Voters are urging the government to cut spending programs, according to new polling, as they brace for a federal Budget most believe will hurt them personally.

Essential Research polling released today shows voters are concerned by debt racked up by the federal government in addressing the global financial meltdown, putting further pressure on Labor to reign in Budget spending.

The weekly poll also shows a small decline in Labor’s vote, though its two-party preferred rating is steady.

The online poll of more than 1000 voters found 32% nominate spending cuts as the most important budgetary measure, ahead of increasing payments to pensioners and the unemployed (24%) and cutting income taxes to stimulate the economy (20%). Coalition voters were more likely to back spending cuts to rein in government debt (51%), while  Labor (33%) and Green (34%) voters were more likely to think assisting low-income earners was the most important Budget priority.

Asked which key budget measure they would support — increasing taxes for people on high incomes, increasing taxes on business or cutting government spending — tax increases and spending cuts had majority support (41%), while just 8% want business tax raised (10% didn’t nominate anything).

Labor voters were more likely to support increased taxes for people on high incomes (62%), while coalition voters prefer spending cuts. And not surprisingly, lower income earners backed increasing taxes on the rich, while higher income earners generally supported spending cuts.

When it comes to where cuts should be made, most nominate the defence and national security budget (20%) ahead of social security and welfare (15%) and industry and employment (7%). There is little support for cuts to health (3%) or education (2%).

Most expect Wayne Swan’s third federal Budget to hurt — 34% of those polled said the Budget would have a “bad” or “very bad” impact on them personally, compared to the 11% who believe the impact will be positive in some way.

Labor maintains its eight-point lead in the two-party preferred stakes, though it lost some support over the previous two-week average with its primary vote slipping two points to 41%. Support for the Liberal/National coalition climbed a point to 40% — just one point behind Labor.