 59% | 63% | 50% | 55% | 57% | ||
Place unnecessary burdens on future generations | 58% | 61% | 55% | 53% | 55% | 66% | 63% | 57% | 60% | 61% | ||
Base (n) | 1,100 | 539 | 561 | 341 | 379 | 380 | 369 | 410 | 105 | 112 | ||
- Coalition voters are more likely to think the budget will deliver on positive outcomes (i.e. create jobs, help Australia recover from Covid-19, and keep debt under control) than Labor, Greens and minor/independent party voters; They are less likely to think the budget will create long-term problems that will need to be fixed in the future (50% to 61% all other voters).
- However, Coalition voters are just as likely as these other voters to think the budget will place unnecessary burdens on future generations.

COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Essential Report
In this week's report:
- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Views towards re-electing the federal Coalition government
- Party trust to handle issues
- Importance of Australia’s international reputation
- Scott Morrison’s impact on Australia’s international reputation
- Views towards Australia’s international reputation
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