Q. Do you think the Australian Government should be spending more or less on anti-terrorism measures or is current spending about right?

28% think the Australian Government should be spending more on anti-terrorism measures and 19% think they should be spending less – 36% think the current spending is about right.

Those most likely to support spending more were aged 55+ (40%), Liberal/National voters (39%) and those who had not completed secondary education (38%).

Those most likely to support spending less were aged under 25 (27%), Greens voters (37%) and those with university education (26%).

Q. Would you approve or disapprove of cutting funding to the ABC?

61% disapprove (including 32% strongly disapprove) of cutting funding to the ABC and 21% approve.

Those most likely to disapprove were Greens voters (85%), other voters (75%) and Labor voters (70%). Liberal/National voters were split 37% approve and 43% disapprove.

Those aged 55+ were a little more likely to approve  – 26% approve/60% disapprove. 28% of men approved compared to only 14% of women.

Q. If the Federal Government cut funding to the ABC do you think it would be because:

45% think that funding cuts to the ABC would be made because the Government needs to reduce overall spending and 28% think it would be because the Government doesn’t like the ABC’s news coverage.

Those more likely to think it would be because the Government doesn’t like the ABC’s news coverage were Greens voters (65%), Labor voters (38%), income less than $600pw (38%) and university educated (34%).

If “Reduce spending” or “both” –

Q. In which of the following areas should the Government reduce spending?

Of those who think spending should be reduced, 79% think spending on foreign aid should be reduced, 70% the arts, 65% private schools and 61% subsidies for business.

The areas least likely to be nominated for spending cuts were health and hospitals, public schools, pensions and roads.

Since this question was asked in August, the percentage thinking that spending on support for manufacturing industries should be reduced has increased from 32% to 43%.

Q. If the Liberal Party won Government at the next election, do you think they would increase or decrease spending on the following areas or spend about the same as the Labor Government?

Overall, respondents were more likely to think a Liberal Government would reduce spending on welfare support, the arts, the environment, foreign aid, pensions, public schools and universities. They were more likely to think they would increase spending on  border security, defence and subsidies for business.

Liberal voters thought a Liberal Government would be more likely to increase than decrease spending on public schools, manufacturing industries, pensions, public transport, health and hospitals, defence, roads, border security and subsidies for business.

Q. If the world has another GFC (Global Financial Crisis) and the Australian economy worsens, which of the following actions would be more likely to protect jobs and help the economy?

Respondents were more likely to want the Government to increase spending if there was another GFC.  Support for increased spending was strongest among Labor voters (62%), men (55%) full-time workers (53%) and people earning over $1,600pw (55%).

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Q. As far as you know, about how much of the Federal budget is spent on foreign aid?

27% think Australia spends 5% or more of the Federal Budget on foreign aid – 15% think it is 1% or less. The majority of respondents who gave an answer over-estimated how much Australia spends on foreign aid – the actual figure for the 2011-12 budget was 1.3%.

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Q. And do you think Australia spends too much or too little on foreign aid?

42% think Australia spends too much on foreign aid, 21% about the right amount and 16% too little. Opinions are strongly related to perceptions of how much is spent. Those who think Australia spends a higher % of the budget are much more likely to think the spend is too much.

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