Most Aussies back broadband plan: survey

A majority of Australians have given the Rudd government's $43 billion national
broadband plan the thumbs up, a survey released on Tuesday shows.
Essential Research's weekly survey found 54 per cent of Australians approve of the
public-private partnership to build a national broadband network, with 16 per cent
of those strongly approving.
The online survey found 24 per cent disapproved of the project, of which 10 per cent
strongly disapproved.
There was more good news for Prime Minister Kevin Rudd with 62 per cent of survey
respondents believing Australia's economy was performing better than most others, of
which 24 per cent said this was due to actions by the government.
Twenty three per cent said the country's performance was due to a well regulated
finance and banking sector and 19 per cent thought it was because of the underlying
strength of the economic system.
But 16 per cent said it was the former Howard government's handling of the economy
that was supporting the country.
Of those surveyed, 30 per cent said Australia's economy was performing the same as
most others in terms of the impact of the global financial crisis, while just three
per cent thought it was worse.
While there was support for the government's initiatives, its electoral rating eased
slightly in the past week.
The government polled 61 per cent on a two-party preferred basis, down two
percentage points from the previous survey, while the coalition scored 39 per cent,
up two percentage points.
Looking ahead to the May budget, 74 per cent of respondents backed increasing the
age pension, while financial support for small business scored 64 per cent,
increasing taxes on alcohol 53 per cent and axing tax concessions on high income
earners' superannuation contributions 51 per cent.
Forty six per cent of survey respondents opposed cuts to defence spending, 52 per
cent were against axing the childcare tax rebate and 70 per cent were against
stopping the Medicare safety net.