Budget sinks, but budget measures float, while government is seen as uncaring

So Bill Shorten is on weak ground if he calls Tony Abbott a "liar".

However, another aspect of why the Repair Levy is popular is that it attacks the 1%.

Voters are very concerned that the cost of changing direction is born by the better-off, not the poor or vulnerable.

Some voters take that much further believing that the government is a conspiracy on behalf of the rich to repress the poor.

"We presently have a government of uncaring out of touch bare faced liars. Stealing from the poor and giving to the rich."

This appears to be a sentiment most strongly felt by Greens. It is also felt by non-Greens minor party voters, who are the voters who will decide how much of this budget actually passes in the Senate.

They also control who wins the next election. Without their preferences Tony Abbott will be a one-termer.

These voters were a substantial proportion of the "Howard's Battlers" Howard lost in 2007 partly because after 17 years of continuous growth, they didn't feel they were any better off or getting their fair share.

They are not traditionally Liberal voters and they are suspicious of the wealthy. Even if he moved in elevated circles, Howard, with his daggy tracky dacks, was much more like one of them than the lycra clad Abbott or his cigar chomping retainers.

While not as opposed to the budget as Labor and Greens voters, they are still negative about it, leaving first preference Liberal voters to make up its support.

In summary, this is not a popular budget, but it is a first budget, containing some quite popular measures. It won't sink the government, unless subsequent budgets are just as unpopular.

What might sink them is the appearance of lack of compassion which many of the public see framing this budget.

 An edited version of this appeared in todays Australian as "Apparent lack of compassion bigger woe".