The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Apr, 2012

    , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    Reason for Budget Deficit

    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%).

    Comments »

Error: