By Xinhua,
Canberra : Over half of Australians believe they have become worse off economically since the Labor government came to power last November, a new survey showed on Monday.
An online poll conducted last month by mortgage brokers Loan Market and X Inc Finance Group found just 17 percent of respondents felt their financial position had improved since Laborre turned to power after 11 years in Opposition.
Some 54 percent of respondents believed things were worse than before Kevin Rudd became Prime Minister last November.
A further 29 percent said there had been no change in their financial circumstances since the election.
The combination of successive interest rate rises early this year and the rising cost of fuel and grocery prices had hit Australians hard, X Inc Finance Chief Executive Jennifer Nielsen said.
Nielsen said Australians may not necessarily blame the government for their current financial woes but the survey served as a warning for the government of the political challenge of managing the economy in the months ahead.