21 July 2017
Sydney, 21 July 2017: South Australians in key marginal seats remain opposed to the idea of the Government’s bank tax, with support for the tax weakening, a new Galaxy poll shows.
The latest poll commissioned by the Australian Bankers’ Association shows that almost half of voters in eight marginal seats are opposed to the tax and just a third support it.
“The ABA has said all along that this tax is bad policy that will damage the South Australian economy. This poll reinforces that there is still strong opposition to the policy, and for good reason,” ABA Chief Executive Anna Bligh said.
“The main reasons that people are against the tax is because they think it will increase costs for South Australians, affect investment in the state and reduce South Australia’s competitiveness compared to other states that don’t have the tax.
“The business community in South Australia has been very vocal in opposing the tax and they are being heard loud and clear by the public which wants jobs and growth, not a tax that will drive investment away,” she said.
Key findings of the poll include:
- Forty-seven per cent continue to oppose the tax, unchanged from the previous marginal seat poll conducted in June.
- Support for the tax has fallen from 38 per cent to just 34 per cent, while 19 per cent are undecided.
- Nearly half of Xenophon voters oppose the tax, while just 35 per cent support it.
- Among the major parties, 7 in 10 Liberal voters oppose the tax and remarkably, 1 in 4 Labor voters are also opposed.
“South Australians remain very concerned about the future of the state and the sooner this bad tax policy is abandoned, the better,” Ms Bligh said.
About the Galaxy poll
The telephone poll surveyed 800 people between 17 – 18 July across eight marginal seats in Adelaide: Elder, Dunstan, Colton, Hartley, Gibson, Mawson, Black and Adelaide.
This followed a similar poll conducted between 28 – 29 June.
ENDS
Contact: Stephanie Arena 0477 470 677
Latest news
The ABA welcomes APRA’s proposals to make the internal ratings-based (IRB) accreditation process simpler and more transparent, giving mid-sized banks a competitive boost. ABA CEO Simon Birmingham said the changes would support competition and deliver better outcomes for customers. “This is a practical and sensible pro‑competition step from APRA,” Mr Birmingham said. “When fully implemented,… Read more »
E&OEInterview on Sky News with Cheng Lei Cheng Lei: Australian banks closed 155 branches over the last year, but the rate of closures has slowed. For the implications, let’s bring in Australian Banking Association Chief Executive and former Liberal Minister Simon Birmingham. Mr Birmingham, welcome to the show – great to talk to you in… Read more »
Australian banks welcome the Federal Government’s release of an updated Regulatory Initiatives Grid, helping to ensure there is more transparency and coordination when new financial rules are introduced. The ABA particularly welcomes new principles that streamline coordination between regulators, reducing duplication and regulatory burden across the industry. ABA CEO Simon Birmingham said the Grid was… Read more »