'; ?> Budget surplus - the Qual | What The People Want
Budget surplus - the Qual
Thursday, 08 December 2011 16:59 | Written by Graham Young

The qualitative research shows respondents very much split between those who think the surplus has to give way to world events, and those who think paying back public debt is more urgent. As we see all the time debt is a concern for Liberal voters, and so not surprisingly they are the ones supporting a surplus on this basis most strongly.

This is the Leximancer map showing responses to the proposition that a surplus next year is something we should achieve. The way this question was phrased it is possible for someone to agree that surpluses are not always essential, but to still think that one next year is desirable.

Leximancer has released a new generation of their software, and the maps are softer on the eye than previously. However they do not show the themes as they used to, so I have typed them on as close to the appropriate circle as possible.

budget_surplus_agree_leximancer_thumb

Those who believe there ought to be a surplus next year cite the level of debt which is closely allied to the idea that Labor wastes money. On the other end it is not so much a belief that it doesn't matter whether the budget is in deficit or surplus in an absolute sense, but whether it is appropriate to the "circumstances".

There is a strong sense that we are bound to the rest of the world and will have to accommodate it.

While most voters think it is unlikely the budget will be in surplus next year this is as much put down to the difficulty in finetuning a policy response as anything else.

"...impact of European debt crisis will make it difficult to gauge how much budget cutting to make and to ensure enough people stay in work. a certain level of cuts and a reasonable prediction of impacts can be made so I think it may either run to slight surplus or slight deficit - can't predict which it will be," is the response of one respondent.

budget_surplus_likely_leximancer_thumb

Share this article on your favourite social bookmarking sites:
Digg! Reddit! Del.icio.us! Google! Facebook! StumbleUpon! Twitter!
 

Comments   

 
0 #1 RE: Budget surplus - the Qual — Carla 2012-07-07 03:54
Its very informative especially seeing it in a Leximancer map made it easier to let me understand the surplus. Thanks for sharing!

Carla
My blog: tonnelle en fer forgé