Essential Report
Federal budget expectations
Q. The federal budget will be / was announced on Tuesday 11th In general, do you expect the federal budget will be good or bad for the following?
After Budget Announced
24 May’21 |
Before Budget Announced
10 May’21 |
|||||||
TOTAL: Good / Very Good | Neither good, nor bad | TOTAL: Bad / Very Bad | Don’t know | TOTAL: Very Good / Good | Neither good, nor bad | TOTAL: Bad / Very Bad | Don’t know | |
People who are well-off | 51% | 29% | 8% | 12% | 53% | 28% | 8% | 12% |
Big businesses | 49% | 32% | 7% | 13% | 51% | 30% | 9% | 11% |
Women | 40% | 33% | 15% | 11% | 34% | 36% | 18% | 12% |
Australian families | 39% | 33% | 17% | 11% | 38% | 33% | 19% | 10% |
Small businesses | 38% | 35% | 15% | 12% | 44% | 28% | 17% | 11% |
The economy overall | 38% | 35% | 16% | 10% | 41% | 33% | 16% | 10% |
Younger Australians | 33% | 34% | 21% | 12% | 31% | 35% | 23% | 12% |
Average working people | 33% | 33% | 23% | 11% | 32% | 32% | 25% | 10% |
People on lower incomes | 30% | 27% | 33% | 10% | 30% | 27% | 33% | 11% |
Older Australians | 29% | 33% | 26% | 12% | 29% | 28% | 32% | 11% |
You personally | 22% | 43% | 25% | 10% | 23% | 40% | 27% | 10% |
- More people now expect the federal budget will be good for women than before the budget was announced; those expecting it will be good / very good for women is now at 40% (from 34%).
- However, less people now expect it will be good for small businesses compared to before the budget was announced (38% from 44%).
- Less people now expect the budget will be bad / very bad for older Australians (26% from 32%).
TOTAL:
Good / Very Good |
Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | ||||||||
Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | TOTAL: Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||||
People who are well-off | 51% | 57% | 46% | 47% | 50% | 55% | 57% | 49% | 54% | 56% | ||
Big businesses | 49% | 55% | 43% | 47% | 45% | 54% | 53% | 49% | 54% | 50% | ||
Women | 40% | 47% | 34% | 36% | 40% | 45% | 35% | 58% | 24% | 27% | ||
Australian families | 39% | 42% | 36% | 36% | 38% | 43% | 31% | 57% | 31% | 28% | ||
Small businesses | 38% | 45% | 32% | 39% | 35% | 40% | 32% | 55% | 26% | 29% | ||
The economy overall | 38% | 43% | 34% | 35% | 37% | 43% | 28% | 59% | 26% | 29% | ||
Younger Australians | 33% | 37% | 30% | 34% | 30% | 36% | 26% | 50% | 22% | 23% | ||
Average working people | 33% | 37% | 29% | 33% | 31% | 34% | 23% | 52% | 18% | 22% | ||
People on lower incomes | 30% | 34% | 26% | 33% | 27% | 29% | 18% | 48% | 20% | 24% | ||
Older Australians | 29% | 34% | 24% | 35% | 30% | 22% | 21% | 43% | 22% | 23% | ||
You personally | 22% | 26% | 18% | 32% | 23% | 12% | 16% | 33% | 16% | 16% | ||
Base (n) | 1,100 | 539 | 561 | 341 | 379 | 380 | 369 | 410 | 105 | 112 | ||
- Men are more likely than women to expect the budget will be good / very good for women (47% to 34%). Men are also more likely than women to expect the budget will be good for them personally (26% to 18%).
- Those over 55 are less likely than younger cohorts to expect the budget will be good for older Australians (22% to 35% of those 18-34 and 30% those 35-54). This reflects how they are also less likely to expect the budget will be good for them personally compared to younger groups (12% to 32% those 18-34 and 23% those 35-54).
- 33% of Coalition voters expect the budget will be good for them personally. This is higher than Labor, Greens and those voting for minor/independent parties (16% respectively).

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