Two-thirds of voters in the contested seat of Dunkley support Labour’s changes to stage 3 tax cuts, a new poll reveals.
In good news for the Labor Party ahead of the crucial March 2 by-election in Melbourne’s outer HQ, a poll commissioned by the Australia Institute found 66 per cent of voters back the Albanian government’s cuts changes of taxes.
Notably, more than a quarter of Liberal voters support restructuring the tax cuts.
The Coalition has been hoping that portraying Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as a man who goes back on his word has been enough to turn voters away from Labor in the seat retained by the late Peta Murphy in 2022 on 56.3 per cent. .
But the Australia Institute poll found Labor currently leads the Liberal Party 52 per cent to 48 per cent in two-party preference.
Two-thirds of voters in the contested seat of Dunkley support Labour’s changes to stage 3 tax cuts, a new poll reveals.
Australia Institute chief economist Greg Jericho said an additional 25,000 voters in the seat would now get a tax cut under Labor’s changes.
“Australia Institute research shows that in stage 3, the 30 per cent of Dunkley taxpayers who were left out of Scott Morrison’s stage 3 plans will now receive a tax cut,” he said.
“Reforming the tax cuts was the right thing to do politically, economically and socially, not just in Dunkley, but for all Australians.”
Under the changes, all taxpayers are guaranteed a tax cut starting July 1, with low- and middle-income workers benefiting the most.
Income between $18,200 and $45,000 will be taxed at 16 percent, up from 19 percent. The 30 per cent tax rate will apply to income between $45,000 and $135,000, and then a 37 per cent rate, which was abolished in the original stage 3, will apply between $135,000 and $190,000. Above that figure, the 45 percent rate will apply.
The reintroduction of the 37 per cent rate will mean an additional $28 billion in taxes will be raised over the next decade.
The new poll comes just days after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton accused Anthony Albanese of being motivated by a potential defeat in Dunkley to renege on his commitment to stage 3 tax cuts of the era. Coalition.
The new poll comes just days after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton accused Anthony Albanese of being motivated by a potential loss in Dunkley to renege on his commitment to stage 3 tax cuts of the era. Coalition.
“I think the Prime Minister has decided that he wants a political solution for Dunkley. I don’t think that’s arguable. I think it’s absolutely true that they have made a political decision,” Mr Dutton said at 7.30am on Wednesday.
After a fortnight of flogging the government’s decision, the Coalition on Monday reluctantly backed the government’s tax restructuring bill this week.
But Dutton has committed to a policy of broad tax reform in the next federal election in line with the original stage 3 tax cuts.
As a result, Albanese spent the week accusing the Coalition of lacking principles.
“If you are fair, you would vote against our measure and commit to reversing it,” Albanese said this week.
The latest YouGov poll found 69 per cent of Australian voters support changes to stage 3. That poll found 55 per cent of Coalition voters were in favour.
The Dunkley by-election is the first test for the Albanian government this year, following the death of much-loved Labor MP Peta Murphy late last year.
The March 2 by-election will be a major test for the Albanian government after being criticized for breaking an election promise on stage three tax cuts.
The Labor candidate is community worker Jodie Belyea, while popular local mayor Nathan Conroy represents the Liberals.
Labor currently holds Dunkley on a 6.3 per cent margin.
* uComms was commissioned by the Australia Institute to conduct a survey of 626 residents at the federal headquarters in Dunkley during the afternoons of 5 and 6 February 2024 using automated self-completion voice and SMS survey methodologies. The margin of error is +/- 3.90 percent.