Essential Report
Download this week's Report
State government response to Covid-19
Q. How would you rate your state government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| TOTAL: Good | 01/03 | 15/02 | 01/02 | 30/11 | 16/11 | 02/11 | 05/10 | 21/09 | 07/09 | 24/08 | 10/08 | 27/07 |
| NSW | 72% | 72% | 71% | 76% | 75% | 68% | 65% | 67% | 57% | 59% | 61% | 62% |
| VIC | 49% | 59% | 61% | 60% | 59% | 55% | 45% | 47% | 50% | 47% | 49% | 53% |
| QLD | 73% | 76% | 78% | 72% | 71% | 69% | 69% | 68% | 66% | 73% | 68% | 67% |
| SA | 78% | 79% | 80% | 70% | 76% | 77% | 81% | 81% | 74% | 65% | 72% | 76% |
| WA | 85% | 88% | 80% | 83% | 82% | 81% | 83% | 84% | 87% | 84% | 86% | 82% |
- The rating of the VIC government has dropped further down to 49% (from 59% mid last month). This is the lowest rating since October last year.
- Positive rating of the QLD and WA governments has decreased slightly to 73% and 85% respectively (from 76% and 88% mid last month).
- Rating of the NSW and SA governments remain virtually unchanged at 72% and 78% respectively.
Uptake of a Covid-19 vaccine
Q. The Covid-19 vaccine rollout has begun in Australia.
Once a vaccine becomes available to you, how long would you wait before taking it?
| 01/03 | 18/01 | 14/12 | 10/08 | |
| I’d get vaccinated as soon as possible / I’ve already been vaccinated | 50% | 42% | 43% | 56% |
| I’d get vaccinated, but wouldn’t do it straight away | 40% | 47% | 46% | 35% |
| I’d never get vaccinated | 10% | 11% | 10% | 8% |
| Base (n) | 1,074 | 1,084 | 1,071 | 1,010 |
- With the launch of the Covid-19 vaccine nationwide rollout last week, about half (50%) now say they would get vaccinated as soon as possible – a noticeable rise from the 42% in January. Correspondingly, fewer people now say that would get vaccinated but not straight away (40% to 47% in January).
- 1 in 10 say that would never get vaccinated, consistent with levels seen in the last few months.
Uptake of a Covid-19 vaccine
Q. The Covid-19 vaccine rollout has begun in Australia.
Once a vaccine becomes available to you, how long would you wait before taking it?
| Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | |||||||||
| Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | TOTAL: Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||||
| I’d get vaccinated as soon as possible / I’ve already been vaccinated | 50% | 58% | 42% | 41% | 44% | 63% | 50% | 56% | 58% | 45% | ||
| I’d get vaccinated, but wouldn’t do it straight away | 40% | 34% | 46% | 47% | 43% | 31% | 41% | 38% | 33% | 37% | ||
| I’d never get vaccinated | 10% | 7% | 12% | 11% | 13% | 6% | 10% | 6% | 8% | 18% | ||
| Base (n) | 1,074 | 527 | 547 | 326 | 363 | 385 | 335 | 396 | 106 | 138 | ||
- Those most likely to get the vaccine immediately include men (58%) and those aged over 55 (63%).
- Those voting for independent or minor parties are the most likely to say they would never get vaccinated (18%).
Confidence in Covid-19 vaccine rollout
Q. As vaccinations against Covid-19 are rolled out across Australia, how confident are you in each of the following?
That the rollout of vaccinations against Covid-19 in Australia will be…
| TOTAL: Confident | 01/03 | 01/02 |
| … done efficiently | 68% | 68% |
| … done safely | 73% | 72% |
| … effective at stopping Covid-19 within the country | 64% | 58% |
| Base (n) | 1,074 | 1,092 |
- With the Covid-19 vaccine rollout underway, more people are now confident it will be effective at stopping Covid-19 within the country (64% to 58% last month).
- Most people are also confident the rollout will be done efficiently (68%) and that it will be done safely (73%), consistent with levels last month.
Confidence in Covid-19 vaccine rollout
Q. As vaccinations against Covid-19 are rolled out across Australia, how confident are you in each of the following?
| TOTAL: Confident | Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | ||||||||
| Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | TOTAL: Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||||
| … done efficiently | 68% | 74% | 61% | 67% | 64% | 73% | 66% | 78% | 66% | 58% | ||
| … done safely | 73% | 80% | 67% | 71% | 69% | 80% | 70% | 84% | 78% | 61% | ||
| … effective at stopping Covid-19 within the country | 64% | 72% | 57% | 63% | 61% | 69% | 64% | 75% | 65% | 52% | ||
| Base (n) | 1,074 | 527 | 547 | 326 | 363 | 385 | 335 | 396 | 106 | 138 | ||
- While confidence in the Covid-19 rollout is relatively high across all demographics, those who are older are more confident than younger cohorts. For example, 80% of those over 55 are confident it will be done safely, compared to 69% those aged 35-54 and 71% of those 18-34. This trend is also reflected in confidence in the rollout’s efficiency and effectiveness.
