Politics · Australia · 11 hrs ago
Poll finds voters mainly blame Labor for Australia’s cost-of-living pressures
A Resolve poll found that many Australians blame the federal government for the high cost of living.
Forty-six per cent named the federal government, including its last budget, as most responsible.
That share has risen since the poll first asked the question in October 2024.
By comparison, 26 per cent blamed global factors, while 4 per cent blamed the Reserve Bank.
The article says inflation and household pressure are also being affected by interest rate rises, fuel shortages, food prices, wars in Ukraine and Iran, and US tariffs.
Cost of living remains voters’ leading concern, and most people surveyed expected the economic outlook to worsen in the near term.
The article says Labor has time to try to improve voters’ views, but does not give specific next steps.
A Resolve Political Monitor poll found that 46 per cent of voters blame the federal government, including its last budget, most for the high cost of living.
That share is up 6 percentage points since March and 10 points since the question was first asked in October 2024.
Only 4 per cent of voters primarily blame the Reserve Bank, while 26 per cent blame global factors.
The poll found that 45 per cent expect the economic outlook to worsen in the next month, and 42 per cent are gloomy about the next year.
The article says cost of living is voters’ leading issue and that Labor is bearing most of the blame for economic pressures.
- Who
- Australian voters, with many blaming the federal government and Labor for cost-of-living pressures.
- What
- A Resolve Political Monitor poll found that 46 per cent primarily blame the federal government, including its last budget.
- When
- Published on October 11, 2026; the article is dated October 12, 2026.
- Where
- Australia.
- Why
- The article says voters hold governments responsible for economic pain, while citing inflation, interest rate rises and global economic pressures.
Australian voters who blame the federal government
Labor government
Responsibility for cost-of-living pressures
Australian voters who blame the federal government
46 per cent of voters primarily blame the federal government, including its last budget.
Labor government
Treasurer Jim Chalmers argues that government spending is not the main cause of persistently higher inflation.
Role of global pressures
Australian voters who blame the federal government
The poll found that 26 per cent blame global factors for inflation.
Labor government
The article says global headwinds, including wars, fuel shortages, food price rises and US tariffs, are contributing to the cost-of-living crunch.
the federal government including its last budget
Resolve first asked voters who they held most responsible for the high cost of living; 12 per cent primarily blamed the Reserve Bank.
The share blaming the federal government was 6 percentage points lower than in the latest poll.
The latest Resolve Political Monitor found that 46 per cent primarily blamed the federal government and 4 per cent primarily blamed the Reserve Bank.
- Federal government blamed
- 46 per cent of voters
- Change since March
- Up 6 percentage points
- Reserve Bank blamed
- 4 per cent of voters
- Global factors blamed
- 26 per cent of voters
- Economic outlook next month
- 45 per cent expect it to worsen
Sources
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