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Statements about the budget

19 May 2015

Q. Please indicate whether – in general – you agree with the following statements about the Federal budget that was handed down on Tuesday 12th May.

  Total agree Total dis-

agree

 

  Strongly agree Agree Neither Dis-

agree

Strongly dis-

agree

Don’t know
Overall, the budget is fair and balanced 28% 32% 4% 24% 28% 21% 11% 12%
This budget does not do enough to reduce the deficit 37% 18% 10% 27% 30% 15% 3% 14%
This was the budget Australia needs at this time 28% 31% 4% 24% 28% 19% 12% 14%
This budget favours businesses over workers 47% 12% 16% 31% 28% 10% 2% 13%
This budget fixes the problems in last year’s budget 20% 37% 3% 17% 29% 26% 11% 14%
This budget is more about improving the Government’s popularity than improving the economy 50% 19% 22% 28% 20% 13% 6% 11%

About half the respondents agree that the budget is “more about improving the Government’s popularity than improving the economy” (50%) and that the budget “favours businesses over workers” (47%). They were also more likely to think that the budget “does not do enough to reduce the deficit” (37% agree/18% disagree).

They were more likely to disagree that “this budget fixes the problems in last year’s budget” (20% agree/37% disagree) but split over whether the budget is “fair and balanced” or is “the budget Australia needs at this time”.

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