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  • Apr, 2013

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    Spending by a Liberal Government

    Q. If the Liberal Party won Government at the next election, do you think they would increase or decrease spending on the following areas or spend about the same as the Labor Government?

     

    Increase spending

    Decrease spending

    Spend about the same

    Don’t know

    Public schools

    22%

    30%

    33%

    15%

    Private schools

    28%

    27%

    28%

    16%

    Universities

    18%

    29%

    36%

    16%

    Support for manufacturing industries

    26%

    23%

    32%

    19%

    Pensions

    19%

    32%

    36%

    14%

    Welfare support

    12%

    45%

    28%

    14%

    Health and hospitals

    33%

    27%

    25%

    14%

    The environment

    11%

    39%

    34%

    16%

    Defence

    31%

    19%

    34%

    16%

    Foreign aid

    8%

    41%

    33%

    18%

    Public transport

    23%

    26%

    35%

    16%

    Roads

    26%

    22%

    36%

    16%

    Border security

    44%

    14%

    28%

    14%

    The arts

    7%

    40%

    32%

    21%

    Subsidies for business

    34%

    20%

    28%

    18%

    Overall, respondents were more likely to think a Liberal Government would reduce spending on welfare support, the arts, the environment, foreign aid, pensions, public schools and universities. They were more likely to think they would increase spending on  border security, defence and subsidies for business.

    Liberal voters thought a Liberal Government would be more likely to increase than decrease spending on public schools, manufacturing industries, pensions, public transport, health and hospitals, defence, roads, border security and subsidies for business.

  • May, 2012

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    Approval of Budget Items

    Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the following parts of the Federal budget?

     

    Total approve

    Total disapprove

    Strongly approve

    Approve

    Disapprove

    Strongly disapprove

    Don’t know

    Reduced spending on defence

    48%

    43%

    14%

    34%

    28%

    15%

    10%

    Increased spending on dental health

    87%

    8%

    30%

    57%

    7%

    1%

    6%

    Bonus payments to low-income families with children at school

    60%

    33%

    16%

    44%

    20%

    13%

    7%

    Returning the budget to surplus

    61%

    26%

    15%

    46%

    19%

    7%

    14%

    Tightening eligibility for parenting payments for single mothers

    65%

    25%

    26%

    39%

    17%

    8%

    10%

    Increasing tax on super contributions for people on high incomes

    60%

    31%

    28%

    32%

    20%

    11%

    9%

    Respondents were divided on reduced defence spending – 48% approved and 43% disapproved. Support for reduced defence spending was highest among those aged 18-34 (57%).

    On all other items measured there was quite strong approval – in particular on increased spending on dental health (87%). Other items received at least 60% support – including 61% approval of returning the budget to surplus. 71% of Labor voters and 58% of Liberal/National voters approved the return to surplus.

    Increasing tax on super contributions for people on high incomes was approved by 52% of those on incomes of $1,600+ pw and disapproved by 40%.

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