Should the government make cuts to public spending in order to reduce the national debt?

Government has no authority to do anything.

No, because reducing spending means someone going without. Govt needs greater revenues so we can pay down more debt AND fund programs people want and need. For example, dental in Medicare.
So, yes, end tax evasion, close loopholes, make corporations pay a fairer share and ditto the higher earners, but NOT a progressively greater tax, which discourages hard work, innovation and people getting ahead.
Maybe implement death duties, exempting the family home up to a value commensurate with the average home, so like $2 mill or thereabouts, indexed. Set it low enough that people don't feel the…  Read more need to hide their wealth offshore, and be sure to prevent this. Maybe 5%, and direct it to health and education..?? We need to claw back a bit more, but progressive taxes are fundamentally unfair, so 'more' takes is probably the best solution, and less loopholes for the smarties to wriggle out of...

Yes, but don't defund the Ministry of Defence or Emergency Services, and also raise taxes

No, reduce military spending, and tax the rich and corporations

Yes, but ensure cuts in spending are done holistically and if it is not to the disadvantage of the service being cut.

No, and do the following
- decrease benefits and salaries of upper echelon of politicians
- reduce military spending
- increase taxes to the wealthy
- increase taxes on large multinationals corporations
- focus on ending tax evasion in the wealthy. Ending tax evasions in lower income earners will be a drain on resources and not a good roi

Public spending is key to the economy and focus should instead be placed on ending tax evasion and cutting down on any and all means of financial loopholes.

No, defund military and fund diplomacy and foreign aid; focus on ending tax evasion; increases taxes on wealthy and large multinational corporations; and end the tax-free status of the mining industry/stop wasting money on new mines

No, crack down on tax evasion, and increase taxes on the wealthy, and medium and large corporations instead

Reduce foreign aid spending. Focus on gettting Australia back on track first before we end up being another 3rd world country.

No, reduce military spend, focus on ending tax evasion from the top 10%, increase the tax on wealthy individuals and corporations

Yes, by reducing benefits for high level government officials, lowering military spending if there is no threat to the country. Through a tax reform system of lowering the income tax, instating a progressive LVT and removing all existing tax loopholes for large corporations.

The Government wastes so much money they should look at all areas of waste and cut that out not just make decisions that are popular

No, reform the tax code and cut the submarine deal

Yes, but cuts to essential public services such as healthcare, welfare and public transport should be a last resort.

No, increase taxes on large corporations and cut spending to military

No focus on the multimillionaires and massive corporations

Yes. Politicians should take a pay cut

No, but ban pork barreling and force corporations to pay back the money they took from job keeper.

Yes by reducing the benefits and pensions of politicians, higher tax on large corporations and high income earners

Pretty much all of the "No, ...etc" answers. Reduce military, tax the rich and corpros and all of that

Public spending that isn’t immediate yes

No, focus on reducing military spending, increasing taxes on the wealthy, and ending tax evasion

Yes, as long as the country is not cutting corners of safety procedures and building stabilities

No, instead drop ex gov workers per sions to that of the normal pension rate

Yes increase public spending, but change spending habits to conform to local government areas needs

Reduce spending on activities that don’t have wealth generating potential/ impacts

Reduce arts & sport keep safety of sging population & workforce

legislation of weed to pay off debt

No, tax the wealthy and multinational businesses. Focus on tax evasion and misuse of government money in parliament and Centrelink. Schools, health systems and environment/preserving nature and out land should be the focus

I think Australians should be able to to have more of say when it comes to spending our money...Maybe a certain budget bracket eg 500 million needs to be voted on. Because already there is alot of rubbish our money is going on eg: advertising

Yes as well as cutting the salaries and benefits of government officials.

Audit public spending. Find and reduce excess spending. Reduce politicians pension/bonuses and spending

I agree with a mix of the above answers including reducing military spending and increasing taxes on large corporations and the wealthy

No, increase tax on large multinational corporations and the super wealthy ($1m+ annual salary)

Should remove overseas corporate tax havens that allow companies trading in Australia to avoid standard Australian tax rates

No, increase capital gains tax and close loopholes

Benefits/salaries to government officials cut, increase taxes on wealthy and large corporations

Only from the elderly. Baby boomers are a bloated tick sucking this country dry.

