Priorities for upcoming Federal Budget
Q. From the options below, which of the following initiatives should the government prioritise in the upcoming Federal Budget in October?
Please select your top three choices with 1 being the top priority, 2 being the second top priority and 3 being the third top priority.
| Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | |||||||
| TOTAL: TOP 3 | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | Liberal + National | Greens | TOTAL: Other | |
| Build more affordable housing | 60% | 57% | 64% | 60% | 57% | 64% | 66% | 54% | 61% | 56% |
| Invest in renewable energy projects | 52% | 53% | 50% | 45% | 52% | 56% | 48% | 51% | 66% | 54% |
| Invest in large-scale infrastructure projects (e.g. roads, transport networks, ports etc.) | 48% | 51% | 45% | 37% | 47% | 58% | 41% | 59% | 26% | 55% |
| Extend JobKeeper and JobSeeker payments at current rate | 47% | 47% | 47% | 52% | 45% | 45% | 52% | 39% | 61% | 44% |
| Directly fund jobs in aged care | 41% | 36% | 46% | 35% | 37% | 51% | 41% | 41% | 35% | 44% |
| Establish a universally accessible early learning system | 27% | 29% | 25% | 38% | 31% | 13% | 29% | 24% | 33% | 27% |
| Fast-track tax cuts for higher income earners | 25% | 28% | 23% | 33% | 31% | 13% | 22% | 31% | 20% | 21% |
| Base (n) | 1,081 | 539 | 542 | 338 | 374 | 369 | 298 | 460 | 115 | 104 |
- Building more affordable houses was the most selected issue, with 60% rating this as a Top 3 priority for the Government in the next budget. Investing in renewable energy (52%), investment in large-scale infrastructure (48%) and the extension of JobKeeper and JobKeeper (47%) also rated highly.
- Fast-tracking tax cuts was considered a Top 3 priority for 25% of people.
- Coalition voters were more likely to select investment in renewable energy (51%) than the fast-tracking of tax cuts for higher income earners (31%) as a priority issue. Investment in large-scale infrastructure (59%), build affordable housing (54%) and investment in renewables (51%) were the most selected priorities among Coalition voters.
Federal budget priorities
Q. The Federal Budget will be announced on Tuesday 8th Do you think the Government should increase, decrease or keep spending the same for –
| Increase spending | Keep spending the same | Decrease spending | Don’t know | Increase spending May 2017 | Change since May 2017 | ||
| Health care | 67% | 25% | 3% | 5% | 62% | +5 | |
| Age pensions | 56% | 31% | 5% | 8% | 48% | +8 | |
| Education | 55% | 33% | 6% | 6% | 54% | +1 | |
| More affordable housing | 52% | 36% | 6% | 6% | 44% | +8 | |
| Assistance to the needy in Australia | 46% | 41% | 7% | 7% | 38% | +8 | |
| Protecting Australian jobs | 44% | 43% | 6% | 7% | 44% | – | |
| Renewable energy | 43% | 39% | 12% | 6% | 41% | +2 | |
| Public transport infrastructure | 41% | 44% | 8% | 7% | 47% | -6 | |
| Building highways, roads | 37% | 48% | 9% | 6% | 38% | +1 | |
| Scientific research | 36% | 48% | 9% | 7% | 37% | -1 | |
| Environmental protection | 35% | 44% | 15% | 6% | 30% | +5 | |
| Assistance to the unemployed | 33% | 44% | 17% | 6% | 22% | +11 | |
| Anti-terrorism | 31% | 51% | 11% | 7% | 32% | -1 | |
| Military/defence | 20% | 50% | 23% | 7% | 20% | – | |
| Assistance to businesses | 13% | 47% | 33% | 7% | 10% | +3 | |
| Assistance to the needy in the rest of the world | 12% | 33% | 48% | 7% | 11% | +1 |
The areas with majority support for increasing spending were health care (67% support), age pensions (56%), education (55%) and affordable housing (52%).
