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Expected restriction levels
Q. In response to the Covid-19 outbreak, what do you expect will happen to the restriction levels in your local area over the next two months?
| Gender | State | ||||||||
| Total | Male | Female | NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | ||
| I expect restrictions will become tighter | 39% | 35% | 43% | 53% | 38% | 37% | 25% | 16% | |
| I expect no change to the restrictions | 39% | 42% | 37% | 35% | 40% | 39% | 44% | 51% | |
| I expect restrictions will have eased | 22% | 23% | 20% | 12% | 22% | 24% | 31% | 33% | |
| Base (n) | 1,058 | 538 | 520 | 352 | 239 | 220 | 88 | 110 | |
- Australians are preparing for a continuation, or tightening of restrictions over the next few months. 39% expect tighter restrictions in their local area and the same number do not expect any change to the current rules and guidelines. About one in five (22%) believe that restrictions will ease.
- Women (43%) and residents of New South Wales (53%) are most likely to expect restrictions to become tighter; while men (35%) and Western Australia residents (16%) are less likely to expect this.
Time to return to normal
Q. Thinking about the future, how long do you think it will take for the following to occur?
| LAST MONTH (22/06) | Within the next six months | Seven months up to one year | One to two years | More than two years | Never |
| A Covid-19 vaccine will be developed | 11% | 22% | 43% | 20% | 4% |
| Quarantine will no longer required after international travel | 12% | 27% | 35% | 22% | 4% |
| The housing market will return pre-pandemic levels | 11% | 22% | 38% | 25% | 4% |
| International travel will be allowed without restriction | 10% | 23% | 39% | 24% | 4% |
| Unemployment will return to pre-pandemic levels | 8% | 17% | 37% | 33% | 6% |
| The population will build resistance to Covid-19 through exposure (herd immunity) | 8% | 15% | 31% | 27% | 20% |
| Australia will pay off its national debt | 5% | 9% | 12% | 52% | 22% |
- Expectations of the effect of the Covid-19 have lengthened in the past month, with more people now thinking the impacts will last for more than two years.
- 32% expect it will be over two years before quarantine following international travel is removed (up from 22% last month). Similarly more people now think it will be over two years before housing prices (25% to 38%), unrestricted international travel (24% to 38%) and unemployment (33% to 48%) return to pre-Covid levels.
- 26% do not think a population-wide resistance to the disease will ever be achieved.
Support for extension of JobKeeper and JobSeeker schemes
Q. On Tuesday July 21st, the government announced that JobKeeper payments and the increase to JobSeeker will be extended to March 2021 but that the rates for each will be reduced in October, and again in January. Eligibility for JobKeeper will remain the same, meaning that casual workers will not receive support.
To what extent do you support or oppose the changes to these schemes?
| TOTAL: Support | TOTAL: Oppose | Strongly support | Somewhat support | Neither support nor oppose | Somewhat oppose | Strongly oppose | |
| Businesses having to be re-tested for JobKeeper to ensure they are still eligible | 69% | 9% | 37% | 33% | 22% | 6% | 2% |
| The continuation of payments to March 2021 | 66% | 12% | 31% | 35% | 22% | 8% | 5% |
| The reduction in the amount of payments | 54% | 21% | 22% | 33% | 25% | 12% | 9% |
| Voting intention | |||||
| NET: Support | Total | Labor | NET: Coalition | Greens | NET: Other |
| Businesses having to be re-tested for JobKeeper to ensure they are still eligible | 69% | 70% | 76% | 58% | 72% |
| The continuation of payments to March 2021 | 66% | 72% | 65% | 78% | 60% |
| The reduction in the amount of payments | 54% | 49% | 67% | 33% | 62% |
| Base (n) | 1,058 | 334 | 428 | 81 | 107 |
- Extension of the JobKeeper and JobSeeker schemes receives support from a two-thirds majority (66%). While the reduction of payments is supported by just over half (54%), 21% oppose this decision.
