14 May 2012, 140512, Bonus payments, budget, Budget Surplus, defence, dental health, Federal Budget, parenting payments, Polling, polls, super contributions
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the following parts of the Federal budget?
|
Total approve |
Total disapprove |
Strongly approve |
Approve |
Disapprove |
Strongly disapprove |
Don’t know |
|
| Reduced spending on defence |
48% |
43% |
14% |
34% |
28% |
15% |
10% |
| Increased spending on dental health |
87% |
8% |
30% |
57% |
7% |
1% |
6% |
| Bonus payments to low-income families with children at school |
60% |
33% |
16% |
44% |
20% |
13% |
7% |
| Returning the budget to surplus |
61% |
26% |
15% |
46% |
19% |
7% |
14% |
| Tightening eligibility for parenting payments for single mothers |
65% |
25% |
26% |
39% |
17% |
8% |
10% |
| Increasing tax on super contributions for people on high incomes |
60% |
31% |
28% |
32% |
20% |
11% |
9% |
Respondents were divided on reduced defence spending – 48% approved and 43% disapproved. Support for reduced defence spending was highest among those aged 18-34 (57%).
On all other items measured there was quite strong approval – in particular on increased spending on dental health (87%). Other items received at least 60% support – including 61% approval of returning the budget to surplus. 71% of Labor voters and 58% of Liberal/National voters approved the return to surplus.
Increasing tax on super contributions for people on high incomes was approved by 52% of those on incomes of $1,600+ pw and disapproved by 40%.