corporate interests, EMC, ER, Essential Report, GST, online purchasing, overseas companies, voter interests
Q. Currently GST is not charged on on-line purchases of less than $1,000 from overseas companies. Would you approve or disapprove GST being applied to on-line purchases of less than $1,000 from overseas companies?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total approve | 18% | 17% | 22% | 19% |
| Total disapprove | 71% | 74% | 67% | 73% |
| Strongly approve | 6% | 8% | 6% | 5% |
| Approve | 12% | 9% | 16% | 14% |
| Disapprove | 23% | 22% | 25% | 19% |
| Strongly disapprove | 48% | 52% | 42% | 54% |
| Don’t know | 11% | 9% | 11% | 8% |
71% disapprove of GST being applied to on-line purchases of less than $1,000 from overseas companies and 18% approve.
Strongest disapproval is shown by women (74%), Labor voters (74%), Greens voters (73%) and age groups 35-44 (77%) and 25-34 (74%).
74% of online shoppers disapprove and 17% approve – while for those who buy online more often (more than six times a year) 80% disapprove and 12% approve.
corporate interests, EMC, ER, Essential Report, GST, online purchasing, voter interests
Q. Governments often need to consider the interests of a number of stakeholders when making decisions, including those of corporate interests. In general, do you think when governments make decisions, they –
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total favour corporate interests | 60% | 64% | 55% | 76% |
| Total favour voter interests | 9% | 4% | 14% | 2% |
| Very strongly favour corporate interests | 26% | 27% | 20% | 40% |
| Somewhat favour corporate interests | 34% | 37% | 35% | 36% |
| Balance the interests of voters and corporate interests | 19% | 21% | 22% | 15% |
| Somewhat favour the interests of voters | 5% | 2% | 9% | – |
| Very strongly favour the interests of voters | 4% | 2% | 5% | 2% |
| Don’t know | 12% | 12% | 8% | 6% |
60% of respondents think that governments in general make decisions in favour of corporate interests. 9% think they make decisions in favour of voter interests and 19% think they balance the interests of voters and corporations.
By gender – men split 56% corporate interests, 12% voters interests, 24% balanced and women 65% corporate, 4% voters, 15% balanced.
Q9. Would you be prepared to pay more GST if it was:
| Yes | No | Don’t know | |
| Directly invested in hospitals and health services | 42% | 48% | 10% |
| Invested in aged pensions | 38% | 50% | 12% |
| Directly invested in vital infrastructure like roads and railways | 28% | 59% | 12% |
| Paid off all our national debt | 20% | 66% | 13% |
| Created a fund for Australia to invest in other countries (like China does) | 11% | 74% | 15% |
Respondents were most likely to support an increase in GST if it was directly invested in hospitals and health services (42%) and invested in aged pensions (38%).
However, those opposed to increasing the GST outnumbered those in favour for all options. Increasing GST to pay off national debt was strongly rejected (66%).
Labor voters were a little more supportive of paying more GST to invest in infrastructure (36%) and hospitals and health services (45%). Liberal/National voters were more likely to support increasing GST for investing in aged pensions (44%). Comments »