Federal parliament sittings
Q. Which of the following solutions would you prefer was used by the Federal parliament given the travel restrictions mean some MPs are not able to attend sessions in Canberra in person?
| Voting intention | |||||
| Total | Labor | NET: Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | |
| Parliament sitting face-to-face as normal with social distancing in place for those who can attend | 17% | 16% | 20% | 18% | 20% |
| Parliament sitting face-to-face with video conference for those who cannot attend in person | 57% | 59% | 57% | 64% | 62% |
| Parliament not sitting until travel restrictions are relaxed for all MPs | 13% | 15% | 14% | 8% | 9% |
| Unsure | 13% | 10% | 9% | 10% | 10% |
| Base (n) | 1,058 | 334 | 428 | 81 | 107 |
| Gender | Age group | ||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | ||
| Parliament sitting face-to-face as normal with social distancing in place for those who can attend | 17% | 21% | 13% | 21% | 18% | 12% | |
| Parliament sitting face-to-face with video conference for those who cannot attend in person | 57% | 55% | 59% | 46% | 53% | 72% | |
| Parliament not sitting until travel restrictions are relaxed for all MPs | 13% | 14% | 12% | 18% | 13% | 9% | |
| Unsure | 13% | 9% | 16% | 15% | 16% | 8% | |
| Base (n) | 1,058 | 538 | 520 | 341 | 331 | 386 | |
The large majority of people want to see parliament continue to sit, either with social distancing measures, (17%), or using video conferencing options (57%). Only 13% would prefer parliament not to sit during the travel restrictions due to Covid-19.
Performance of Scott Morrison
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Scott Morrison is doing as Prime Minister?
| Jul’20 | Jun’20 | May’20 | Apr’20 | Mar’20 | Feb’20 | Jan’20 | Dec’19 | Nov’19 | Oct’19 | Sep’19 | Aug’19 | |
| TOTAL: Approve | 63% | 65% | 64% | 59% | 41% | 39% | 40% | 45% | 45% | 47% | 49% | 48% |
| TOTAL: Disapprove | 27% | 26% | 27% | 31% | 49% | 52% | 52% | 43% | 41% | 38% | 36% | 37% |
| Don’t know | 10% | 8% | 9% | 10% | 10% | 9% | 8% | 13% | 13% | 15% | 15% | 16% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 1,059 | 1,093 | 1,069 | 1,096 | 1,056 | 1,081 | 1,035 | 1,075 | 1,088 | 1,093 | 1,096 |
| Total | Federal Voting Intention | ||||
| Labor | Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||
| Strongly approve | 23% | 12% | 47% | 3% | 16% |
| Approve | 40% | 37% | 43% | 33% | 42% |
| Disapprove | 17% | 31% | 4% | 24% | 17% |
| Strongly disapprove | 11% | 14% | 2% | 26% | 14% |
| Don’t know | 10% | 6% | 4% | 14% | 10% |
| TOTAL: Approve | 63% | 49% | 90% | 36% | 59% |
| TOTAL: Disapprove | 27% | 45% | 6% | 50% | 31% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 299 | 420 | 108 | 125 |
- The Prime Minister’s approval rating is on par with the previous month, now at 63% compared to 65% in June.
- Approval of the Prime Minister among is at 90% among Coalition supporters, and lower among Labor voters (49%) and Greens voters (36%). 59% of those intending to vote for a minor party or independent candidate approve of the PM.
Performance of Anthony Albanese
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Anthony Albanese is doing as Opposition Leader?