Since this time last year, the main changes have been increased support for spending on assistance to the unemployed (up 11%), age pensions (up 8%), more affordable housing (up 8%) and assistance to the needy in Australia (up 8%).
The areas with the highest support for decreasing spending were assistance to the needy in the rest of the world (48% support), assistance to businesses (33%) and military/defence (23%).
Federal budget impact
Q. In general, do you expect the Federal Budget, will be good or bad for the following?
| Total good | Total bad | Very good | Good | Neither good nor bad | Bad | Very bad | Don’t know | Total Good (May ’17) | Total Bad (May ’17) | ||
| People who are well off | 55% | 8% | 27% | 28% | 26% | 6% | 2% | 11% | 44% | 7% | |
| Australian business | 47% | 8% | 10% | 37% | 31% | 7% | 1% | 12% | 43% | 8% | |
| The economy overall | 35% | 19% | 6% | 29% | 34% | 15% | 4% | 12% | 21% | 24% | |
| Average working people | 24% | 29% | 4% | 20% | 36% | 24% | 5% | 10% | 12% | 35% | |
| Australian families | 23% | 31% | 5% | 18% | 33% | 24% | 7% | 11% | 14% | 36% | |
| People of lower incomes | 22% | 43% | 5% | 17% | 25% | 27% | 16% | 11% | 11% | 48% | |
| Older Australians | 20% | 24% | 5% | 15% | 27% | 28% | 12% | 12% | 10% | 45% | |
| Younger Australians | 19% | 28% | 4% | 15% | 41% | 20% | 8% | 12% | 11% | 33% | |
| You personally | 18% | 24% | 5% | 13% | 47% | 18% | 6% | 11% | 10% | 30% |
55% thought that the Federal Budget would be good for people who are well off (up 11% from last year’s budget). 47% thought it would be good for Australian business (up 4%), and 35% thought it would be good for the economy overall (up 14%). Less than 25% thought the budget would be good for any another group – although for each group, respondents were more optimistic than last year.
18% thought the Federal Budget would be good for them personally (up 8% from last year’s budget), and 24% thought it would be bad for them (down 6%).
Important budget issues
Q. Which of the following areas do you think is most important for the Government to address?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | ||
| More funding to schools and hospitals | 28% | 32% | 26% | 35% | 21% | |
| Supporting industries that create jobs | 22% | 19% | 29% | 13% | 25% | |
| Personal tax cuts | 17% | 16% | 18% | 11% | 22% | |
| Building infrastructure | 12% | 10% | 15% | 20% | 9% | |
| Fully funding the NDIS | 8% | 11% | 4% | 11% | 14% | |
| Don’t know | 13% | 11% | 9% | 10% | 9% |
28% thought that more funding to schools and hospitals was the most important area for the Government to address, 22% nominated supporting industries that create jobs and 17% wanted personal tax cuts.
Labor (32%) and Greens (35%) voters were more likely to prefer more funding for schools and hospitals while 29% of Liberal National voters nominated supporting industries that create jobs.
Budget Surplus
Q. How important is it that the Government returns the budget to surplus?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | ||
| Total important | 71% | 63% | 87% | 49% | 78% | |
| Total not important | 19% | 28% | 9% | 43% | 13% | |
| Very important | 31% | 21% | 47% | 8% | 38% | |
| Somewhat important | 40% | 42% | 40% | 41% | 40% | |
| Not very important | 15% | 23% | 7% | 33% | 11% | |
| Not at all important | 4% | 5% | 2% | 10% | 2% | |
| Don’t know | 10% | 9% | 4% | 8% | 9% |
71% thought that returning the budget to surplus was important. Those most likely to think this were Liberal/National voters (87% important), those earning over $104,000 (78%) and those working full time (76%).
19% thought that returning the budget to surplus was not important. Those most likely to think this were Greens voters (43% not important) and ALP voters (28%).
