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Level of taxation
Q. Do you think the current level of taxation is enough for the Government to fund services such as the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) and the Gonski education reforms or will taxes need to increase to pay for them?
Total
Vote Labor
Vote Lib/Nat
Vote Greens
Vote other
Current level of taxation is enough 47%
52%
48%
31%
50%
Taxes will need to increase 33%
28%
39%
43%
32%
Don’t know 20%
20%
13%
26%
18%
47% think the current level of taxation is enough for the Government to fund services such as the NDIS and the Gonski education reforms and 33% think taxes will need to increase.
Those more likely to think taxes will need to increase were Liberal/National voters (39%), Greens voters (43%), aged 55+ (43%) and incomes over $1,600pw (39%).
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30 July 2012, 300712, asylum seekers, climate change, economy, Education, Election Issues, environment, healthy system, Housing affordability, Industrial Relations, Interest rates, local industries, political leadership, population growth, taxation, Terrorism, water supply
Important election issues
Q. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election?
First
Second
Third
Total
30 Jul 12
5 Dec 11
6 June 11
25 Jan 10
Management of the economy 38%
16%
10%
64%
62%
61%
63%
Ensuring a quality education for all children 5%
10%
11%
26%
22%
26%
23%
Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system 10%
19%
18%
47%
47%
49%
48%
Protecting the environment 3%
4%
4%
11%
13%
15%
16%
A fair industrial relations system 4%
3%
5%
12%
11%
8%
*
Political leadership 11%
7%
7%
25%
18%
17%
23%
Addressing climate change 3%
3%
3%
9%
10%
15%
16%
Controlling interest rates 2%
2%
5%
9%
11%
13%
15%
Australian jobs and protection of local industries 13%
15%
13%
41%
36%
32%
33%
Ensuring a quality water supply *
1%
2%
3%
4%
5%
12%
Housing affordability 3%
5%
5%
13%
13%
16%
14%
Ensuring a fair taxation system 4%
7%
7%
18%
16%
17%
14%
Security and the war on terrorism 1%
1%
3%
5%
4%
8%
9%
Treatment of asylum seekers 3%
4%
3%
10%
8%
5%
*
Managing population growth 2%
3%
3%
8%
8%
12%
*
*Not asked
64% of people surveyed rated management of the economy as one of their three most important issues, followed by 47% ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system and 41% Australian jobs and protection of local industries.
Since December, there has been an increase in the importance of political leadership (+7%), Australian jobs and protection of local industries (+5%) and ensuring a quality education for all children (+4%).
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approach to asylum seekers, asylum seekers, climate change, Election Issues, Essential Report, fair industrial relations system, federal politics, Greens, Labor, Liberal, management of the economy, Nationals, political leadership, Polling, polls, population growth, protecting the environment, quality education for all children, quality of Australia’s health system, Security, taxation
Important election issues
Q. Which are the three most important issues in deciding how you would vote at a Federal election?
Total Labor Liberal/ National Green Management of the economy 61% 60% 76% 28% Ensuring a quality education for all children 26% 29% 24% 27% Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system 49% 50% 50% 51% Protecting the environment 15% 17% 10% 52% A fair industrial relations system 8% 12% 4% 4% Political leadership 17% 16% 20% 16% Addressing climate change 15% 23% 6% 45% Controlling interest rates 13% 15% 13% 6% Australian jobs and protection of local industries 32% 28% 36% 12% Ensuring a quality water supply 5% 5% 3% 7% Housing affordability 16% 16% 13% 16% Ensuring a fair taxation system 17% 14% 19% 16% Security and the war on terrorism 8% 4% 13% 1% Treatment of asylum seekers 5% 3% 5% 12% Managing population growth 12% 12% 12% 9% There were few substantial differences between voters on issues they considered important. Compared to the average, Labor voters are more likely to rate addressing climate change (23%) as important.
Liberal/National voters attach more importance to management of the economy (76%) and security and the war on terrorism (13%) while Greens voters are more likely to nominate protecting the environment (52%), addressing climate change (45%) and treatment of asylum seekers (12%).
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economic issues, economy, inflation, Interest rates, pension, petrol prices, superannuation, taxation, unemployment
Concern Regarding National Economic Issues
Q. How concerned are you personally about each of the following economic issues facing Australia today?
The issues that most people are very concerned about include food prices and inflation generally (55%), jobs going overseas (49%) and executive salaries (48%). A significant number of people are very concerned about petrol and energy prices (45%) and affordability of housing (41%).
Coalition voters were more likely to be very concerned about food prices and inflation generally (60%), jobs going overseas (57%) and Government debt (54%). Labor voters were more likely to be very concerned about executive wages (54%) and improving wages for low income earners (32%).
Females were more likely than males to be very concerned on most issues, in particular food prices and inflation generally (66% v 45%), improving wages for low income earners (34% v 22%) and unemployment (33% v 25%).