Q. When considering your Christmas gift spending this year compared with previous years are you likely to:
| Total | Gender | Age Group | |||||
| Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | |||
| Spend more than usual | 13% | 18% | 8% | 16% | 18% | 5% | |
| Spend roughly the same as usual | 48% | 51% | 46% | 42% | 45% | 57% | |
| Spend less than usual | 31% | 26% | 36% | 30% | 30% | 32% | |
| Not sure | 8% | 6% | 11% | 12% | 7% | 6% | |
| Base (n) | 1,071 | 539 | 532 | 339 | 374 | 358 | |
budget, coronavirus, covid-19, jobkepper surplus, Spending
Q. On which of the following would you prefer the Government use the $60B it has previously allocated to the JobKeeper program?
| Federal Voting Intention | |||||||
| Total | Labor | Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | |||
| Extend financial schemes supporting those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic (JobSeeker increases, JobKeeper and free early learning childcare) beyond their current end dates | 35% | 40% | 28% | 48% | 29% | ||
| Broaden JobKeeper scheme to include universities, migrant workers and employees of companies owned by foreign governments | 20% | 23% | 15% | 25% | 24% | ||
| Put money towards reducing national debt accumulate during the Covid-19 pandemic | 45% | 37% | 57% | 27% | 47% | ||
| Base (n) | 1,059 | 299 | 413 | 95 | 136 | ||
Budget Surplus, Federal Budget, Spending
Q. Do you think it is more important for the Government to return the budget to surplus as soon as possible – which may mean cutting services and raising taxes – OR should they delay the return to surplus and maintain services and invest in infrastructure?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | Vote other | ||
| Return to surplus as soon as possible, cut services, raise taxes | 18% | 12% | 28% | 7% | 16% | |
| Delay return to surplus, maintain services, invest in infrastructure | 65% | 75% | 59% | 81% | 67% | |
| Don’t know | 18% | 13% | 12% | 12% | 17% |
65% thought it was more important to delay a return to surplus, maintain services and invest in infrastructure. Those most likely to think this were Greens voters (81%) and ALP voters (75%).
18% it was more important to return to surplus as soon as possible. Those most likely to sat think were Liberal/National voters (28%), those aged 65+ (22%) and those earning over $104,000 (22%).
080413, 8 April 2013, bought a car, overseas holiday, purchase house, renovated home, Spending
Q. In the last 12 months have you –
|
28 May 12 |
Total 8 Apr 13 |
Vote ALP |
Vote Lib |
Vote Greens |
Financial situation satisfactory |
Neither satisfactory nor un- |
Financial situation un- |
|
| Bought a house or other property |
10% |
10% |
11% |
11% |
11% |
13% |
7% |
5% |
| Bought a new car |
12% |
12% |
10% |
15% |
12% |
17% |
10% |
5% |
| Bought a used car |
17% |
13% |
14% |
13% |
12% |
14% |
11% |
13% |
| Renovated your current home |
17% |
16% |
17% |
16% |
18% |
22% |
13% |
6% |
| Purchased a major household item (stove, TV, Fridge, furniture etc.) |
39% |
40% |
42% |
41% |
49% |
47% |
36% |
30% |
| Taken an overseas holiday |
30% |
34% |
29% |
35% |
39% |
44% |
24% |
21% |
| Taken an Australian holiday |
45% |
46% |
41% |
49% |
52% |
56% |
39% |
28% |
| Paid private school fees |
12% |
11% |
9% |
15% |
6% |
11% |
14% |
12% |
| Bought shares |
13% |
12% |
10% |
14% |
16% |
17% |
8% |
3% |
The most common major spending items over the last 12 months were holidays in Australia (46%), purchase of major household item (40%) and overseas holidays (34%). Spending results were similar to those recorded last May.
Spending rate of those who consider their financial situation unsatisfactory was about half that of those who were satisfied for most items. Whereas taking an Australian holidays was the most common item of major spending for those satisfied (56%) and the neither group (39%), those who were dissatisfied were more likely to have purchased a major household item (30%).
03 December 2012, 031212, Christmas, Credit Cards, Spending
Q. How much of your Christmas spending will you put on your credit cards?
|
5 Dec 11 |
3 Dec 12 |
|
| All or most of it |
23% |
26% |
| A bit more than half |
7% |
8% |
| About half |
9% |
7% |
| A bit less than half |
5% |
5% |
| Not much |
17% |
10% |
| None of it |
37% |
36% |
| Won’t be buying Christmas gifts |
na |
4% |
| Don’t know |
3% |
4% |
41% say they will put at least half their Christmas spending on credit cards – and a further 15% will put some spending on their credit cards.
Those most likely to use credit cards for at least half their spending were aged 35-44 (54%) and those least likely were aged 18-24 (18%). Those on higher incomes were much more likely to use their credit cards for Christmas spending – 55% of those on incomes over $1,600pw said they would put at least half on credit cards compared to only 20% of those on incomes under $600pw.
Entertainment, finances, Food and groceries, Gas and electricity, internet services, personal spending, Retail, Retail products, Spending, Telephone
Q. Compared to 12 months ago, are you spending more or less on the following –
| Total spending more | Total spending less | Spending a lot more | Spending a little more | Spending about the same | Spending a little less | Spending a lot less | Don’t know | |
| Food and groceries | 60% | 10% | 20% | 40% | 30% | 7% | 3% | 1% |
| Gas and electricity | 70% | 9% | 36% | 34% | 20% | 5% | 4% | 1% |
| Telephone and internet services | 38% | 11% | 11% | 27% | 49% | 9% | 2% | 1% |
| Entertainment such as cinemas and restaurants | 20% | 39% | 5% | 15% | 38% | 20% | 19% | 3% |
| Retail products such as clothing and electrical goods | 20% | 38% | 5% | 15% | 41% | 22% | 16% | 1% |
70% say they are spending more on gas and electricity and 60% say they are spending more on food and groceries. But they were more likely to be spending less on entertainment (20% more/39% less) and other retail products (20% more/38% less).
Perceptions of spending on food and groceries is similar across demographic groups. However, older respondents are more likely to say they are spending more on gas and electricity (80% of those aged 55+) and less on entertainment (46% of those aged 55+). For those aged under 35, 28% are spending more on entertainment and 34% less.
There is a similar pattern for spending on retail products – for those aged under 35, 27% are spending more and 32% less while for those aged 55+, 15% are spending more and 44% less.