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Government Decisions and Policies

29 Aug 2011

Q. Thinking about what the Labor Government has done over the last few years, do you approve or disapprove of the following Government actions?

Total approve Total disapprove Strongly approve Approve Disapprove Strongly disapprove Don’t know
Increased funding of health services 89% 5% 42% 47% 3% 2% 6%
Increasing the age pension 78% 14% 34% 44% 8% 6% 8%
Increasing superannuation to 12% 75% 13% 28% 47% 9% 4% 12%
Managing the economy to keep unemployment and interest rates low 70% 21% 21% 49% 12% 9% 10%
Spending on new school buildings 68% 24% 19% 49% 15% 9% 8%
Introducing a national disability insurance scheme 63% 13% 18% 45% 9% 4% 24%
Stimulus spending to tackle the GFC 61% 28% 21% 40% 15% 13% 11%
Paid parental leave 60% 30% 19% 41% 17% 13% 10%
Introducing a tax on large profits of mining companies 58% 29% 27% 31% 16% 13% 13%
Building the NBN (National Broadband Network) 54% 34% 19% 35% 17% 17% 12%
Stopping live cattle exports until welfare concerns were addressed 53% 34% 24% 29% 17% 17% 12%
Abolished WorkChoices 51% 33% 23% 28% 21% 12% 16%
Sending asylum seekers to Malaysia 39% 45% 17% 22% 20% 25% 16%
Introducing a carbon tax to tackle climate change 33% 53% 15% 18% 14% 39% 14%

Government decisions and policies with highest approval were increased funding of health services (89% approve), increasing the age pension (78%) and increasing superannuation to 12% (75%).

Only two of the actions listed received less than majority approval – sending asylum seekers to Malaysia was 39% approve/45% disapprove and introducing a carbon tax to tackle climate change was 33% approve/53% disapprove.

Labor voters showed majority approval of all decisions and policies, Greens voters showed majority approval for all except sending asylum seekers to Malaysia (21% approve/63% disapprove).

Liberal/National voters approved of half the items listed – increased funding of health services (89% approve), increasing the age pension (79%), increasing superannuation to 12% (71%), managing the economy to keep unemployment and interest rates low (54%), spending on new school buildings (54%), introducing a national disability insurance scheme (60%) and paid parental leave (52%).

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