Most feel short changed by budget: polls MOST Australians believe they will be worse off after last week's federal budget, according to two separate opinion polls. Treasurer Wayne Swan's sixth budget included $43 billion in spending cuts and tax increases over four years, failed to deliver a much-promised surplus for this financial year, and is not expected to return to balance until 2015/16. Some of the budget measures include a rise in the Medicare Levy to help pay for DisabilityCare, the abolition of the baby bonus and the scrapping of future increases to some family benefits. A Nielsen poll published by Fairfax Media on Monday found 52 per cent of respondents believed they would be worse off as a result of the budget, although 48 per cent were satisfied with the time frame to bring it back to surplus. The poll showed 55 per cent regarded a return to surplus as a high priority. About 44 per cent thought the budget would be good for Australia and 50 per cent thought it was economically responsible. Meanwhile a Newspoll in The Australian found 44 per cent of respondents said they would be worse off as a result of the budget, while only 11 per cent said they would be better off. A total of 37 per cent thought the budget was bad, compared with 35 per cent who said it was good. The Newspoll put shadow treasurer Joe Hockey just ahead (39 per cent) of Mr Swan (35 per cent) as the better treasurer. However, when asked if the coalition would have delivered a better budget for Australia's current economic conditions the yes/no result was tied at 41 per cent apiece.