More than half of Australian voters would be concerned if the federal government took the budget into deficit, the latest Newspoll reveals.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has refused to talk about pushing the budget into deficit, but last week Reserve Bank governor Glenn Stevens gave the government a green light to do so, as a way to avoid an economic downturn.
Asked over the weekend if they would be concerned by a return to deficit for the first time since 2002, 56 per cent of voters said yes, while 39 per cent said they would not be concerned, News Ltd reported on Monday.
On the first anniversary of its election, the Rudd government maintained its 10-point two-party preferred lead over the Coalition, polling 55 per cent support to 45 per cent, the poll found.
Mr Rudd's personal satisfaction rating rose two points to 67 per cent support - four percentage points higher than 12 months ago.
Mr Rudd now holds eight of the top 10 satisfaction ratings in Newspoll's 24-year history.
Mr Rudd also stretched his lead as preferred prime minister from 40 to 42 per cent.
Opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull's support as preferred prime minister fell one percentage point to 21 per cent.
Satisfaction with Mr Turnbull's performance also dropped one percentage point to 52 per cent.