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  • Sep, 2012

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    Groups better off under Labor or Liberal Government

    Q. Do you think the following groups of people would be better off under a Labor Government or a Liberal Government?

     

    Better off under a Labor Government

    Better off under a Liberal Government

    Makes no difference

    Don’t know

    Difference

    (Labor minus Liberal)

    Pensioners

    36%

    20%

    29%

    15%

    +16

    Unemployed people

    41%

    14%

    29%

    15%

    +27

    People with disabilities

    36%

    16%

    30%

    17%

    +20

    People and families on low incomes

    44%

    17%

    25%

    13%

    +27

    People and families on middle incomes

    26%

    33%

    28%

    13%

    -7

    People and families on high incomes

    11%

    54%

    21%

    13%

    -43

    Single parents

    39%

    16%

    29%

    16%

    +23

    Average working people

    32%

    27%

    28%

    13%

    +5

    Large corporations

    9%

    57%

    20%

    14%

    -48

    Banks and other financial institutions

    9%

    47%

    27%

    16%

    -38

    Small businesses

    21%

    37%

    26%

    16%

    -16

    Families with children at public school

    38%

    19%

    28%

    15%

    +19

    Families with children at private school

    14%

    44%

    27%

    16%

    -30

    Recent immigrants to Australia

    35%

    17%

    30%

    17%

    +18

    Farmers and other agricultural producers

    19%

    32%

    31%

    19%

    -13

    Respondents were substantially more likely to think the following groups would be better off under a Labor Government – unemployed, low income families, single parents and people with disabilities.

    They were substantially more likely to think the following groups would be better off under a Liberal Government – large corporations, high income families, banks and financial institutions, families with children at private schools.

    Groups better off under by Respondent Category 

    Respondent category (respondent or family member is in this category) Groups better or worse off

    Better off under a Labor Government

    Better off under a Liberal Government

    Makes no difference

    Don’t know

    Difference

    (Labor minus Liberal)

    Pensioners Pensioners

    41%

    25%

    26%

    8%

    +16

    Unemployed Unemployed people

    42%

    13%

    30%

    15%

    +29

    Have a disability People with disabilities

    44%

    18%

    31%

    8%

    +26

    On low income People and families on low incomes

    44%

    17%

    26%

    13%

    +27

    On middle income People and families on middle incomes

    25%

    37%

    27%

    11%

    -12

    On high income People and families on high incomes

    16%

    58%

    15%

    11%

    -42

    Single parent Single parents

    38%

    19%

    27%

    16%

    +19

    Working Average working people

    30%

    29%

    29%

    12%

    +1

    Work for a large corporation Large corporations

    11%

    57%

    18%

    14%

    -46

    Work for a bank or other financial institution Banks and other financial institutions

    23%

    45%

    16%

    16%

    -22

    Work for a small business Small businesses

    24%

    37%

    25%

    14%

    -13

    Self-employed or own a small business Small businesses

    24%

    40%

    20%

    17%

    -16

    Have children at public school Families with children at public school

    39%

    17%

    27%

    16%

    +22

    Have children at private school Families with children at private school

    21%

    42%

    22%

    15%

    -21

    Recent immigrants to Australia * Recent immigrants to Australia

    63%

    9%

    20%

    9%

    +54

    Farmers and other agricultural producers Farmers and other agricultural producers

    27%

    38%

    19%

    17%

    -11

    * small sample – less than 100

    This table shows groups affected mainly held views similar to the total sample. The main exceptions were that people with disabilities were more likely to think they would be better off under Labor, people working in banks/finance were more likely to think banks/financial institutions would be better off under Labor and people with children at primary school were more likely to think they would be better off under a Labor Government.

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