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Budget and cuts to spending

12 Apr 2010

 Q. If cost savings need to be made in the budget, in which area should spending cuts be made?

  %
Defence and national security 20%
Social security and welfare 15%
Industry and employment 7%
Community services 6%
Infrastructure, transport and energy 4%
Health 3%
Education 2%
None of these 32%
Don’t know 11%

20% of people think that if savings need to be made in the budget, cuts should be made to defence and national security, 15% think cuts should be made to social security and welfare and 7% think that cuts should be made to industry and employment. There is little support for cuts to health (3%) or education (2%).  32% think that cuts should be made to none of the areas listed. 

Green (38%) and Labor (25%) voters were more likely to support cuts to defence and national security.  Coalition voters were more likely to support cuts to social security and welfare (20%) and community services (9%).

People aged 18 – 24 (28%) year olds and 25 – 34 (26%) were more likely to support cuts to defence and national security.   

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