Q. Do you support or oppose the following Government decisions?

The decision which has the most support amongst respondents is the NBN, with 73% in favour and only 19% opposed – an increase in support since this question was last asked in November (from net +49 to net +54).

There is majority support from respondents for the MRRT, with 57% in favour of the tax and 29% opposed. However, this represents a significant drop in support since November – from net +41 to net +28.

Support for the carbon pricing scheme has declined a little since the last time the question was polled in November. Support has decreased from 46% to 44% and opposition increased from 44% to 46% – a change from net +2 to net -2.

Q. Do you support or oppose the following Government decisions?

The decision which has the most support amongst respondents is the NBN, with 69% in favour and only 20% opposed.

There is also a similar level of support from respondents for the MRRT, with 63% in favour of the tax and about a third of that amount of respondents (22%) opposed.

Support for the carbon pricing scheme has increased since the last time the question was polled on 2 October 2012.  On that occasion, 38% of respondents supported the carbon tax, whilst 48% were opposed.  The question this week, asked slightly differently in so far as being asked in the context of three Government decisions, nonetheless shows an increase in support for the carbon pricing scheme from 38% to 46% and a drop in opposition from 48% to 44%.

Respondents aged 65+ were the most likely to oppose the carbon tax (57%), the NBN (41%) and the MRRT (36%).

Respondents aged 18-24 were more likely to support the NBN (77%), as were those aged between 25-34 (79%).

Q. If the Liberal and National parties win the next election, should they repeal any of these Government decisions?

A greater portion of respondents believe that a Coalition government should repeal the carbon pricing scheme (45%) that those that believe they should not (37%).

A majority of respondents otherwise believe that a Coalition government should not repeal the NBN (63%), and a greater portion believe it should not repeal the MRRT (50%) compared to those that believe it should (24%).

Looking at the results by voting intention, Lib/Nat voters are also more likely to believe a Coalition government should repeal the carbon pricing scheme (72%), the NBN (30%) and the MRRT (44%).

Broken down by gender, male respondents (50%) are more likely than female respondents (39%) to believe that a Coalition government should repeal the carbon tax.  Conversely, male respondents were more likely to believe that a Coalition government should not repeal the NBN (66%) compared to female respondents (60%) and also more likely to believe that they should not repeal the MRRT (54%) compared with female respondents (47%).

Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the proposed mining tax (called the Minerals Resource Rent Tax) on large profits of mining companies?

51% approve the Government’s proposed mining tax and 29% disapprove. This represents a strengthening in support over the last 6 weeks (from net +18% to net +22%).

Labor voters (77%) and Greens voters (77%) strongly support the tax – but Liberal/National voters disapprove 50% to 35%.

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