05 February 2013, 050213, Coalition, Liberal Party, surplus, tony abbott
Q. Do you think that if Tony Abbott and Coalition win the next election, they will deliver a budget surplus in their first year of Government?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Probably will deliver a surplus |
19% |
10% |
31% |
14% |
| Probably won’t deliver a surplus |
60% |
74% |
52% |
66% |
| Don’t know |
20% |
16% |
18% |
20% |
60% think that if Tony Abbott and Coalition win the next election, they probably won’t deliver a budget surplus in their first year of Government and 19% think they probably will.
A majority of all demographic and voter groups (including Liberal/National voters) think the Coalition will probably not deliver a surplus in their first year if elected.
26 November 2012, 261112, budget, infrastructure, NBN, surplus, taxes
Q. In order to keep to their commitment to return to surplus in 2012-13, which measures should the Government take?
|
Total |
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Increase taxes for big corporations |
59% |
70% |
51% |
65% |
|
| Reduce tax breaks for high income earners |
46% |
51% |
41% |
62% |
|
| Cut “middle class welfare” such as the Baby Bonus, first home buyers grant and Family Tax Benefit payments |
43% |
42% |
48% |
52% |
|
| Reduce defence spending |
38% |
40% |
33% |
70% |
|
| Postpone building the NBN |
27% |
18% |
42% |
14% |
|
| Cut spending on unemployment and disability benefits |
26% |
20% |
36% |
17% |
|
| Postpone other infrastructure projects like new roads and highways |
12% |
12% |
13% |
12% |
Measures most supported by respondents in order to keep the commitment to the 2012-13 budget surplus are increasing taxes for big corporations (59%), reducing tax breaks for high income earners (46%) and cutting ‘middle class welfare’ (43%).
Looking at the results by voting intention, the majority of Lib/Nat voters support increasing taxes for big corporations (51%). Labor voters are most in favour of increasing taxes for big corporations (70%) and reducing tax breaks for high income earners (51%). Greens voters are most inclined to support reducing defence spending (70%) and increasing taxes for big corporations (65%).
29 October 2012, 291012, economy, job losses, public sector cuts, spending cuts, surplus
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the Government’s intention to return the budget to surplus this financial year, even if it means making more spending cuts?
|
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Total approve |
37% |
52% |
31% |
43% |
| Total disapprove |
43% |
32% |
54% |
35% |
| Strongly approve |
5% |
8% |
5% |
7% |
| Approve |
32% |
44% |
26% |
36% |
| Disapprove |
31% |
26% |
38% |
26% |
| Strongly disapprove |
12% |
6% |
16% |
9% |
| Don’t know |
19% |
17% |
16% |
23% |
37% approve of returning the budget to surplus even if it means spending cuts and 43% disapprove.
Labor voters (52%) and Greens voters (43%) are more likely to approve but 54% Liberal/National voters disapprove. There were no substantial differences across demographics.
02 October 2012, 021012, Federal Budget, important for individuals, important for the country, surplus
Q. Thinking about the federal government budget, how important do you believe it is for the budget to be in surplus…?
|
Total important |
Total not important |
Very important |
Quite Important |
Not very important |
Not at all important |
Don’t know |
|
| …for the country as a whole |
68% |
22% |
26% |
42% |
18% |
4% |
10% |
| …for you personally |
46% |
42% |
15% |
31% |
31% |
11% |
11% |
A clear majority of respondents (68%) regard having a federal government budget surplus to be important for the country as a whole, whereas a significantly smaller portion regard to be important for them personally (46%).
Forty two per cent (42%) of respondents believe having a federal government budget surplus was not important for them personally.
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
||||
|
Total important |
Total not important |
Total important |
Total not important |
Total important |
Total not important |
|
| …for the country as a whole |
59% |
31% |
78% |
16% |
58% |
34% |
| …for you personally |
39% |
49% |
59% |
32% |
28% |
65% |
Looking at the results by voting intention, Coalition voters were the most likely to regard a federal budget surplus to be important for the country as a whole (78%) as well as for them personally (59%).
Greens voters were the most likely to regard it as not important for them personally (65%).
