Between 4 and 7 October 2022, the Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,003 Australians about their understanding of the impact of poverty and their attitude to the appropriate level of income support. The results indicate an overwhelming majority of Australians support the principle that income support payments should keep people out of poverty.

• More than four in five Australians (80%) agree that income support payments should be set at a level that keeps Australians out of poverty, 14% disagree.
• More than nine in ten Australians (94%) with an income level of $20,000 or less agree that income support payments should be set at a level that keeps Australians out of poverty.
• Over four in five Australians (84%) agree that poverty is scarring, resulting in poorer health and life expectancy, compared to 9% who disagree.
• Over half of Australians (53%) agree that the experience of poverty has a positive effect on the formation of character, compared to one in three (35%) who disagree.