No, increase taxes on large multinational corporations and the wealthy, and focus on ending tax evasion

No, we should end tax evasion, increase taxes on multinational corporations and the wealthy

Yes, because they only line their pockets with the money

A combination of a farer tax system for the poor and supporting government businesses to drive profitable investments to pay off debt

No, stop subsidising dirty fuel and power companies.

Yes, but make it so that politicians are paid an average government wage or are paid according to the output of their election promises and international commitments

Yes, except reducing national defence

For a period of time

Perhaps we needed to strike a much greater balance between the economy and public health. I do not know the numbers of direct Covid deaths but I feel that if we looked at that and the amount of debt we have now incurred we might think it was an overreaction. Certainly reducing our military spending if we have to start somewhere.

Raise tax and minumum wage

No, increase taxes on corporations that outsource

yes, but not base load power or dams. [not green]

From what I have seen & heard, the rich normally having a business/s can reduce their taxable income
with deductions which are truly personal use. Example, taken family members to dinner & claim as an expense. Use a 4wd company car for the purpose of holidays. All expense deductible

Spend wisely. Budget. Add growth with cuts or savings.. huh? Haha, dopes.

No, reduce tax loop holes for large businesses, reduce government benefits and salaries (politicians primarily) and reassess spending

No, derive funding from other sources

it is inevitable that our nation will continuously be in a cycle of debt according to the pitchford thesis. thus no we should not make cuts to public spending

No. control future spending

Give less money to people on the doll and give them cards which only allow them to spend money on fuel food and bills

No, but by drastically reduce the benefits and salaries of government officials

Crack down on corruption. Bring down salaries of government officials

no keep public spending the same but work on tax evasion/fraud

what is government debt

A balanced budget and a vibrant economy wil do the job

Yes, but look at cost savings in activities that can be preformed by existupublic servants instead on contracting out

I'm a qualified economist and expenditure isn't important, output per dollar of expenditure is

all the available “no” options, the money should be for the people, not for arseholes in suits to spend on travelling and tanks

Combination of no they should go after tax evasion including multinational corporations, reducing and or stopping giving government workers like the ministers pay raises and reevaluate where the spending is going

No, focus on tax evasion, reduce government officials, reduce military spending and tax the wealthy and large corporations more.

inflation should be the measure to cut public spending rather than debt

Yes, but make small contributions to paying off the national debt each year.

Increase the tax on the rich, focus on ending tax evasion, decreasing politicians salary and taxing large corporations more

No, increase taxes on large multinationals as well as reduce pay for government officials/politicians and reduce military spending.

Ban public banks (private

Prioritise and create efficacies of existing Siena’s rather can reduce it

Yes, as long as it isn't detrimental for the country and is used for something important.

This isn’t such a straightforward question. We need to stop throwing money at anything that doesn’t benefit the country and start focusing the national budget on ways to improve our citizens’ quality of life.

Stop spending money on useless things and instead on useful things

Yes, but have votes on what spending should be cut from.

Yes, focus on ending tax evasion and lowering political salaries.

Yes and No, it’s about balance and appropriate funding to the right sectors.

it depends on the circumstances.

stop giving out centre link

There are far too many government employees when comparing roles in the private sector, based on experience 3 to 1. But it is also difficult to terminate an unsuitable employee in the public sector. They can be paid a salary to sit in the staffroom reading the paper until they find another job. It’s an unproductive system and does not encourage staff to think differently and come up with improved solutions.

yes to a point then Q4, Q6

No, focus on turning Government assets profitable

They should cut their wages and reassess where money is going

No, but increase taxes so Australia can afford to support these people.

By both reducing benefits to governments officials that may perceive wage disparity and by taxing the wealthy and multinational corporations

Yes by cutting the amount given to government workers and dole.

Yes, in terms of future increases, force government programs to reduce wastage, like private sector has to.

Spend money on renewable energy and resources

No, cuts to public spending will negatively affect the economy, focus on ending tax evasion and increase taxes on large multinational corporations

government issues are irrelevant

No, but they could possibly focus on more specific people instead of the whole nation as a whole. This would mean that the people that actually need it are still getting it and the nation debt decreases.

The debt is irrelevant to the thrust of the question on public spending on services

i want slep

No, become a cashless nation so everyone pays tax. No more cash jobs that avoid gst.

give money for the public to spend

It should be half half