10 April 2012, 100412, budget, Budget Deficit, Budget Surplus, deficit, economic management, GFC, Polling, polls, return to surplus, surplus, tax, tax revenues, taxes
Q. The Federal Government is currently running a budget deficit, but intends to return to surplus with the budget for 2012-13 to be announced next month. Which of the following do you think has been most responsible for the deficit over the last few years?
|
Total 11/4/11 |
Total 10/4/12 |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Poor economic management by the Government |
23% |
28% |
7% |
48% |
7% |
| Big companies not paying their fair share of taxes |
17% |
16% |
28% |
5% |
28% |
| Lower tax revenues because of the Global Financial Crisis |
13% |
16% |
27% |
10% |
22% |
| Spending on big projects like the National Broadband Network |
14% |
15% |
14% |
17% |
10% |
| The cost of the Government’s GFC stimulus packages |
19% |
12% |
11% |
13% |
15% |
| Don’t know |
15% |
14% |
13% |
8% |
18% |
Overall, respondents believe the main reasons for the budget deficit are poor economic management by the Government (28%), big companies not paying their fair share of taxes (16%) and lower tax revenues because of the Global Financial Crisis (16%).
Since this question was asked 12 months ago, those blaming the Government for poor economic management has increased from 23% to 28% and those blaming the cost of the Government’s GFC stimulus packages has declined from 19% to 12%.
Labor voters were most likely to blame big companies not paying their fair share of taxes (28%) and lower tax revenues because of the GFC (27%) while Liberal/National voters blame poor economic management by the Government (48%). Greens voters tended to blame big companies not paying their fair share of taxes (28%).
10 April 2012, 100412, budget, Budget Surplus, cutting services, Polling, polls, raising taxes, return to surplus, surplus, tax, taxes
Q. Do you think it is more important for the Government to return the budget to surplus by 2012/13 as planned – which may mean cutting services and raising taxes – OR should they delay the return to surplus and maintain services and invest in infrastructure?
|
Total 4/4/11
|
Total 28/11/11 |
Total 10/4/12 |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Return to surplus by 2012/13, cut services, raise taxes |
14% |
13% |
12% |
13% |
13% |
7% |
| Delay return to surplus, maintain services, invest in infrastructure |
69% |
71% |
73% |
73% |
76% |
81% |
| Don’t know |
17% |
15% |
15% |
13% |
12% |
12% |
12% support the return to surplus by 2012/13 if it means cutting services and raising taxes and 73% think the Government should delay the return to surplus and maintain services and investment. Support for a return to surplus has not significantly changed since this question was asked in November last year.
10 April 2012, 100412, budget, Budget Surplus, economy, NBN, Polling, polls, return to surplus, surplus, tax, tax breaks, taxes
Q. In order to meet their commitment to return to surplus in 2012-13, which measures should the Government take?
|
Total 11/4/11 |
Total 10/4/12 |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Increase taxes for big corporations |
63% |
67% |
81% |
55% |
80% |
| Reduce tax breaks for high income earners |
51% |
57% |
65% |
52% |
71% |
| Postpone major infrastructure projects like the NBN |
na |
41% |
29% |
58% |
19% |
| Reduce defence spending |
32% |
38% |
42% |
30% |
64% |
| Cut “middle class welfare” such as the Baby Bonus, first home buyers grant and Family Tax Benefit payments |
36% |
36% |
37% |
38% |
36% |
| Cut spending on unemployment and disability benefits |
21% |
23% |
18% |
32% |
12% |
| It does not need to return to surplus so quickly |
38% |
63% |
67% |
66% |
58% |
Overall, the most favoured means of returning the budget to surplus were increasing taxes for big corporations (67%) and reducing tax breaks for high-income earners (57%). Both these measures were strongly favoured by Labor and Greens voters.
Although support was less strong, these two measures were also two of the three the most preferred among Liberal/National voters – 58% think the Government should postpone major infrastructure projects like the NBN.
The main changes since this question was asked 12 months ago are increases in support for reducing tax breaks for high-income earners (up 6%) and reducing defence spending (up 6%).
Note, although 63% thought that the budget does not need to return to surplus so quickly, some of these respondents also agreed with some of the measures listed.
budget, Budget Surplus, ER, Essential Report, Federal Budget, Federal Budget Surplus, Federal Government, poll, Polling, surplus
Q. Do you think it is more important for the Government to return the budget to surplus by 2012/13 as planned – which may mean cutting services and raising taxes – OR should they delay the return to surplus and maintain services and invest in infrastructure?
| April 4 | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Return to surplus by 2012/13, cut services, raise taxes | 14% | 13% | 13% | 19% | 7% |
| Delay return to surplus, maintain services, invest in infrastructure | 69% | 71% | 76% | 68% | 82% |
| Don’t know | 17% | 15% | 11% | 13% | 11% |
13% support the return to surplus by 2012/13 if it means cutting services and raising taxes and 69% think the Government should delay the return to surplus and maintain services and investment. Opinions are unchanged since this question was asked in April.
No more than 19% of any demographic or voter group supported the return to surplus by 2012/13.