The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Jun, 2020

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    Likelihood of developing Coronavirus

    Q. How likely do you think it is, that you will develop Covid-19?

      22/08 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04 20/04
    Very likely 8% 6% 6% 7% 5% 6% 6% 5% 5% 7%
    Somewhat likely 23% 19% 22% 23% 22% 25% 24% 26% 21% 25%
    Somewhat unlikely 49% 49% 47% 48% 51% 48% 48% 46% 50% 52%
    Very unlikely 21% 26% 25% 22% 23% 21% 21% 23% 23% 17%
    Base (n) 1,079 1,087 1,073 1,059 1,087 1,073 1,067 1.093 1,054 1,051
  • Jun, 2020

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    Likelihood of second wave

    Q. How likely do you think it is, that there will be a second wave of Covid-19 infections will occur as a result of easing restrictions?

      Total Gender Age Group
      Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+
    Very likely 20% 18% 21% 18% 24% 17%
    Quite likely 43% 41% 45% 40% 40% 50%
    Neither likely nor unlikely 24% 26% 23% 28% 24% 21%
    Quite unlikely 10% 11% 8% 11% 8% 10%
    Very unlikely 3% 4% 2% 4% 4% 2%
    TOTAL: Likely 63% 59% 67% 58% 64% 67%
    TOTAL: Unlikely 13% 15% 10% 14% 12% 12%
    Base (n) 1,079 525 554 332 362 385

     

      State
      NSW VIC QLD SA WA
    Very likely 21% 24% 20% 14% 14%
    Quite likely 41% 45% 43% 45% 43%
    Neither likely nor unlikely 27% 21% 24% 23% 24%
    Quite unlikely 9% 7% 10% 11% 15%
    Very unlikely 3% 2% 3% 6% 4%
    TOTAL: Likely 62% 70% 63% 59% 57%
    TOTAL: Unlikely 12% 9% 13% 18% 19%
    Very likely 352 261 216 88 110
    • 63% of participants think a second wave of Covid-19 infections is probable with women (67%) and 55+ year olds (67%) more likely to say this will happen.
    • Victorians (70%) are more likely than other state residents to think a second wave is probable (61%), which coincides with the announcement of 19 new cases over the weekend.
    • There are no significant differences across voting intentions.
  • Jun, 2020

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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?

    Within the next six months Seven months up to one year One to two years More than two years Never
    Quarantine will no longer required after international travel 12% 27% 35% 22% 4%
    A Covid-19 vaccine will be developed 11% 22% 43% 20% 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%

     

    WITHIN NEXT SIX MONTHS Gender Age Group
    Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+
    Quarantine will no longer required after international travel 13% 10% 14% 14% 7%
    A Covid-19 vaccine will be developed 15% 8% 16% 12% 7%
    The housing market will return pre-pandemic levels 13% 8% 15% 11% 6%
    International travel will be allowed without restriction 12% 9% 16% 13% 4%
    Unemployment will return to pre-pandemic levels 8% 7% 13% 8% 3%
    The population will build resistance to Covid-19 through exposure (herd immunity) 9% 7% 11% 9% 3%
    Australia will pay off its national debt 7% 3% 9% 6% 1%
    Base (n) 525 554 332 362 385

     

  • Jun, 2020

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    Government response to Covid-19

    Q. Overall, how would you rate the Government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?

      22/08 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04 20/04
    Very poor 4% 3% 4% 5% 4% 3% 4% 4% 4% 5%
    Quite poor 8% 8% 8% 7% 6% 7% 9% 9% 9% 10%
    Neither good, nor poor 17% 16% 18% 20% 16% 17% 16% 20% 17% 21%
    Quite good 43% 42% 40% 39% 43% 41% 39% 38% 44% 42%
    Very good 27% 30% 30% 28% 30% 32% 32% 28% 26% 23%
    TOTAL: Poor 12% 11% 12% 12% 11% 11% 13% 14% 13% 15%
    TOTAL: Good 71% 72% 70% 68% 73% 73% 71% 66% 70% 65%
    Base (n) 1,079 1,087 1,073 1,059 1,087 1,073 1,067 1,093 1,054 1,051

     

        Gender Age Group Location
      Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    Very poor 4% 6% 2% 5% 5% 2% 4% 4%
    Quite poor 8% 9% 8% 12% 7% 6% 9% 7%
    Neither good, nor poor 17% 18% 16% 23% 21% 8% 16% 19%
    Quite good 43% 39% 47% 44% 43% 43% 43% 43%
    Very good 27% 28% 27% 17% 24% 40% 28% 27%
    TOTAL: Poor 12% 14% 10% 17% 12% 9% 13% 11%
    TOTAL: Good 71% 67% 74% 61% 67% 83% 71% 70%
    Base (n) 1,079 525 554 332 362 385 728 351
  • Jun, 2020

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    State Government response to Covid-19

    Q. How would you rate your state government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?

      22/08 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04 20/04
    Very poor 5% 4% 4% 6% 4% 3% 4% 4% 4% 5%
    Quite poor 8% 8% 7% 6% 7% 8% 8% 8% 9% 9%
    Neither good, nor poor 17% 17% 17% 20% 17% 17% 16% 18% 17% 20%
    Quite good 41% 38% 39% 38% 38% 39% 39% 38% 41% 39%
    Very good 28% 33% 32% 30% 35% 33% 34% 31% 30% 26%
    TOTAL: Poor 13% 12% 11% 12% 11% 11% 12% 12% 13% 14%
    TOTAL: Good 69% 71% 71% 68% 73% 72% 73% 70% 70% 66%
    Base (n) 1,079 1,087 1,073 1,059 1,087 1,073 1,067 1,093 1,054 1,051

