Essential Report
Download this week's Report
Medicare tax increase
Q. It has been proposed that the Medicare levy could be increased from 2% to 2.65% to fund improvements to the aged care sector.
To what extent would you support or oppose this increase?
| Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | |||||||
| Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | Liberal + National | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||
| Strongly oppose | 15% | 17% | 13% | 10% | 22% | 12% | 11% | 13% | 11% | 37% |
| Somewhat oppose | 17% | 18% | 16% | 23% | 16% | 13% | 17% | 18% | 23% | 13% |
| Neither support, nor oppose | 32% | 28% | 36% | 38% | 28% | 31% | 31% | 28% | 33% | 29% |
| Somewhat support | 23% | 24% | 22% | 21% | 22% | 27% | 28% | 27% | 17% | 13% |
| Strongly support | 12% | 13% | 12% | 8% | 12% | 17% | 14% | 13% | 15% | 7% |
| TOTAL: Oppose | 32% | 35% | 29% | 33% | 38% | 25% | 28% | 31% | 35% | 51% |
| TOTAL: Support | 36% | 37% | 35% | 29% | 34% | 44% | 41% | 41% | 32% | 21% |
| Base (n) | 1,076 | 524 | 552 | 326 | 365 | 385 | 321 | 390 | 108 | 138 |
- The proposal to increase the Medicare levy to help fund the aged care sector could be a polarising issue for Australians. Similar proportions say they support (36%) and oppose (32%) the proposal
- Support for increasing the levy is highest mong those aged over 55 years (44%).
- There is net support among voters of the two major parties – 41% support, 28% opposition among Labor voters and 41% support, 31% oppose among Coalition voters). Those voting for minor, or independent candidates generally oppose the proposal (51% oppose, 21% support).
Frequency of reading news on social media platforms
Q. How frequently do you use technology platforms like Google and Facebook to search for, and read news articles?
| Total | Age Group | |||
| 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | ||
| At least daily | 52% | 46% | 64% | 46% |
| At least once a week | 22% | 26% | 20% | 21% |
| At least once a month | 8% | 16% | 5% | 4% |
| Less frequently than one a month | 6% | 5% | 4% | 9% |
| Never | 11% | 6% | 7% | 19% |
| Base (n) | 1,076 | 326 | 365 | 385 |
- Half of adult Australians use social media platforms like Facebook and Google to search and read news on a daily basis (52%). A further 22% use social media weekly to access news.
- People aged 35-54 are the heaviest consumers of news through social media, with 64% using a platform on a daily basis.
Google agreement statements
Q. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is drafting code of conduct legislation to force technology platforms, like Google and Facebook, to pay media organisations for the news content they distribute.
In response Facebook has threatened to stop its users sharing news and Google has warned its free web search is at risk.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
| TOTAL: Agree | TOTAL: Disagree | Strongly agree | Somewhat agree | Neither agree, nor disagree | Somewhat disagree | Strongly disagree | |
| A strong media is essential to Australian democracy and the government is right to ask Google and Facebook to pay for news | 49% | 22% | 23% | 26% | 29% | 13% | 9% |
| It is not up to Facebook and Google to support media companies | 38% | 26% | 15% | 23% | 36% | 15% | 12% |
| Big tech companies like Google and Facebook should support Australian media rather than bullying the government | 54% | 17% | 26% | 28% | 29% | 11% | 6% |
| Big technology companies like Google and Facebook have too much power and its time they were pulled into line | 51% | 19% | 23% | 27% | 30% | 12% | 7% |
| If Facebook stopped offering news on its platform, I would use it less often | 29% | 35% | 12% | 18% | 35% | 19% | 16% |
| Total | Age Group | Frequency of news consumption on social media | ||||||
| TOTAL: AGREEMENT | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | At least daily | At least once a week | Less than once a week | Never | |
| A strong media is essential to Australian democracy and the government is right to ask Google and Facebook to pay for news | 49% | 36% | 49% | 60% | 51% | 48% | 42% | 49% |
| It is not up to Facebook and Google to support media companies | 38% | 45% | 39% | 32% | 42% | 38% | 31% | 27% |
| Big tech companies like Google and Facebook should support Australian media rather than bullying the government | 54% | 38% | 54% | 66% | 55% | 55% | 43% | 60% |
| Big technology companies like Google and Facebook have too much power and its time they were pulled into line | 51% | 36% | 53% | 61% | 51% | 49% | 43% | 61% |
| If Facebook stopped offering news on its platform, I would use it less often | 29% | 35% | 33% | 21% | 34% | 30% | 22% | 16% |
| Base (n) | 1,076 | 326 | 365 | 385 | 570 | 239 | 149 | 118 |
| Total | Age Group | Frequency of news consumption on social media | ||||||
| TOTAL: DISAGREEMENT | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | At least daily | At least once a week | Less than once a week | Never | |
| A strong media is essential to Australian democracy and the government is right to ask Google and Facebook to pay for news | 22% | 30% | 20% | 17% | 23% | 21% | 28% | 15% |
| It is not up to Facebook and Google to support media companies | 26% | 22% | 24% | 33% | 27% | 23% | 26% | 30% |
| Big tech companies like Google and Facebook should support Australian media rather than bullying the government | 17% | 25% | 16% | 12% | 20% | 17% | 17% | 10% |
| Big technology companies like Google and Facebook have too much power and its time they were pulled into line | 19% | 27% | 18% | 14% | 22% | 16% | 19% | 11% |
| If Facebook stopped offering news on its platform, I would use it less often | 35% | 31% | 34% | 40% | 35% | 36% | 31% | 42% |
| Base (n) | 1,076 | 326 | 365 | 385 | 570 | 239 | 149 | 118 |
- Around half of people agree that big technology companies like Google and Facebook have too much power (51%) and they should support Australian media rather than bullying the government (54%).
