Longman poll shows income and company tax cuts unpopular
A large post-Budget poll of the division of Longman shows the proposed flat personal tax rates are rated as unfair and company tax cuts remain deeply unpopular among voters due to head to a by-election in the seat of Longman.
The Australia Institute commissioned ReachTEL to conduct a survey of 1,277 residents across the federal electorate of Longman on the evening of 10th May 2018.
Results:
- 2-Party Preferred: Liberal 53%, ALP 47%.
- 30% of respondents think the flat tax proposal is fair, 53.7% rated it unfair.
- Company Tax ranked last of 4 options for government spending with just 1.9% support.
- Public spending including health, education, infrastructure the most popular option with 43.5% support.
Question: The Turnbull government announced a package of personal income tax cuts in the federal budget, which, in 7 years’ time, will see individuals who earn up to $200,000 per year pay the same marginal income tax rate as people who earn $41,000 per year. Do you think that is…?
|
|
Total |
Female |
Male |
18-34 |
35-50 |
51-65 |
65+ |
|
Fair |
30.0% |
28.9% |
31.1% |
38.3% |
31.3% |
26.7% |
19.9% |
|
Unfair |
53.7% |
54.8% |
52.6% |
47.0% |
52.1% |
57.5% |
61.4% |
|
Don’t know / not sure |
16.3% |
16.3% |
16.3% |
14.7% |
16.6% |
15.7% |
18.6% |
Question: The personal income tax cuts package will cost $140 billion over 10 years. How would you prefer the government spend $140 billion?
|
|
Total |
Female |
Male |
18-34 |
35-50 |
51-65 |
65+ |
|
Personal income tax cuts |
19.2% |
19.4% |
19.1% |
26.8% |
22.5% |
14.5% |
9.3% |
|
Decrease the deficit and repay debt |
28.8% |
26.3% |
31.5% |
26.8% |
21.2% |
31.8% |
39.7% |
|
Spending on infrastructure and government services like health and education |
43.5% |
44.3% |
42.6% |
37.5% |
47.2% |
44.7% |
45.1% |
|
Tax cuts for companies |
1.9% |
2.6% |
1.1% |
2.6% |
1.1% |
2.5% |
1.3% |
|
Don’t know / not sure |
6.6% |
7.5% |
5.7% |
6.3% |
8.0% |
6.6% |
4.6% |
“The company tax cuts remains not just bad economics, but deeply unpopular,” Executive Director of the Australia Institute, Ben Oquist said.
“The economic evidence does not support large company tax cuts. Voters in Longman understand this too.
“On personal tax cuts, half of those polled think the proposal for a flat tax for incomes between $41K and $200K is unfair and less than 20% think personal tax cut should be a priority.
“The strong One Nation result in this poll shows they could be the difference maker in the by-election. Their position on the two key tax issues of company tax cuts for big business and flat tax for high income earners will be a major factor in the campaign,” Oquist said.