- Out of all voters, Coalition voters are the most confident that the vaccine rollout will be done safely, with 84% who are confident and of this, over a third (33%) who are very confident.
Leader attributes – Scott Morrison
Q. Which of the following describe your opinion of the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison?
| Total | Change from May’20 | May’20 | Jan’20 | Oct’19 | Dec’18 | |
| Good in a crisis | 59% | -7% | 66% | 32% | 51% | 41% |
| Trustworthy | 52% | -4% | 56% | 40% | 43% | 39% |
| More honest than most politicians | 50% | -1% | 51% | 39% | 44% | 39% |
| Visionary | 41% | -7% | 48% | 30% | 42% | 38% |
| Out of touch with ordinary people | 56% | +9% | 47% | 62% | 56% | 54% |
| Avoids responsibility | 49% | – | – | – | – | – |
| In control of their team | 56% | – | – | – | – | – |
| Base (n) | 1,074 | – | 1,059 | 1,081 | 1,088 | 1,026 |
- Over half (56%) now think Scott Morrison is out of touch with ordinary people. This is up 9 percentage points since May’20 (47%).
- Fewer Australians think the Prime Minister is good in a crisis (down 7 percentage points since May’20 to 59%) and that he is visionary (also down 7% percentage points since May’20 to 41%).
- Less people also think he is trustworthy (down 4 percentage points to 52%) and about the same number think he is more honest than most politicians (50%).
Views towards gender equality in Australia
Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about gender equality in Australia?
| TOTAL: Agree | Mar’21 | Change from Jun’20 | Jun’20 | Sep’18 | Mar’16 |
| Gender equality, meaning that men and women are equal, has come far enough already | 45% | -2% | 47% | 47% | 38% |
| Gender equality has already been mostly achieved | 50% | -1% | 51% | 47% | 41% |
| Work to achieve gender equality today benefits mostly well-to-do people | 60% | +4% | 56% | 45% | 39% |
| There should be laws that require equal salaries for men and women in the same position | 83% | +3% | 80% | 78% | 78% |
| Although there has been significant progress on gender equality there is still a long way to go | 76% | +5% | 71% | 66% | 71% |
| Base (n) | 1,074 | – | 1,085 | 1,030 | 1,001 |
- 76% of people agree that although there has been significant progress on gender equality there is still a long way to go (up 5 percentage points since June last year) and consistent with the upwards trend since Sep’18.
- 60% now think work to achieve gender equality today benefits mostly well-to-do people and 83% think there should be laws that require equal salaries for men and women in the same position. Agreement towards these statements has risen slightly by 4 and 3 percentage points respectively since Jun’20.
- Slightly fewer think gender equality has come far enough already (down 2 percentage points to 45%) and half (50%) still think gender equality has already been mostly achieved.
Views towards gender equality in Australia
Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about gender equality in Australia?
| TOTAL: Agree | Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | ||||||||
| Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | TOTAL: Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||||
| Gender equality, meaning that men and women are equal, has come far enough already | 45% | 56% | 34% | 45% | 51% | 39% | 40% | 52% | 22% | 52% | ||
| Gender equality has already been mostly achieved | 50% | 62% | 39% | 52% | 54% | 45% | 46% | 58% | 29% | 55% | ||
| Work to achieve gender equality today benefits mostly well-to-do people | 60% | 63% | 57% | 69% | 65% | 47% | 61% | 57% | 60% | 64% | ||
| There should be laws that require equal salaries for men and women in the same position | 83% | 77% | 89% | 82% | 82% | 86% | 87% | 83% | 87% | 77% | ||
| Although there has been significant progress on gender equality there is still a long way to go | 76% | 69% | 82% | 78% | 77% | 72% | 80% | 69% | 92% | 74% | ||
| Base (n) | 1,074 | 527 | 547 | 326 | 363 | 385 | 335 | 396 | 106 | 138 | ||
- Agreement that there should be laws that require equal salaries for men and women in the same position is high overall, with 89% of women and 77% of men agreeing. Of this, 73% of women and 49% of men strongly agree.
- Many also agree although there has been significant progress on gender equality there is still a long way to go, with 82% of women and 69% of men in agreement with this (respectively, 50% and 38% strongly agree).
- However, men are still more likely than women to agree that gender equality has come far enough already (56% to 34%) and that it has already been mostly achieved (62% to 39%).
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
44%
In this week's report:
- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Federal government response to Covid-19
- State government response to Covid-19
- Confidence in Labor government handling of Covid-19 pandemic
- Satisfaction with speed of Covid-19 vaccine rollout
- Party most responsible for slow vaccine rollout
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
mining
Nationals
peter lewis
Polling
polls
Prime Minister
Scott Morrison
tony abbott
two party preferred
voting
Voting intention
Recent Comments