| Jul’20 | Jun’20 | May’20 | Apr’20 | Mar’20 | Feb’20 | Jan’20 | Dec’19 | Nov’19 | Oct’19 | Sep’19 | Aug’19 | |
| TOTAL: Approve | 44% | 43% | 42% | 44% | 41% | 41% | 43% | 39% | 37% | 40% | 36% | 38% |
| TOTAL: Disapprove | 28% | 30% | 27% | 29% | 33% | 31% | 30% | 28% | 34% | 29% | 31% | 29% |
| Don’t know | 28% | 26% | 31% | 27% | 26% | 28% | 27% | 33% | 29% | 31% | 33% | 33% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 1,059 | 1,093 | 1,069 | 1,096 | 1,056 | 1,081 | 1,035 | 1,075 | 1,088 | 1,093 | 1,096 |
| Total | Federal Voting Intention | ||||
| Labor | Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||
| Strongly approve | 10% | 18% | 7% | 5% | 8% |
| Approve | 34% | 47% | 31% | 41% | 16% |
| Disapprove | 19% | 15% | 25% | 16% | 31% |
| Strongly disapprove | 9% | 1% | 17% | 4% | 12% |
| Don’t know | 28% | 19% | 21% | 34% | 32% |
| TOTAL: Approve | 44% | 65% | 37% | 46% | 25% |
| TOTAL: Disapprove | 28% | 16% | 42% | 20% | 43% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 299 | 420 | 108 | 125 |
- The Opposition Leader’s approval rating is consistent this month, at 44% compared to 43% in June.
- Albanese’s approval among Labor voters remains relatively low at 65%, compared to Morrison’s approval among Coalition voters (90%).
Preferred Prime Minister
Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese?
| Jul’20 | Jun’20 | May’20 | Apr’20 | Mar’20 | Feb’20 | Jan’20 | Nov’19 | Oct’19 | Sep’19 | Aug’19 | Jul’19 | |
| Scott Morrison | 50% | 53% | 50% | 46% | 40% | 36% | 36% | 44% | 43% | 46% | 44% | 44% |
| Anthony Albanese | 27% | 23% | 25% | 27% | 35% | 36% | 39% | 28% | 28% | 25% | 28% | 26% |
| Don’t know | 23% | 24% | 25% | 27% | 25% | 28% | 25% | 29% | 29% | 29% | 28% | 31% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 1,059 | 1,093 | 1,069 | 1,096 | 1,056 | 1,081 | 1,075 | 1,088 | 1,093 | 1,096 | 1,091 |
| Federal Voting Intention | |||||
| Total | Labor | Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | |
| Scott Morrison | 50% | 27% | 84% | 17% | 52% |
| Anthony Albanese | 27% | 50% | 11% | 45% | 17% |
| Don’t know | 23% | 23% | 6% | 38% | 30% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 299 | 420 | 108 | 125 |
- Half of participants believe that Scott Morrison would make a better PM than Anthony Albanese (50% to 27%). Around a quarter (23%) of participants don’t know who would make the better PM.
- Morrison is strongly favoured by Coalition voters, with 84% believing Morrison makes the better PM, compared to Albanese (11%).
- Half of Labor voters believe Albanese would make the better PM (50%) compared to Morrison (27%). 23% said they didn’t know who would make the better leader.
Coronavirus concerns
Q. To what extent are you concerned about the threat of Covid-19 (coronavirus) in Australia?
| 13/07 | 22/06 | 15/06 | 08/06 | 01/06 | 25/05 | 18/05 | 11/05 | 04/05 | 27/04 | |
| Very concerned | 36% | 25% | 28% | 27% | 32% | 30% | 33% | 34% | 32% | 39% |
| Quite concerned | 48% | 50% | 45% | 48% | 49% | 49% | 47% | 49% | 46% | 44% |
| Not that concerned | 12% | 21% | 23% | 21% | 15% | 16% | 16% | 14% | 18% | 13% |
| Not at all concerned | 3% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 4% | 5% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 3% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 1,079 | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,059 | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,067 | 1,093 | 1,054 |
| State | |||||||
| Total | NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | ||
| Very concerned | 36% | 42% | 46% | 25% | 33% | 26% | |
| Quite concerned | 48% | 46% | 45% | 49% | 44% | 55% | |
| Not that concerned | 12% | 8% | 8% | 19% | 21% | 13% | |
| Not at all concerned | 3% | 3% | 1% | 6% | 1% | 7% | |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 320 | 281 | 226 | 82 | 98 | |
- Concern about Covid-19 has increased from last month. In June 25% said they were very concerned about the threat of Covid-19 – this has increased to 36% this week.
- Concern is highest in Victoria (46% are very concerned) and NSW (42%), while lower in Queensland (25% and Western Australia (26%).
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
47%
Coalition
45%
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