Essential Report
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Information about Covid-19
Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the information you’ve received about the Covid-19 outbreak?
| NET: Agree | 29/03 | 22/03 |
| I feel informed about the situation and the impact on me and my family | 63% | 64% |
| I trust the Government to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak | 56% | 56% |
| The information I’ve received has been clear and consistent | 47% | 51% |
| I trust the media to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak | 42% | 35% |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 1,034 |
| NET: Agree | NET: Disagree | Strongly agree | Somewhat agree | Neither agree nor disagree | Somewhat disagree | Strongly disagree | |
| I feel informed about the situation and the impact on me and my family | 63% | 17% | 6% | 11% | 20% | 44% | 19% |
| I trust the Government to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak | 56% | 22% | 8% | 14% | 23% | 37% | 19% |
| The information I’ve received has been clear and consistent | 47% | 30% | 10% | 20% | 23% | 32% | 15% |
| I trust the media to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak | 42% | 33% | 14% | 19% | 26% | 32% | 10% |
Changing behaviour due to Covid-19
Q. Have you changed your behaviour in any of the following ways since the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak?
| 29/03 | 22/03 | |
| Increased personal hygiene measures (e.g. hand washing) | 79% | 72% |
| Limited attending social spaces, shops, restaurants or group events | 75% | 60% |
| Stopped physical greetings (e.g. shaking hands, kissing, hugging) | 73% | 60% |
| Bought additional groceries to stock-up | 41% | 33% |
| Reduced use of cash to pay for purchases | 43% | 23% |
| Changed working patterns (e.g. changed hours, or working from home) | 33% | 20% |
| None of these | 5% | 12% |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 1,034 |
- Now 95% of participants claim that their behaviour has changed since the Covid-19 outbreak (up from 88% last week).
- All the measures aimed at reducing the spread of the virus have increased observation compared to last week.
| Gender | Age Group | Location | |||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | ||
| Increased personal hygiene measures (e.g. hand washing) | 79% | 74% | 84% | 72% | 80% | 85% | 79% | 80% | |
| Limited attending social spaces, shops, restaurants or group events | 75% | 68% | 83% | 66% | 77% | 82% | 75% | 76% | |
| Stopped physical greetings (e.g. shaking hands, kissing, hugging) | 73% | 69% | 78% | 60% | 73% | 85% | 73% | 74% | |
| Bought additional groceries to stock-up | 41% | 39% | 43% | 43% | 43% | 38% | 44% | 36% | |
| Reduced use of cash to pay for purchases | 43% | 40% | 47% | 44% | 44% | 42% | 44% | 42% | |
| Changed working patterns (e.g. changed hours, or working from home) | 33% | 33% | 32% | 47% | 36% | 17% | 37% | 24% | |
| None of these | 5% | 7% | 3% | 5% | 4% | 6% | 5% | 5% | |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 539 | 547 | 341 | 362 | 383 | 727 | 359 | |
- Women and participants over 55 years olds are more likely to have changed their behaviour since the Covid-19 outbreak, than men and 18-34 year olds.
Support for restrictions to reduce the spread of Covid-19
Q. To what extent do you support or oppose the following the following measures which have been implemented or suggested, to reduce the spread and transmission of Covid-19?
| NET: Support | NET: Oppose | Strongly support | Somewhat support | Neither support nor oppose | Somewhat oppose | Strongly oppose | |
| Closing Australia’s borders to other countries | 88% | 5% | 74% | 13% | 7% | 3% | 2% |
| Making direct payments to people who have lost work due to Covid-19 | 82% | 5% | 57% | 25% | 13% | 3% | 2% |
| Closing pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes | 81% | 8% | 57% | 24% | 11% | 5% | 3% |
| Closing borders between Australia’s states and territories | 80% | 9% | 55% | 24% | 11% | 6% | 3% |
| Making direct payments to small and medium business who have lost income due to Covid-19 | 80% | 7% | 51% | 29% | 14% | 4% | 3% |
| Closing schools | 69% | 13% | 43% | 26% | 18% | 8% | 4% |
- More than 80% of participants support five of the six implemented or suggested measures to stop the spread of Covid-19 – closing schools is the only measure with lower support (69% support).
