Aussies back defence cuts over higher tax to fix budget, poll shows

Australians back spending cuts rather than the expected tax increases to fix the federal budget, according to a new poll.

The Resolve poll, conducted for Nine newspapers, showed just five per cent of respondents believed higher tax revenue was the solution to Australia’s budget woes.

Compared to that, 21 per cent favoured cutting spending in areas of perceived less importance, such as defence, to pay for vital services, such as health.

The largest proportion, 28 per cent, favoured growing the economy, even if it meant undertaking significant reforms.

This was followed by 27 per cent who wanted a combination of taxes, spending cuts and economic growth to meet challenges.

And 18 per cent were undecided.

Poll responders favoured cuts in defence spending.© Peter Wallis/Getty

It comes as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is confronted with a decision on whether to support stage-three tax cuts set to cost $240 billion by 2030.

The tax cuts were passed by the Coalition and will come into force by 2024. They will see all Australians earning from $45,000-$200,000 a year pay the same tax rate of 30 percent.

But amid growing fears of a global recession, some have questioned whether the current government, which pledged to support the cuts during this year’s election, should maintain them.

Mr Albanese has said the government’s position on the tax cuts has not changed.

The Resolve poll showed 38 per cent of voters supported the cuts, while 20 per cent opposed them and 42 per cent were undecided.

The government will hand down its federal budget in two weeks.

9 News