The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Jul, 2021

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    Reason those who would get vaccinated against Covid-19 have not been vaccinated yet

    Q. Thinking about why you haven’t been vaccinated against Covid-19 yet, which of the following applies to you? Select all that apply.

    [ASKED ONLY TO THOSE WHO SAY THEY WOULD GET VACCINATED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE / WOULD GET VACCINATED BUT NOT STRAIGHT AWAY]

      Total Gender Age Group
      Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+
    I’m waiting for the Pfizer vaccine to be available to me 41% 39% 42% 47% 41% 30%
    I’m waiting to see how others react to the vaccine first 29% 28% 29% 33% 31% 17%
    I haven’t tried to book an appointment because I assume it will be too hard to get one 13% 14% 13% 20% 12% 4%
    I can’t take time off work if I need to after getting vaccinated (e.g. if I feel unwell) 6% 8% 5% 10% 6% 1%
    I can’t take time off work for the vaccine appointment 4% 5% 4% 6% 5% 1%
    Other (please specify) 13% 10% 15% 7% 14% 19%
    None of these 15% 16% 14% 4% 14% 34%
    Base (n) 600 272 328 243 223 134
    • Once a vaccine becomes available to them, of those who say they would get vaccinated as soon as possible, or they would get vaccinated but not straight away, the most common reason out of those listed for not being vaccinated yet is ‘I’m waiting for the Pfizer vaccine to be available to me’ (41%).
    • Despite the AstraZeneca vaccine now being technically available to all adults, 47% of those aged 18-34 state waiting for Pfizer to be available to them as their top reason for not getting vaccinated yet, followed by 41% of those aged 35-54 and 30% of those over 55.
    • The second most common reason out of those listed is ‘I’m waiting to see how others react to the vaccine first’ (29%). Those aged 18-34 and 35-54 are more likely to state this than those over 55 (33% and 31% to 17% respectively).
    • 13% say the reason they haven’t been vaccinated yet is because they ‘haven’t tried to book an appointment because they assume it will be too hard to get one’. Those aged 18-34 are more likely to state this as their reason compared to older cohorts (20% to 12% of those aged 35-54 and 4% of those over 55).
  • Jul, 2021

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    Speed of NSW lockdown

    Q. Overall, do you think NSW moved too quickly, too slowly or at about the right speed in terms of enforcing lockdown restrictions?

    NSW This week

    19/07

    		 Two weeks ago

    05/07
    Moved too quickly 12% 10%
    About the right speed 44% 51%
    Moved too slowly 44% 39%
    Base (n) 354 553
    • Compared to two weeks ago, more NSW residents now think NSW moved too slowly when enforcing lockdown restrictions (44% from 39%).
    • Fewer now think NSW moved at about the right speed (44% from 51% two weeks ago), and about the same proportion think NSW moved too quickly (12% from 10%).
      State
      NSW VIC QLD SA WA
    Moved too quickly 12% 8% 7% 20% 13%
    About the right speed 44% 31% 34% 28% 19%
    Moved too slowly 44% 62% 60% 53% 68%
    Base (n) 354 277 217 89 108
    • People from other states mostly think NSW moved too slowly with lockdown. Western Australians are most likely to think this (68%), followed by Victorians (62%), Queenslanders (60%) and South Australians (53%).
      Total Gender Age Group Federal Voting Intention
      Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor TOTAL: Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    Moved too quickly 10% 13% 7% 14% 13% 4% 9% 10% 10% 13%
    About the right speed 34% 37% 32% 39% 31% 34% 25% 44% 39% 33%
    Moved too slowly 56% 50% 61% 47% 56% 63% 66% 46% 51% 54%
    Base (n) 1,100 539 561 341 373 386 375 414 100 117

     

      State
      NSW VIC QLD SA WA
    Moved too quickly 12% 8% 7% 20% 13%
    About the right speed 44% 31% 34% 28% 19%
    Moved too slowly 44% 62% 60% 53% 68%
    Base (n) 354 277 217 89 108
    • Women are more likely than men to think NSW moved too slowly with lockdown (61% to 50% respectively).
    • The sentiment that NSW moved too slowly increases with age – 47% of those aged 18-34 hold this view, compared to 56% of those aged 35-54 and 63% of those over 55.
    • Labor voters are the most likely to think NSW moved too slowly with lockdown (66%), followed by minor/independent party voters (54%) and Greens voters (51%). Coalition voters are the least likely to think this (46%).
  • Jul, 2021