     

        State
      Total NSW VIC QLD SA WA
    Very poor 5% 4% 8% 6% 4% 4%
    Quite poor 8% 8% 5% 14% 5% 4%
    Neither good, nor poor 17% 18% 22% 15% 13% 17%
    Quite good 41% 45% 38% 42% 39% 27%
    Very good 28% 25% 26% 22% 40% 48%
    TOTAL: Poor 13% 12% 13% 20% 8% 8%
    TOTAL: Good 69% 70% 65% 64% 79% 75%
    Base (n) 1,079 352 261 216 88 110
    • Victorian rating of their state government’s response is down 10% this week (from 75% to 65%) with 19 new cases of Covid-19 recorded this weekend.
  • Jun, 2020

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    Agreement with removal of monuments and memorials

    Q. Protesters are arguing for the removal of monuments and memorials of individuals or organisations connected to the slave trade, genocide of Indigenous Australians and racism. In some cases, the protesters have destroyed the monuments and memorials themselves.

    To what extent do you agree or disagree with these statements about removing public monuments and memorials?

      NET: Agree NET: Disagree Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Unsure
    The protesters should focus on making changes for people living now, rather than things that happened in the past 80% 14% 54% 26% 8% 6% 7%
    Instead of removing monuments and memorials, we should include more information about the historical context of public figures 78% 15% 47% 30% 10% 5% 7%
    Every public figure has their positive and negative aspects, and this isn’t a good reason to remove their monuments or memorials 76% 16% 45% 31% 9% 7% 8%
    We lose part of our history when monuments and memorials are removed 76% 17% 49% 27% 8% 8% 8%
    It’s wrong to judge historical figures by our modern standards of morality 72% 19% 44% 28% 11% 8% 9%
    Monuments and memorials provide a constant reminder of racial discrimination in society 48% 42% 19% 29% 20% 21% 11%
    Monuments and memorials of people who support racism, segregation or slavery glorify their actions 45% 41% 19% 26% 22% 19% 14%

     

    NET: Agree Total Federal Voting Intention
    Labor Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    The protesters should focus on making changes for people living now, rather than things that happened in the past 80% 77% 89% 61% 83%
    Instead of removing monuments and memorials, we should include more information about the historical context of public figures 78% 75% 85% 62% 81%
    Every public figure has their positive and negative aspects, and this isn’t a good reason to remove their monuments or memorials 76% 71% 87% 52% 79%
    We lose part of our history when monuments and memorials are removed 76% 71% 88% 54% 71%
    It’s wrong to judge historical figures by our modern standards of morality 72% 65% 83% 55% 74%
    Monuments and memorials provide a constant reminder of racial discrimination in society 48% 55% 38% 69% 43%
    Monuments and memorials of people who support racism, segregation or slavery glorify their actions 45% 50% 37% 65% 41%
    Base (n) 1,079 315 445 107 108
    •  Four-fifths of participants agree protesters should focus on making changes for people living now, rather than things that happened in the past (80%) while another 78% agree that instead of removing monuments and memorials, we should include more information about the historical context of public figures.
    • Less than half of participants agree that monuments and memorials provide a constant reminder of racial discrimination in society (48%) and monuments and memorials of people who support racism, segregation or slavery glorify their actions (45%).
    • 18-34 year olds are more likely than those over 55, to agree that monuments and memorials of people who support racism, segregation or slavery glorify their actions (58% of 18-34 year olds and 35% of 55+) or agree that monuments and memorials provide a constant reminder of racial discrimination in society (58% and 37% respectively).
    • Participants over 55 are more likely to agree that we lose part of our history when monuments and memorials are removed (87% of those aged 55+ and 64% of 18-34) and it’s wrong to judge historical figures by our modern standards of morality (80% of 55+ and 64% of 18-34).
    • Broadly Greens voters are most likely to agree with negative statements about the impact of these monuments, while Coalition voters are least likely to agree with those statements.
  • Jun, 2020

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    Coronavirus concerns

    Q. To what extent are you concerned about the threat of Covid-19 (coronavirus) in Australia?

      15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04 20/04 13/04
    Very concerned 28% 27% 32% 30% 33% 34% 32% 39% 44% 45%
    Quite concerned 45% 48% 49% 49% 47% 49% 46% 44% 43% 43%
    Not that concerned 23% 21% 15% 16% 16% 14% 18% 13% 11% 9%
    Not at all concerned 4% 5% 4% 5% 4% 3% 4% 3% 2% 3%
    Base (n) 1,087 1,073 1,059 1,087 1,073 1,067 1,093 1,054 1,051 1,068
  • Jun, 2020

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    Likelihood of developing Coronavirus

    Q. How likely do you think it is, that you will develop Covid-19?

      15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04 20/04 13/04
    Very likely 6% 6% 7% 5% 6% 6% 5% 5% 7% 5%
    Somewhat likely 19% 22% 23% 22% 25% 24% 26% 21% 25% 28%
    Somewhat unlikely 49% 47% 48% 51% 48% 48% 46% 50% 52% 49%
    Very unlikely 26% 25% 22% 23% 21% 21% 23% 23% 17% 18%
    Base (n) 1,087 1,073 1,059 1,087 1,073 1,067 1.093 1,054 1,051 1,068
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