| NET: SUPPORT | Gender | Age Group | Location | ||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | ||
| Closing Australia’s borders to other countries | 88% | 82% | 93% | 77% | 88% | 96% | 86% | 91% | |
| Making direct payments to people who have lost work due to Covid-19 | 82% | 79% | 85% | 74% | 82% | 90% | 81% | 84% | |
| Closing pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes | 81% | 76% | 87% | 73% | 80% | 90% | 81% | 82% | |
| Closing borders between Australia’s states and territories | 80% | 73% | 86% | 74% | 78% | 86% | 79% | 81% | |
| Making direct payments to small and medium business who have lost income due to Covid-19 | 80% | 75% | 84% | 71% | 78% | 89% | 78% | 84% | |
| Closing schools | 69% | 63% | 75% | 71% | 69% | 67% | 69% | 70% | |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 539 | 547 | 341 | 362 | 383 | 727 | 359 | |
- Women and participants over 55 years olds are more supportive of all the listed measures than men or participants 18-34 years old.
| Household | |||
| NET: SUPPORT | Total | Have dependent children | Do not have dependent children |
| Closing Australia’s borders to other countries | 88% | 85% | 89% |
| Making direct payments to people who have lost work due to Covid-19 | 82% | 78% | 84% |
| Closing pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes | 81% | 79% | 83% |
| Closing borders between Australia’s states and territories | 80% | 80% | 80% |
| Making direct payments to small and medium business who have lost income due to Covid-19 | 80% | 76% | 82% |
| Closing schools | 69% | 69% | 69% |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 713 | 373 |
- There is no difference in support for closing schools between participants with dependent child and those without (both 69%).
New Covid-19 restrictions
Q. You may be aware, on Tuesday 24 March Scott Morrison announced that from midnight Wednesday 25 March new restrictions will apply to a range of services including funerals, weddings, open houses, auctions, galleries and libraries. Although some states have decided to bring school holidays forward, Scott Morrison’s announcement said that schools should stay open.
Which of the following best describes how you feel about these new restrictions to reduce the spread of Covid-19?
| Gender | Age Group | ||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | ||
| The new restrictions go too far | 10% | 13% | 7% | 12% | 11% | 6% | |
| The new restrictions are just right | 54% | 55% | 53% | 56% | 49% | 56% | |
| The new restrictions don’t go far enough | 36% | 32% | 40% | 32% | 39% | 38% | |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 539 | 547 | 341 | 362 | 383 | |
Support for non-permanent residents accessing Australian government support
Q. You may be aware that non-permanent residents in Australia (such as skilled migrants, New Zealand citizens, people on temporary visas and refugees) are not currently eligible for most government benefits, such as Jobseeker Allowance. Non-permanent residents can’t return to their home countries as Australia has closed its international borders.
To what extent do you support or oppose, non-permanent residents being able to access Australian government support if they lose their jobs as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak?
| Gender | Age Group | Location | |||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | ||
| Strongly support | 25% | 26% | 24% | 29% | 27% | 20% | 27% | 22% | |
| Somewhat support | 29% | 29% | 29% | 29% | 27% | 31% | 30% | 26% | |
| Neither support, nor oppose | 24% | 22% | 25% | 22% | 23% | 26% | 21% | 28% | |
| Somewhat oppose | 12% | 12% | 12% | 12% | 10% | 13% | 12% | 12% | |
| Strongly oppose | 10% | 11% | 10% | 8% | 13% | 10% | 10% | 11% | |
| NET: Support | 54% | 55% | 53% | 58% | 54% | 51% | 57% | 48% | |
| NET: Oppose | 22% | 23% | 22% | 20% | 23% | 23% | 22% | 24% | |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 539 | 547 | 341 | 362 | 383 | 727 | 359 | |
- 54% of participants support non-permanent residents accessing Australian government support if they lose their jobs as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.
