Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today's Essential poll, showing 73% support maintaining services and investment and a delay in returning to a budget surplus, backs the Greens' call for the Government to drop its doctrinaire insistence on a 2012-13 surplus.

"This Essential poll shows public opinion is aligned with the Greens in putting the economy and services ahead of the political mantra of a budget surplus," Senator Brown said.

"In fact, the public knows that a budget surplus spells widespread job losses and is unnecessary when the income options of a stronger mining tax, ending fossil fuel subsidies and forgoing corporate tax cuts are readily available if either Labor or the Coalition were to join the Greens in action to achieve these outcomes," Senator Brown said.