Australians think Federal Budget 2014 is the worst in a very, very long time, according to this graphic
AUSSIES say the LNP’s Budget is the worst in a very long time. When was the last time a government’s finances were hated so much?
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IT’S a total stinker and it’s been a long time since we’ve seen anything like it.
Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey have today copped a massive spanking from voters for their first Budget, with the government’s plans savaged in two opinion polls released today.
As you can see below, no recent Budget comes close to how unpopular it is.
Mr Abbott defended the measures this morning suggesting that the Howard government ‘also took a hit’ in the polls after its tough 1996 budget, which included large cuts to public spending.
But Howard’s budget was actually the best received budget since 1987 and boosted the Coalition’s primary vote by three percentage points.
According to the first post-budget Newspoll in August 1996, about 61 per cent of voters believed the budget would be good for the economy, despite three-quarters of voters believing they would be worse off.
Mr Howard also led opposition leader Kim Beazley as preferred prime minister 53-24.
In contrast, the Abbott government’s budget has seen Labor surge ahead in the polls — which is certain to make many Coalition MPs very nervous.
According to Newspoll, nearly half of voters said the measures will be lousy for the economy, and more than 60 per cent told a separate Nielsen survey the Budget was unfair.
The Budget included several broken election promises, $7 fees for visiting a GP and the prospect of a large debt hangover for uni students.
The widespread anger to the latest Budget, is nothing like the reaction then-treasurer Peter Costello got when he introduced his “tough budget” in 1996.
Some 47 per cent of voters were satisfied with that, according to August 1996 Nielsen figures.
Australians weren’t horrified at Mr Costello’s last effort in 2007 either.
Instead, it was practically a holy document for many voters — probably because it was jam-packed with goodies for most Australians.
There were $31.5 billion of personal tax cuts over four years and the government was still in surplus. Who could say no?
Only 12 per cent of voters branded it “bad” for the economy. Meanwhile, four times as many people said this year’s Budget was lousy.
The last Labor government took a 10 point hit when it spent the surplus on stimulus measures during the global financial crisis.
Voters were still OK with Labor’s budgets until the last two years of the Gillard years. It was thumbs down from then on, as measures such as the baby bonus got the axe.
About 20 per cent of voters were still on the fence then. But many have come off the fence with the Hockey budget — only 9 per cent were uncertain about what effect it would have.
If the bleeding doesn’t stop Mr Abbott could be thrust into a similar position as when voters felt betrayed by Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.
Mr Rudd dipped 11 in the polls immediately after going back on his plans for an Emissions Trading Scheme, leading to his knifing by Ms Gillard.
And Ms Gillard herself went into free fall after introducing a carbon tax. Her approval rating had plunged 22 points four months after she announced her plans for a carbon tax.
It’s clear Mr Abbott has fallen flat on his face. The big question is whether he’ll be able to get back up again.
Originally published as Australians think Federal Budget 2014 is the worst in a very, very long time, according to this graphic
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