- Capital residents are more likely to support this measure than non-capital residents (57% compared to 48%).
Employment situation during Covid-19 outbreak
Q. Which of the following best describes the impact of Covid-19 on your work:
| Gender | Age Group | Location | |||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | ||
| I wasn’t in paid work before the Covid-19 outbreak | 41% | 34% | 47% | 27% | 27% | 65% | 37% | 48% | |
| I was in paid work before the Covid-19 outbreak but am not now | 19% | 20% | 17% | 32% | 17% | 9% | 20% | 16% | |
| I’m still in paid work but am worried about losing my job because of the Covid-19 outbreak | 25% | 28% | 22% | 31% | 34% | 11% | 28% | 18% | |
| I’m still in paid work and am not worried about losing my job because of the Covid-19 outbreak | 16% | 18% | 14% | 11% | 22% | 14% | 15% | 17% | |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 539 | 547 | 341 | 362 | 383 | 727 | 359 | |
- 25% of participants are worried about losing their job because of the Covid-19 outbreak and another 19% were in paid employment before the outbreak, but now are not.
- 32% of 18-34 year olds say they were in paid work before the Covid-19 outbreak but am not now – this is higher than 35-54 year olds (17%).
Financial situation during Covid-19 outbreak
Q. Which of the following best describes your financial situation during the Covid-19 outbreak?
| NET: Agree | 29/03 | 22/03 |
| I do not expect the Covid-19 will impact my income | 26% | 24% |
| I have sufficient savings to deal with a short-term loss of income | 32% | 26% |
| I will struggle with a short-term loss of income, but will get by | 23% | 29% |
| I will be in serious financial stress with short-term loss of income | 20% | 21% |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 1,034 |
| Gender | Age Group | Location | |||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | ||
| I do not expect the Covid-19 will impact my income | 26% | 31% | 20% | 23% | 21% | 32% | 27% | 22% | |
| I have sufficient savings to deal with a short-term loss of income | 32% | 31% | 33% | 40% | 33% | 23% | 32% | 30% | |
| I will struggle with a short-term loss of income, but will get by | 23% | 20% | 25% | 27% | 30% | 12% | 24% | 21% | |
| I will be in serious financial stress with short-term loss of income | 20% | 18% | 22% | 10% | 16% | 32% | 17% | 26% | |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 539 | 547 | 341 | 362 | 383 | 727 | 359 | |
| Household | Employment | ||||||
| Total | Have dependent children | Do not have dependent children | In paid employment | Not in paid employment | Retired | ||
| I do not expect the Covid-19 will impact my income | 26% | 22% | 27% | 27% | 17% | 32% | |
| I have sufficient savings to deal with a short-term loss of income | 32% | 33% | 31% | 36% | 32% | 18% | |
| I will struggle with a short-term loss of income, but will get by | 23% | 27% | 21% | 25% | 33% | 4% | |
| I will be in serious financial stress with short-term loss of income | 20% | 18% | 21% | 11% | 18% | 46% | |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 713 | 373 | 567 | 274 | 202 | |
Relative concern for the climate change
Q. Considering everything which has happened so far this year, are you now more or less concerned about the impact of climate change than you were a year ago?
| Gender | Age Group | Location | |||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | ||
| More concerned about the impact of climate change | 31% | 32% | 30% | 41% | 27% | 27% | 34% | 25% | |
| No more or less concerned about the impact of climate change | 53% | 49% | 56% | 45% | 56% | 56% | 50% | 58% | |
| Less concerned about the impact of climate change | 16% | 19% | 14% | 14% | 17% | 17% | 16% | 17% | |
| Base (n) | 1,086 | 539 | 547 | 341 | 362 | 383 | 727 | 359 | |
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Download this weeks ReportEssential Report
Two Party Preferred: 14 May 2019
Labor
51.5%-0.5
Coalition
48.5%+0.5
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