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    Time for Covid-19 milestones to occur for NSW

    Q. How long do you think it will take for the following to occur in NSW?

    This week

    19/07

    		 Two weeks up to one month One month up to six months Seven months up to one year One to two years More than two years Never
    The Covid-19 outbreak in NSW is controlled 46% 33% 10% 5% 2% 4%
    The lockdown in Greater Sydney is lifted 62% 28% 5% 2% 0% 2%
    The lockdown in other affected areas in NSW is lifted (e.g. Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour) 71% 20% 4% 2% 1% 3%
    • 46% of people think the Covid-19 outbreak in NSW will be controlled within a month. A further third (33%) think this will most likely happen within six months.
    • Most Australians are optimistic the NSW lockdown will be lifted within a month (62% in Greater Sydney and 71% in other affected areas of NSW).
    NSW Two weeks up to one month
    19/07 05/07
    The Covid-19 outbreak in NSW is controlled 47% 50%
    The lockdown in Greater Sydney is lifted 62% 76%
    The lockdown in other affected areas in NSW is lifted (e.g. Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour) 69% 77%
    Base (n) 354 553
    • Most of those in NSW still expect the lockdown to be lifted within a month (62% in Greater Sydney and 69% in other affected areas of NSW), however this is less compared to the proportion who thought this two weeks ago (76% and 77% respectively).
  • Jul, 2021

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    Time to return to normal

    Q. Thinking about the future, how long do you think it will take for the following to occur? / And how long do you think it will take for the following to occur in Australia?

    TOTAL: Within one year This week

    19/07

    		 Last month

    07/06

    		 Three months ago

    26/04

    		 Last July

    27/07/20
    Interstate travel will be allowed without restriction 48% – – –
    The Covid-19 vaccine rollout will be completed in your state 42% – – –
    Unemployment will return to pre-pandemic levels 37% 22% 30% 19%
    The Covid-19 vaccine rollout will be completed in Australia 31% 18% 30% –
    The housing market will return pre-pandemic levels 30% 18% 33% 22%
    Quarantine will no longer be required after international travel 22% 12% 23% 25%
    International travel will be allowed without restriction 21% 12% 20% 21%
    Australia will pay off its national debt 16% 7% 13% 11%
    • A similar proportion of people as in April think most of the events above will occur within a year.
    TOTAL: Within one year NSW VIC QLD SA WA
    The Covid-19 vaccine rollout will be completed in your state 48% 38% 33% 43% 44%
    • Those in NSW are most likely to think the Covid-19 vaccine rollout will be completed in their state within a year (48%), followed by Western Australians (44%) and South Australians (43%). Victorians and Queenslanders are less likely to think this (38% and 33% respectively).
    TOTAL: Within one year Within the next six months Seven months up to one year One to two years More than two years Never
    Interstate travel will be allowed without restriction 48% 20% 29% 30% 17% 5%
    The Covid-19 vaccine rollout will be completed in your state 42% 13% 29% 36% 17% 6%
    Unemployment will return to pre-pandemic levels 37% 18% 20% 30% 25% 8%
    The Covid-19 vaccine rollout will be completed in Australia 31% 11% 20% 35% 26% 8%
    The housing market will return pre-pandemic levels 30% 14% 16% 28% 24% 18%
    Quarantine will no longer be required after international travel 22% 8% 14% 33% 35% 10%
    International travel will be allowed without restriction 21% 9% 12% 31% 37% 11%
    Australia will pay off its national debt 16% 9% 8% 11% 42% 31%
    • Out of the events listed, people are most optimistic about interstate travel – just under half (48%) think interstate travel will be allowed without restriction within a year.
    • 31% of Australians think the Covid-19 vaccine rollout will be completed nationally within a year. A further 35% think this will take one to two years, and about a quarter (26%) think this will take more than two years.
    • 31% think it will take one to two years for international travel to be allowed without restriction, 37% think this will take more than two years.
  • Jul, 2021

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    Performance of Scott Morrison

    Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Scott Morrison is doing as Prime Minister?