Budget Surplus or Spending
Q. Do you think it is more important for the Government to return the budget to surplus as soon as possible – which may mean cutting services and raising taxes – OR should they delay the return to surplus and maintain services and invest in infrastructure?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | ||
| Return to surplus as soon as possible, cut services, raise taxes | 18% | 12% | 28% | 7% | 16% | |
| Delay return to surplus, maintain services, invest in infrastructure | 65% | 75% | 59% | 81% | 67% | |
| Don’t know | 18% | 13% | 12% | 12% | 17% |
65% thought it was more important to delay a return to surplus, maintain services and invest in infrastructure. Those most likely to think this were Greens voters (81%) and ALP voters (75%).
18% it was more important to return to surplus as soon as possible. Those most likely to sat think were Liberal/National voters (28%), those aged 65+ (22%) and those earning over $104,000 (22%).
Federal Budget
Q. In general, do you think the Federal Budget, announced on Tuesday 13th May 2014 was good or bad for?
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Total Good |
Total Bad |
Very good |
Good |
Neither good nor bad |
Bad |
Very bad |
Don’t know |
| You personally |
13% |
52% |
3% |
10% |
31% |
29% |
23% |
4% |
| Average working people |
14% |
59% |
2% |
12% |
24% |
34% |
25% |
3% |
| Australian business |
36% |
23% |
7% |
29% |
32% |
14% |
9% |
8% |
| The economy over all |
40% |
32% |
11% |
29% |
23% |
18% |
14% |
6% |
| People who are well off |
45% |
16% |
16% |
29% |
33% |
11% |
5% |
6% |
| People on lower incomes |
11% |
66% |
3% |
8% |
18% |
27% |
39% |
4% |
| Australian families |
11% |
62% |
3% |
8% |
24% |
32% |
30% |
4% |
| Older Australians |
10% |
66% |
2% |
8% |
19% |
28% |
38% |
4% |
| Younger Australians |
16% |
55% |
5% |
11% |
25% |
22% |
33% |
5% |
More Australians thought that the budget would be bad for each of the group than thought it would be good.
The only exceptions were ‘people who are well off’ (45% good, 16% bad) and ‘Australian business’ (36% thought the budget would be good, 23% bad).
The areas with the highest ‘bad’ rating were ‘older Australians’ (66%), ‘people on lower incomes’ (66%), ‘Australian families’ (62%) and ‘average working people’ (59%).
Download the Essential Report for a voting intention breakdown of this question.
Federal budget: comparison to pre-budget expectations
Q. In general, do you think the next Federal Budget, to be announced on Tuesday 13th May 2014 will be good or bad for?
|
Pre-Budget |
Post-Budget |
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|
Total Good |
Total Bad |
Total Good |
Total Bad |
| You personally |
8% |
55% |
13% |
52% |
| Average working people |
9% |
63% |
14% |
59% |
| Australian business |
25% |
33% |
36% |
23% |
| The economy over all |
28% |
36% |
40% |
32% |
| People who are well off |
40% |
23% |
45% |
16% |
| People on lower incomes |
12% |
60% |
11% |
66% |
| Australian families |
11% |
59% |
11% |
62% |
| Older Australians |
8% |
67% |
10% |
66% |
| Younger Australians |
11% |
49% |
16% |
55% |
Perceptions of the how the budget will impact on each of these groups have not shifted dramatically from when the question was last asked prior to the budget.
The key areas of difference are listed below:
- Compared to prior to the budget, less people now think this that the budget will be bad for Australian business (33% before, 23% after).
- More people now believe that the budget will be bad for people on lower incomes (60% before, 66% after) and ‘younger Australians’ (49% before, 55% after).
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
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Two Party Preferred:
In this week's report:
- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Top Federal Government priorities for 2021
- Uptake of a Covid-19 vaccine
- Perceptions of change in the standard of living for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Changing views towards Australia Day
- Support towards a separate national day
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