Q8. Do you think Australians pay –
| Too much tax | 61% |
| Too little tax | 4% |
| About the right amount | 28% |
| Don’t know | 7% |
61% think Australians pay too much tax and 28% think Australians pay about the right amount.
72% of full-time workers think we pay too much tax but there were no significant differences by income level.
Labor and Liberal/National voters also gave similar responses. Comments »
Q9. Would you be prepared to pay more GST if it was:
| Yes | No | Don’t know | |
| Directly invested in hospitals and health services | 42% | 48% | 10% |
| Invested in aged pensions | 38% | 50% | 12% |
| Directly invested in vital infrastructure like roads and railways | 28% | 59% | 12% |
| Paid off all our national debt | 20% | 66% | 13% |
| Created a fund for Australia to invest in other countries (like China does) | 11% | 74% | 15% |
Respondents were most likely to support an increase in GST if it was directly invested in hospitals and health services (42%) and invested in aged pensions (38%).
However, those opposed to increasing the GST outnumbered those in favour for all options. Increasing GST to pay off national debt was strongly rejected (66%).
Labor voters were a little more supportive of paying more GST to invest in infrastructure (36%) and hospitals and health services (45%). Liberal/National voters were more likely to support increasing GST for investing in aged pensions (44%). Comments »
Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Education, environment, Health, Housing, Housing affordability, Interest rates, issues of importance, political leadership, tax, Terrorism, Water
Q. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election? (Number from 1 to 3 where 1 is the most important, 2 the second most important, etc)
| One | Two | Three | Total | |
| Management of the economy | 36% | 17% | 10% | 63% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 14% | 17% | 17% | 48% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 8% | 13% | 12% | 33% |
| Political leadership | 10% | 7% | 6% | 23% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 5% | 8% | 10% | 23% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 4% | 5% | 9% | 18% |
| Protecting the environment | 4% | 7% | 5% | 16% |
| Addressing climate change | 6% | 5% | 5% | 16% |
| Controlling interest rates | 3% | 6% | 6% | 15% |
| Housing affordability | 3% | 4% | 7% | 14% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 3% | 4% | 5% | 12% |
| A fair industrial relations system | 3% | 4% | 3% | 10% |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 2% | 4% | 3% | 9% |
63% of people surveyed rate management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 48% that rate ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system and 33% that rate Australian jobs and protection of local industries as one of their three most important issues.
10% rate a fair industrial relations system as one of their three most important issues that would decide how they vote in a Federal election and 9% rate security and the war on terrorism. Comments »
Australian jobs, climate change, economy, Education, environment, Health, Industrial Relations, Interest rates, Labor, Liberal, party best at, tax, Terrorism, Water
Q. Which party do you think is best at handling each of the following issues?
| Labor | Liberal | Labor margin | No difference | Don’t know | Labor margin Oct 09 | |
| A fair industrial relations system | 42% | 23% | +19% | 19% | 16% | +27% |
| Addressing climate change | 35% | 16% | +19% | 29% | 19% | +18% |
| Protecting the environment | 32% | 15% | +17% | 34% | 19% | +21% |
| Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 35% | 22% | +13% | 26% | 17% | +17% |
| Ensuring a quality education for all children | 32% | 20% | +12% | 32% | 17% | +17% |
| Political leadership | 36% | 25% | +11% | 23% | 16% | +20% |
| Ensuring a quality water supply | 24% | 17% | +7% | 38% | 20% | +13% |
| Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 27% | 21% | +6% | 34% | 19% | +10% |
| Ensuring a fair taxation system | 30% | 24% | +6% | 28% | 18% | +8% |
| Housing affordability | 23% | 19% | +4% | 38% | 20% | +9% |
| Management of the economy | 28% | 35% | -7% | 20% | 16% | – |
| Security and the war on terrorism | 18% | 25% | -7% | 38% | 19% | +2% |
| Controlling interest rates | 20% | 28% | -8% | 34% | 18% | – |
Labor has its strongest lead over the Liberal Party when it comes to a fair industrial relations system (+19%), addressing climate change (+19%) and protecting the environment (+17%). Labor trails the Liberal Party in terms of controlling interest rates (-8%), security and the war on terrorism (-7%) and management of the economy (-7%).
Since October 2009, Labor has lost the margin it had over the Liberal Party in some areas, most significantly in the areas of political leadership (-9%), a fair industrial relations system (-8%), ensuring a quality water supply (-6%).
Results followed party lines with Labor voters tending to favour the Labor Party and Liberal voters favouring the Liberal Party. Comments »