    Jul’21 Jun’21 May’21 Apr’21 End Mar’21 Mid Mar’21 Feb’21 Jan’21 Dec’20 Nov’20 Oct’20 Sep’20 Aug’20
    TOTAL: Approve 51% 57% 58% 54% 57% 62% 65% 61% 62% 66% 63% 64% 66%
    TOTAL: Disapprove 40% 36% 32% 37% 35% 29% 28% 30% 28% 25% 27% 28% 23%
    Don’t know 9% 8% 10% 9% 8% 8% 7% 9% 11% 9% 10% 8% 11%
    Base (n) 1,099 1,104 1,092 1,368 1,100 1,124 1,109 1,084 1,071 1,010 1,082 1,076 1,010

     

    TOTAL: Approve Jul’21 Jun’21 May’21 Apr’21
    NSW 53% 59% 64% 55%
    VIC 49% 52% 51% 51%
    QLD 49% 60% 60% 57%
    SA 50% 56% 52% 50%
    WA 45% 41% 28% 36%
    • The Prime Minister’s approval rating has dropped to 51% (from 57% in June). This is the lowest approval rating in the last 12 months.
    • Disapproval has increased to 40% (from 36% last month). This is the highest disapproval rating in the last 12 months.
    • The PM’s approval rating has fallen in all states except for WA. It has dropped the most significantly in QLD (49% from 60% in June).
    TOTAL: Approve Jul’21 Jun’21 May’21 12 Apr’21 29 Mar’21 15 Mar’21 Feb’21 Jan’21 Dec’20 Nov’20
    Men 53% 61% 62% 61% 65% 65% 65% 62% 68% 65%
    Women 49% 52% 55% 46% 49% 59% 65% 59% 56% 67%
    TOTAL: Disapprove                    
    Men 41% 34% 31% 32% 30% 28% 28% 32% 25% 28%
    Women 39% 38% 34% 42% 40% 30% 28% 29% 30% 23%
    • Approval of Scott Morrison has fallen among both men and women to 53% and 49% respectively (from 61% and 52% in June). This is the lowest approval rating of the PM seen among men since last March, and among women since April.
    • Disapproval of the PM among men has increased to 41% (from 34% in June), the highest disapproval rating among men since last March. Disapproval of the PM among women is at 39%, similar to last month but an increase from the level in May (34%).
  • Jul, 2021

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    Performance of Anthony Albanese

    Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Anthony Albanese is doing as Opposition Leader?

    Jul’21 Jun’21 May’21 Apr’21 Mar’21 Feb’21 Jan’21 Dec’20 Nov’20 Oct’20 Sep’20 Aug’20
    TOTAL: Approve 41% 39% 39% 39% 41% 40% 42% 43% 40% 44% 44% 44%
    TOTAL: Disapprove 35% 36% 35% 34% 32% 33% 33% 29% 33% 29% 29% 30%
    Don’t know 24% 24% 25% 27% 27% 27% 25% 28% 27% 27% 27% 25%
    Base (n) 1,099 1,104 1,092 1,368 1,124 1,109 1,084 1,071 1,010 1,082 1,076 1,010
    • The Opposition Leader’s approval rating has increased slightly to 41% (from 39% in June).
    • Similarly, the proportion of people disapproving of Albanese and those unsure are both consistent with last month (35% and 24% respectively).
  • Jul, 2021

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    Preferred Prime Minister

    Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese?

    Jul’21 Jun’21 May’21 Apr’21 Mar’21 Feb’21 Jan’21 Dec’20 Nov’20 Oct’20 Sep’20 Aug’20
    Scott Morrison 46% 48% 50% 47% 52% 52% 51% 50% 53% 50% 49% 52%
    Anthony Albanese 28% 28% 24% 28% 26% 24% 25% 24% 24% 25% 26% 22%
    Don’t know 26% 24% 26% 25% 22% 24% 25% 26% 24% 25% 25% 26%
    Base (n) 1,099 1,104 1,092 1,368 1,124 1,109 1,084 1,071 1,010 1,082 1,076 1,010
    • Less than half (46%) of Australians now believe that Scott Morrison would make a better PM than Anthony Albanese (48% last month).
    • 28% think the opposition leader would make the better Prime Minister (same level in June). 26% of participants don’t know who would make the better PM.
    Men Jul’21 Jun’21 May’21 Apr’21 Mar’21 Feb’21 Jan’21 Dec’20 Nov’20 Oct’20
    Scott Morrison 48% 54% 54% 53% 52% 54% 53% 54% 54% 52%
    Anthony Albanese 31% 30% 26% 29% 30% 28% 28% 29% 28% 29%
    Don’t know 21% 16% 20% 18% 19% 19% 19% 17% 19% 19%
    Women                    
    Scott Morrison 43% 43% 47% 42% 53% 51% 48% 47% 51% 47%
    Anthony Albanese 26% 25% 22% 26% 23% 21% 22% 19% 20% 22%
    Don’t know 31% 31% 31% 32% 24% 29% 31% 34% 28% 31%
    • Less than half (48%) of men now believe Scott Morrison makes the better PM (54% in June), the lowest number since last March. About the same proportion as last month think Albanese would make the better PM (31%). More men are now unsure who would make the better PM (21% from 16% last month).
    • The proportion of women who think Scott Morrison makes the better PM has dropped since May to 43% (from 47%). Just over a quarter (26%) of women now think Anthony Albanese would make the better PM (from 22% in May). 31% are undecided, consistent with the past few months.
  • Jul, 2021

