When it comes to debating money and taxes, it pays to have the facts. Our polls show how easily the tax debate can get skewed when we base our opinions on misinformation, write Peter Lewis and Jackie Woods.

There are three certainties in life: death, taxes and opinion polls. All about equally popular.

The relentless tables of data pumped out by pollsters like us prompt some to argue opinion polls have become a cancer on modern politics - driving the beauty contest-cum-cage fight that results from politicians chasing next week's ratings.

But for us it is the "opinion" side of the opinion poll equation that throws up the more interesting conundrums.

Modern politics is all about opinion - rating the performance of our leaders, their perceived competence, their trustworthiness, their handling of issues and the importance of these issues.

But all these opinions are generally polled without any reference to the relevant facts - and what if the opinion is based on the wrong facts?

As the Federal Government attempts to repeal the "tax on Western Australia" formerly known as the Minerals Resource Rent Tax, this week's Essential Report reveals the skewed assumptions driving Australia's tax debate.

Despite ranking fifth lowest in OECD taxing countries, the majority of people think Australians pay more tax than other nations.

Similar numbers also believe the government's tax take as gone up over the past five years - even though most of us are paying the same or less tax than five years ago.

With an ageing population, bipartisan support for a National Disability Insurance Scheme and promises to increase school funding, there is a clear consensus that our services need to be world class.

But in a climate where people already believe they are paying high and rising levels of tax, raising more money to fund the quality services voters also want becomes an almost impossible challenge for governments.

If imposing a tax on the profits of big mining companies creates a backlash, what hope is there?

The problem is that support for increasing taxes to pay for these services lies somewhere in the territory between lukewarm support and sullen acceptance.

And here's the clincher - if you wrongly assume our taxes have been rising and we pay more than comparable nations, then you are more likely to resist the idea of paying more for better services.

Conversely, assume we are a relatively low-taxing country with a declining tax burden and you are more open to investing in the types of services a prosperous nation should enjoy.

Eighty per cent of those who think our taxes have increased also believe we pay more than most developed countries. These people are far more likely to agree with the statement that the current level taxes are sufficient to fund these schemes.

Thus the mis-facts drive the opposition to broadening the tax base to pay for programs that are overwhelmingly popular with the same public. Confusing, isn't it? But that's where a good argument needs a few facts.

Over the years, Essential polls have shown how factual misconceptions can skew public debate. We've found a direct correlation between those who overstate the numbers of people seeking asylum and a belief we are too soft on border protection.

We have also found that concern about Muslim influence in Australia is directly linked to an overestimate in the numbers of Muslims living in Australia.

And we have established the link between acceptance of climate change science and support for measures to reduce carbon emissions.

Rather than railing against opinion polls, those invested in a robust public debate - the politicians but also their partisan think tanks and the media that covers them - could do well to come up with an agreed set of facts to inform their debates.

On these terms, serious policy could be fought out, free from the white noise and interference of misinformed opinion.

The surveys were conducted online from March 21-24, 2014 and were based on 1003 respondents.

Peter Lewis is a director of Essential Media Communications. View his full profile here. Jackie Woods is a communications consultant at Essential Media Communications. View her full profile here.