- People aged 18-34 were more sympathetic to social media platforms and had the lowest agreement that government is right to ask Google and Facebook to pay for news (36%), they have too much power (36%).
- 34% of daily social media users agree they would use the platform less frequently if it stopped offering news content.
Future usage of online news
Q. If the legislation is introduced and news content was removed from Facebook and Google, how likely would you do the following to search and read news articles?
| TOTAL: Likely | TOTAL: Unlikely | Very likely | Quite likely | Not that likely | Not at all likely | |
| Go directly to news websites to read content | 75% | 25% | 37% | 38% | 15% | 10% |
| Continue to use Google and Facebook and read less news | 69% | 31% | 26% | 43% | 19% | 12% |
| Use alternative platforms to Facebook and Google to find and read news articles (such as Twitter, LinkedIn or Reddit) | 53% | 47% | 22% | 31% | 24% | 22% |
| Use the Apple News aggregator | 37% | 63% | 14% | 22% | 27% | 36% |
| Total | Age Group | Frequency of news consumption on social media | ||||||
| TOTAL: LIKELY | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | At least daily | At least once a week | Less than once a week | Never | |
| Go directly to news websites to read content | 75% | 70% | 81% | 73% | 84% | 77% | 62% | 46% |
| Continue to use Google and Facebook and read less news | 69% | 67% | 76% | 63% | 77% | 72% | 60% | 39% |
| Use alternative platforms to Facebook and Google to find and read news articles (such as Twitter, LinkedIn or Reddit) | 53% | 61% | 64% | 37% | 64% | 50% | 42% | 25% |
| Use the Apple News aggregator | 37% | 42% | 49% | 20% | 42% | 42% | 29% | 11% |
| Base (n) | 1,076 | 326 | 365 | 385 | 570 | 239 | 149 | 118 |
- The majority of people would use alternative sources such as direct content (75%), other social media platforms (53%) or Apple news (37%) if social media platforms stopped offering free news contents as part of their service.
- However, 77% of daily Facebook and Google users said they are likely to continue to use the platforms, but read less news.
Government response to Covid-19
Q. Overall, how would you rate the Government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| 24/08 | 10/08 | 27/07 | 13/07 | 22/06 | 15/06 | 08/06 | 01/06 | 25/05 | 18/05 | 11/05 | |
| Very poor | 6% | 7% | 6% | 6% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 5% | 4% | 3% | 4% |
| Quite poor | 11% | 8% | 11% | 10% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 7% | 6% | 7% | 9% |
| Neither good, nor poor | 22% | 21% | 20% | 20% | 17% | 16% | 18% | 20% | 16% | 17% | 16% |
| Quite good | 40% | 40% | 40% | 40% | 43% | 42% | 40% | 39% | 43% | 41% | 39% |
| Very good | 22% | 24% | 24% | 24% | 27% | 30% | 30% | 28% | 30% | 32% | 32% |
| TOTAL: Poor | 17% | 16% | 16% | 16% | 12% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 11% | 11% | 13% |
| TOTAL: Good | 61% | 63% | 64% | 64% | 71% | 72% | 70% | 68% | 73% | 73% | 71% |
| Base (n) | 1,068 | 1,010 | 1,058 | 1,054 | 1,079 | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,059 | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,067 |
- Participants’ rating of the Federal Government’s handling of the crisis slips again this week, with 61% rating their response as very or quite good. This is progressively down from 72% positive rating in June.
- Men are more likely than women to rate the Government’s performance as very poor or quite poor (21% to 13%).