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    Scott Morrison’s treatment of NSW vs other states during Covid-19

    Q. Thinking about how Scott Morrison has treated your state compared to how he has treated NSW during the Covid-19 pandemic, which of the following is closer to your view? [ASKED TO ALL RESPONDENTS EXCEPT FOR THOSE IN NSW]

      Total Gender Age Group Federal Voting Intention
      Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor TOTAL: Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    Scott Morrison has treated my state less favourably than NSW 37% 41% 33% 38% 39% 34% 51% 26% 43% 35%
    Scott Morrison has treated my state more favourably than NSW 8% 9% 7% 11% 11% 4% 7% 9% 16% 9%
    Scott Morrison has treated my state the same as NSW 29% 29% 29% 21% 27% 37% 19% 47% 19% 31%
    Unsure 26% 21% 31% 30% 23% 25% 23% 19% 21% 24%
    Base (n) 743 366 377 247 250 246 297 236 61 83

     

      State
      VIC QLD SA WA
    Scott Morrison has treated my state less favourably than NSW 40% 35% 22% 50%
    Scott Morrison has treated my state more favourably than NSW 8% 7% 11% 9%
    Scott Morrison has treated my state the same as NSW 26% 32% 39% 18%
    Unsure 25% 26% 28% 22%
    Base (n) 275 220 87 106
    • Thinking about how Scott Morrison has treated NSW compared to how he has treated other states during the Covid-19 pandemic, which of the following is closer to your view? [ASKED TO RESPONDENTS IN NSW ONLY]
      Total Gender Age Group Federal Voting Intention
      Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor TOTAL: Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    Scott Morrison has treated NSW less favourably than other states 14% 16% 11% 19% 14% 9% 18% 9% 20% 9%
    Scott Morrison has treated NSW more favourably than other states 23% 28% 19% 27% 30% 15% 29% 23% 30% 13%
    Scott Morrison has treated NSW the same as other states 46% 41% 50% 35% 39% 59% 33% 57% 40% 53%
    Unsure 18% 15% 20% 19% 17% 17% 20% 11% 10% 24%
    Base (n) 553 268 285 147 203 203 182 226 41 44
    • When thinking about how Scott Morrison has treated their state compared to how he has treated NSW during the Covid-19 pandemic, over a third (37%) of respondents in states besides NSW say Scott Morrison has treated their state less favourably. 29% think Scott Morrison has treated their state the same as NSW and 26% are unsure. Only 8% think the PM has treated their state more favourably than NSW.
    • Victorians and Western Australians are more likely than those in other states to think the PM has treated their state less favourably than NSW (40% and 50% respectively).
    • When thinking about how Scott Morrison has treated NSW compared to how he has treated other states during the Covid-19 pandemic, just under half (46%) of those in NSW think the PM has treated their state equally, while 23% think he has treated NSW more favourably. 14% think the PM has treated NSW less favourably than other states, and 18% are unsure.
    • In other states besides NSW, compared to other voters, Labor voters are most likely to think Scott Morrison has treated their state less favourably (51%), whereas Coalition voters are most likely to think their state has been treated equally (47%).
    • In NSW, compared to other voters, Coalition voters are the most likely to think the PM has treated NSW equally (57%), while Labor voters are the least likely to think this (33%).
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