Private Health Insurance Rebate
Q. The Government proposes to means test the private health insurance rebate, with reductions beginning for a single person earning more than $80,000 or families on $160,000. Singles earning more than $124,000 and families on more than $248,000 will not receive any of the rebate. Do you support or oppose means testing the heath insurance rebate for people on higher incomes?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Income less than $31,200 | Income $31,200-$51,999 | Income $52,000-$83,199 | Income $83,200+ | |||
| Total support | 53% | 76% | 38% | 65% | 67% | 63% | 59% | 45% | ||
| Total oppose | 33% | 13% | 51% | 19% | 17% | 23% | 28% | 46% | ||
| Strongly support | 22% | 46% | 8% | 22% | 33% | 23% | 23% | 21% | ||
| Support | 31% | 30% | 30% | 43% | 34% | 40% | 36% | 24% | ||
| Oppose | 15% | 9% | 21% | 13% | 10% | 12% | 14% | 19% | ||
| Strongly oppose | 18% | 4% | 30% | 6% | 7% | 11% | 14% | 27% | ||
| Don’t know | 14% | 11% | 11% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 12% | 10% |
The majority of respondents support the means test on the private health insurance rebate for people on higher incomes (53%), with 33% opposed to the reform.
Those on low incomes of less than $31,200 per annum are the most likely to be in favour of the reform, with 67% supporting the means test. Conversely, those on higher incomes (earning $83,200+ per annum) are the most likely to oppose the means test, with 46% against it and 45% in favour of it.
Looking at the results by voting intention, those most likely to be against the reform are Coalition voters with the majority opposing the means test (51%), whilst Labor voters are the most likely to be in favour of it (76%). Greens voters trail 11 points behind Labor in favour of the reform at 65%.
Approval of Healthcare Agreement
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the recent agreement between the Federal and State Governments for the Federal Government to provide 50% of growth funding for Australia’s healthcare system?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total approve | 67% | 81% | 62% | 74% |
| Total disapprove | 9% | 4% | 15% | 4% |
| Strongly approve | 18% | 31% | 10% | 25% |
| Approve | 49% | 50% | 52% | 49% |
| Disapprove | 6% | 4% | 10% | 3% |
| Strongly disapprove | 3% | * | 5% | 1% |
| Don’t know | 24% | 15% | 24% | 21% |
Two-thirds of respondents approved of the recent agreement between the Federal and State Governments for the Federal Government to provide 50% of growth funding for Australia’s healthcare system and only 9% disapproved. All voter groups showed strong majority approval.
Older people were more supportive than younger people – 71% of those aged 55+ approved compared to 60% of those aged under 18-35. By state, Victoria had the highest approval at 72%.
Impact of Healthcare Agreement
Q. Do you think this funding agreement will result in a better or a worse healthcare system or will it make no difference?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total better | 49% | 67% | 39% | 65% |
| Total worse/no difference | 34% | 20% | 49% | 20% |
| A lot better | 8% | 16% | 4% | 8% |
| A little better | 41% | 51% | 35% | 57% |
| Make no difference | 28% | 19% | 38% | 18% |
| A little worse | 3% | 1% | 5% | 1% |
| A lot worse | 3% | * | 6% | 1% |
| Don’t know | 16% | 13% | 12% | 16% |
About half the respondents thought the agreement will result in a better healthcare system. Two thirds of Labor and Greens voters thought it would result in a better system but Liberal/National voters were more likely to think it would make no difference or be worse.
Although showing higher approval of the agreement, older people were more likely to think it would make no difference or be worse – those aged 45+ were split 49% better/40% no difference or worse compared to aged 18-44 at 50% better/29% no difference or worse.
Essential Report
Two Party Preferred: 14 May 2019
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