A new survey has found only just over half of businesses believe a tax cut would benefit their prospects, while a fifth thought a reduction was unnecessary.
The special report in National Australia Bank's quarterly business survey also found 14 per cent said they did not pay tax in Australia and the same proportion said they didn't know.
The findings come as the Turnbull government is trying to gain Senate support for the remainder of its 10-year business tax cut plan.
So far, only businesses with a turnover of up to $50 million have had a reduction in the corporate tax rate to 25 per cent legislated over the next decade from 30 per cent.
The NAB survey found around a third of businesses who considered a tax cut would improve their outlook thought its most significant would be on investment growth.
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Among other significant impacts from a reduction, 17 per cent said paying down debt, 14 per cent said employment growth and just eight per cent said wages growth.
Opposition finance spokesman Jim Chalmers said the survey shows the government's $65 billion tax plan won't address stagnant wage growth and underemployment.
"Malcolm Turnbull needs to do the right thing in the budget and ditch his $65 billion big business tax handout," Dr Chalmers said in a statement.
