Only the Chinese are more satisfied with their government's response to the global recession than Australians are with the way Labor has handled the crisis.
Nearly 70 per cent of Australian respondents to a poll, conducted for the BBC World Service, were satisfied with the Rudd government response.
That was the second-highest rating amongst 20 nations, but well behind the 88 per cent backing Chinese respondents gave their government.
The average satisfaction rating among the 22,000 respondents worldwide was 44 per cent, the Program of International Policy Attitudes and GlobeScan poll found.
"It is clear that citizens are still not seeing the kind of economic leadership they think is needed from their national government," GlobeScan chairman Doug Miller said in releasing the report.
Low levels of satisfaction in Europe, Japan and Latin America suggested that stronger consumer confidence - seen as essential for economic recovery - would take more time in parts of the world, he said.
In Australia, the poll found two out of three respondents believed the benefits and burdens of economic development had been fairly shared across the nation.
Three out of four favoured significantly increased stimulus spending, with more than 80 per cent supporting spending on renewable energy and clean technology to stimulate the economy.
Two thirds favoured giving financial support to major industries and companies in trouble but just over half opposed giving financial support to banks that are in trouble.
Two thirds also supported increasing government regulation and oversight of the national economy.
On the efforts of other countries during the global recession, 62 per cent of Australians supported the actions of the United States and 54 per cent supported the G20, but European leaders scored only 49 per cent.
The action of banks and their bosses found few Australian supporters.
The poll gave bank executives a 67 per cent dissatisfaction rating and multinational corporate executives 59 per cent.
AAP