- Rating of the Government among Labor supporters has fallen from 69% rating their handling very or quite good in May to 55% this week. Positive rating among Coalition supporters remains high at 77%
State Government response to Covid-19
Q. How would you rate your state government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| TOTAL: Good | 24/08 | 10/08 | 27/07 | 13/07 | 22/06 | 15/06 | 08/06 | 01/06 | 25/05 | 18/05 | 11/05 |
| NSW | 59% | 61% | 62% | 63% | 70% | 65% | 67% | 62% | 65% | 70% | 70% |
| VIC | 47% | 49% | 53% | 49% | 65% | 75% | 72% | 71% | 73% | 71% | 71% |
| QLD | 73% | 68% | 67% | 69% | 64% | 67% | 68% | 69% | 74% | 66% | 70% |
| SA | 65% | 72% | 76% | 79% | 79% | 76% | 79% | 70% | 84% | 80% | 78% |
| WA | 84% | 86% | 82% | 77% | 75% | 77% | 84% | 79% | 83% | 86% | 83% |
- Positive rating of the NSW Government’s handling of the crisis moved -2%pts this week to 59%, this is down from a peak of 70% in June.
- Positive rating of the Victorian Government also moved -2%pts this week (to 47%). This is consistent with ratings since the outbreak in Victoria in July.
- Western Australia (84%) have the highest state government ratings for handling the crisis.
| VICTORIA ONLY | 24/08 | 10/08 | 27/07 | 13/07 | 22/06 | 15/06 | 08/06 | 01/06 | 25/05 | 18/05 | 11/05 |
| Very poor | 15% | 16% | 13% | 14% | 8% | 6% | 6% | 4% | 3% | 3% | 4% |
| Quite poor | 20% | 14% | 17% | 12% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 7% | 9% | 10% | 11% |
| Neither good, nor poor | 17% | 21% | 17% | 25% | 22% | 13% | 16% | 17% | 16% | 15% | 15% |
| Quite good | 29% | 28% | 34% | 32% | 38% | 39% | 38% | 39% | 37% | 38% | 34% |
| Very good | 18% | 21% | 19% | 17% | 26% | 36% | 34% | 33% | 36% | 33% | 37% |
| TOTAL: Poor | 36% | 30% | 30% | 26% | 13% | 11% | 12% | 11% | 11% | 14% | 14% |
| TOTAL: Good | 47% | 49% | 53% | 49% | 65% | 75% | 72% | 71% | 73% | 71% | 71% |
| Base (n) | 275 | 499 | 239 | 281 | 261 | 275 | 275 | 275 | 275 | 267 | 275 |
Responsibility for Covid-19 Outbreak in Aged Care
Q. In your opinion, who is most responsible for the recent Covid-19 outbreaks and spread of the virus within aged care facilities?
| Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | |||||||
| Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | Liberal + National | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||
| Federal Government | 28% | 32% | 24% | 31% | 32% | 21% | 34% | 25% | 28% | 31% |
| State or Territory governments | 30% | 29% | 31% | 37% | 30% | 24% | 26% | 32% | 35% | 28% |
| Aged Care providers | 42% | 39% | 45% | 32% | 37% | 55% | 40% | 43% | 37% | 41% |
| Base (n) | 1,068 | 513 | 555 | 317 | 370 | 381 | 313 | 447 | 96 | 118 |
- Similar proportions of people attribute responsibility to the spread of Covid-19 within aged care facilities to Federal (28%) and state (30%) governments. However more (42%) place the responsibility on the providers of aged care.
- Men are more likely than women to say the Federal government is responsible (32% to 24%).
- Coalition voters are least likely to believe the Federal government is responsible for the outbreaks of Covid-19 within aged care facilities (25%).
Funding for Aged Care
Q. As far as you are aware, who is responsible for regulation and funding of private aged care facilities?
| Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | |||||||
| Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | Liberal + National | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||
| Federal Government | 49% | 53% | 44% | 40% | 49% | 56% | 51% | 53% | 46% | 47% |
| State or Territory governments | 27% | 27% | 27% | 34% | 27% | 21% | 28% | 26% | 36% | 32% |
| Unsure | 25% | 20% | 29% | 26% | 25% | 24% | 22% | 22% | 19% | 21% |
| Base (n) | 1,068 | 513 | 555 | 317 | 370 | 381 | 313 | 447 | 96 | 118 |
- About half of people correctly know that the Federal Government is responsible for the regulation and funding of private aged care facilities.
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Download this week's ReportEssential Report
Two Party Preferred:
Labor
45%
Coalition
48%
In this week's report:
- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Top Federal Government priorities for 2021
- Uptake of a Covid-19 vaccine
- Perceptions of change in the standard of living for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Changing views towards Australia Day
- Support towards a separate national day
Essential Tags
2PP
Abbott
ALP
Approval of opposition leader
Approval of Tony Abbott
asylum seekers
Australian economy
Bill Shorten
budget
Carbon Tax
climate change
coronavirus
covid-19
economy
Education
Election
EMC
environment
ER
Essential Media
Essential Report
Federal Budget
Federal Government
federal politics
federal politics voting intention
Gillard
Greens
Julia Gillard
kevin rudd
Labor
Labor Party
Liberal
Liberal Party
Liberals
media
mining
Nationals
peter lewis
Polling
polls
Prime Minister
tony abbott
two party preferred
voting
Voting intention
Recent Comments
