2019 Report

Budget priorities

Government spending on Australia’s foreign policy efforts, such as defence and foreign aid, appears to be a lower priority for most Australians than domestic issues such as health and education. When Australians are asked about the federal budget, there is extensive public support for increased spending on health (81%) and education (74%).

Few say the government should increase spending on border protection (32%), defence (31%) and foreign aid (17%). Almost half (47%) say spending on social welfare should be increased.

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Budget priorities

Now about the federal budget. If you were making up the budget for the federal government this year, would you personally increase spending, decrease spending or keep spending about the same for:

  1. 0%
  2. 25%
  3. 50%
  4. 75%
  5. 100%
Health
81
16
3
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Education
74
23
3
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Social welfare
47
37
16
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Border protection
32
52
16
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Defence
31
47
21
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Foreign aid
17
36
47
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Foreign aid is the only policy area in which more Australians say that federal government spending should be decreased rather than increased. Almost half (47%) say they would decrease spending on foreign aid, compared with 17% saying they would increase spending.

Misperceptions about the size of the aid budget may be a factor in these responses. The 2018 Lowy Institute Poll found that on average, Australians think 14% of the budget is spent on aid, but only 10% should be spent on aid. Australia’s aid budget is approximately 0.8% of the federal budget.

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Effect of foreign aid

Thinking now about the aid the Australian government provides to developing countries. In your view, does giving foreign aid to other countries help, hurt, or make no difference to:

  1. 0%
  2. 25%
  3. 50%
  4. 75%
  5. 100%
Australia’s bilateral relations
70
25
4
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Australia’s national security
44
44
10
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Australia’s economy
28
32
39
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Despite this general aversion to spending more on aid, most Australians have positive views on the role of aid in Australia’s international relations. A majority (70%) say that giving foreign aid helps Australia’s relations with other countries. They are divided as to whether foreign aid helps or makes no difference to Australia’s national security (44% each). A sizeable minority (39%) say that foreign aid hurts Australia’s economy, while a third (32%) say it makes no difference.


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