A strong majority of voters support increased spending on health and education over corporate tax cuts according to a new poll that also shows the major parties still tied on 50% of the two-party preferred vote.



In a surprise result, the Reachtel poll, for Seven news, also shows Nick Xenophon’s candidate leading the sitting Liberal MP in the very safe South Australian regional seat of Grey.

But the poll of 2,175 voters showed no change in the two-party preferred vote and little change in the primary vote as the election campaign enters the final stages.

Asked whether they most supported “tax cuts for companies” or “increased spending on health and education services”, 69.5% of those polled nominated health and education and only 30.5% tax cuts for companies. Even among Liberal and Nationals voters 43.8% preferred health and education spending.

The Coalition has shifted the sales pitch for its $50b in company tax cuts over the course of the campaign, emphasising the immediate cuts for small business and playing down the big business tax cuts that will follow over time. And it has sought to reframe Labor’s health and education spending as irresponsible economic management.

Reachtel also surveyed 665 people in Grey, held by the Liberals’ Rowan Ramsey by 13.5%, and found the NXT candidate, Andrea Broadfoot, leading Ramsey by 54% to 46% on a two-party preferred basis.

The Liberals were already worried about Xenophon’s candidates winning the South Australian seat of Mayo from former minister Jamie Briggs, and the innovation minister, Christopher Pyne, is also worried about his seat of Sturt.

The strong lead by Port Pirie local councillor Andrea Broadfoot over Ramsey will deepen those concerns, with Xenophon’s party also likely to win at least three Senate seats.

The poll showed Broadfoot had 29.3% of the primary vote, Ramsay 38% and the Labor candidate 13.4%.

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