Australian economic issues, cost of living, national debt, unemployement
Q. Which Australian economic issue worries you most?
|
Total |
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote other |
|
| Unemployment |
11% |
15% |
9% |
16% |
6% |
|
| The cost of living |
56% |
63% |
49% |
46% |
70% |
|
| The current budget deficit |
6% |
1% |
14% |
5% |
2% |
|
| National debt |
5% |
2% |
12% |
2% |
5% |
|
| House prices |
7% |
6% |
7% |
9% |
6% |
|
| The high Australian dollar |
2% |
2% |
2% |
4% |
2% |
|
| Insecure employment |
7% |
9% |
4% |
15% |
7% |
|
| Don’t know |
2% |
1% |
2% |
2% |
– |
|
| None of these |
2% |
1% |
1% |
2% |
2% |
The majority of Australians (56%) selected ‘the cost of living’ as the Australian economic issue that worries them most.
At 11% ‘unemployment’ was the second most frequently selected.
Labor (63%) and Other (70%) voters were even more likely to select ‘the cost of living’. Lib/Nat (49%) and Green (46%) voters were less likely.
Females (63%) were more likely than males (50%) to select the cost of living. Those aged 65+ were less likely to select ‘the cost of living’ (50%), and were more likely to select ‘the current budget deficit’ (17%) and ‘national debt’ (12%).
13 August 2013, 130813, national debt
Q. Compared to other developed countries, do you think Australia’s national debt is higher, lower or about the same?
|
6 May 13
|
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Total higher |
25% |
25% |
15% |
37% |
18% |
|
| Total lower |
48% |
46% |
59% |
38% |
54% |
|
| A lot higher |
9% |
10% |
5% |
15% |
3% |
|
| A little higher |
16% |
15% |
10% |
22% |
15% |
|
| About the same |
18% |
19% |
18% |
19% |
7% |
|
| A little lower |
29% |
24% |
23% |
27% |
21% |
|
| A lot lower |
19% |
22% |
36% |
11% |
33% |
|
| Don’t know |
10% |
10% |
9% |
6% |
21% |
25% think that Australia’s National debt is higher than other developed countries and 46% think it is lower – 19% think it about the same. These figures are very similar to the results when this question was previously asked in May.
A majority of Labor (59%) and Greens voters (54%) think our debt is lower than other countries while Liberal National voters were split – 38% think it is lower and 37% think it is higher.
Those with higher levels of education were more likely to think Australia’s debt was lower – 20% of respondents with university degrees thought it was higher and 53% thought it was lower.
13 August 2013, 130813, national debt, reducing debt
Q. Do you think it is more important to reduce Australia’s national debt or to maintain government spending on services and projects?
|
6
|
|
Total |
Vote ALP |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Australia’s debt higher |
Australia’s debt about the same |
Australia’s debt lower |
|
| More important to reduce debt |
46% |
48% |
28% |
72% |
23% |
76% |
48% |
37% |
|
| More important to maintain spending |
40% |
35% |
51% |
20% |
60% |
18% |
32% |
49% |
|
| Don’t know |
14% |
17% |
21% |
9% |
17% |
6% |
20% |
14% |
48% think it is more important to reduce Australia’s debt and 35% think it is more important to maintain Government spending on services and projects. This represents a shift away from maintaining spending since this question was previously asked in May.
51% (down 10%) of Labor voters and 60% (up 1%) of Greens voters favour maintaining spending while 72% (up 5%) of Liberal/National voters think it is more important to reduce debt.
76% of those who think Australia’s debt is higher compared to other countries think we should reduce debt while 49% of those who think our debt is lower think we should maintain spending.
06 May 2013, 060513, national debt
Q. Compared to other developed countries, do you think Australia’s national debt is higher, lower or about the same?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Total higher |
25% |
17% |
33% |
19% |
| Total lower |
48% |
58% |
39% |
57% |
| A lot higher |
9% |
4% |
13% |
3% |
| A little higher |
16% |
13% |
20% |
16% |
| About the same |
18% |
16% |
19% |
18% |
| A little lower |
29% |
27% |
28% |
27% |
| A lot lower |
19% |
31% |
11% |
30% |
| Don’t know |
10% |
9% |
8% |
6% |
25% think that Australia’s National debt is higher than other developed countries and 48% think it is lower – 18% think it about the same.
A majority of Labor (58%) and Greens voters (57%) think our debt is lower than other countries while Liberal National voters were split – 39% think it is lower and 33% think it is higher.
There were no substantial differences by demographics.
06 May 2013, 060513, cut spending, national debt, raise taxes
Q. Do you think the Government should raise taxes or cut spending to reduce the national debt or should they do neither?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Raise taxes |
13% |
23% |
5% |
28% |
| Reduce spending |
55% |
34% |
74% |
40% |
| Neither |
20% |
27% |
14% |
20% |
| Don’t know |
12% |
16% |
7% |
12% |
In order to reduce debt, 55% think the Government should reduce spending and only 13% think they should raise taxes. 20% think they should do neither.
74% of Liberal/National voters think the Government should reduce spending compared to 40% of Greens voters and 34% of Labor voters.