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Views on opening schools following Covid-19
Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following questions about children returning to school following the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions?
| TOTAL: Agree | TOTAL: Disagree | Strongly agree | Somewhat agree | Neither agree, nor disagree | Somewhat disagree | Strongly disagree | |
| Schools should teach most students remotely until the Covid-19 outbreak passes | 50% | 25% | 23% | 27% | 25% | 15% | 10% |
| It’s unreasonable to expect teachers to prepare separate lessons for children who are learning remotely and for children who still attend school | 52% | 21% | 23% | 30% | 27% | 12% | 8% |
| Even if schools in my state are open, I will still choose to keep my children home because of the Covid-19 outbreak
(PARENT/GUARDIAN ONLY) |
41% | 36% | 17% | 25% | 23% | 18% | 17% |
International Response
Q. Based on what you’ve seen in the media or heard from friends and family, how would you rate the response to the Covid-19 outbreak from each of these countries?
| TOTAL:
Good |
TOTAL:
Poor |
Very good | Quite good | Neither good, nor poor | Quite poor | Very poor | |
| New Zealand | 79% | 5% | 49% | 30% | 17% | 2% | 2% |
| China | 21% | 56% | 6% | 15% | 23% | 20% | 36% |
| United Kingdom | 20% | 48% | 4% | 16% | 33% | 31% | 17% |
| United States of America | 12% | 71% | 3% | 9% | 17% | 23% | 48% |
- Australians think New Zealand has managed the Covid-19 well, with 79% rating the countries performance as very/quite good.
- Around half of Australians rate the response of USA to Covid-19 as very poor (48%). Just 12% think the country has handled the outbreak well.
Raising Newstart
Q. The government has doubled the Newstart allowance to support people out of work for the next six months. When that time expires, which of the following would you prefer to see happen the Newstart allowance?
| Gender | Age Group | Location | |||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | ||
| Maintain the current rate ($560 per week) | 24% | 24% | 24% | 32% | 27% | 15% | 26% | 21% | |
| Increase the former rate to equal the single pension amount ($472 per week) | 33% | 35% | 31% | 28% | 31% | 40% | 31% | 37% | |
| Return to the former rate ($285 per week) | 28% | 27% | 29% | 23% | 27% | 33% | 28% | 28% | |
| Unsure | 15% | 13% | 16% | 17% | 15% | 12% | 15% | 14% | |
| Base (n) | 1,093 | 539 | 554 | 341 | 372 | 380 | 734 | 359 | |
| Federal Voting Intention | |||||
| Total | Labor | Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | |
| Maintain the current rate ($560 per week) | 24% | 28% | 20% | 34% | 18% |
| Increase the former rate to equal the single pension amount ($472 per week) | 33% | 38% | 31% | 38% | 36% |
| Return to the former rate ($285 per week) | 28% | 22% | 38% | 16% | 30% |
| Unsure | 15% | 12% | 11% | 12% | 15% |
| Base (n) | 1,093 | 325 | 435 | 108 | 114 |
Coronavirus concerns
Q. To what extent are you concerned about the threat of Covid-19 (coronavirus) in Australia?
| 27/04 | 20/04 | 13/04 | 06/04 | 29/03 | 22/03 | 09/03 | 10/02 | |
| Very concerned | 39% | 44% | 45% | 51% | 53% | 39% | 27% | 25% |
| Quite concerned | 44% | 43% | 43% | 37% | 35% | 43% | 36% | 43% |
| Not that concerned | 13% | 11% | 9% | 10% | 10% | 14% | 28% | 26% |
| Not at all concerned | 3% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 4% | 9% | 6% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 1,051 | 1,068 | 1,069 | 1,086 | 1,034 | 1,096 | 1,057 |
| Age group | Location | |||||
| Total | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | |
| Very concerned | 39% | 39% | 42% | 37% | 41% | 36% |
| Quite concerned | 44% | 47% | 39% | 47% | 45% | 44% |
| Not that concerned | 13% | 10% | 15% | 14% | 12% | 15% |
| Not at all concerned | 3% | 4% | 4% | 2% | 2% | 5% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 343 | 332 | 379 | 720 | 334 |
- Concern about the threat of Covid-19 has lessened this again week, with 39% saying they are very concerned (down from 44% last week) and 44% saying they are quite concerned.
- Concern in both capital and regional areas has eased, with the proportion very concerned in capital cities falling from 46% to 41%, while in regional areas it has moved from 40% to 36%.
Specific coronavirus concerns
Q. To what extent are you concerned about these possible impacts of the Covid-19?
| NET: CONCERNED (VERY/SOMEWHAT) | 27/04 | 20/04 | 13/04 |
| The Australian economy as a whole | 85% | 87% | 85% |
| General unemployment if companies are forced out of business | 83% | 83% | 79% |
| The physical health of close family members | 69% | 74% | 73% |
| The impact on my superannuation, savings or investments | 63% | 67% | 63% |
| My close family members’ mental health | 60% | 64% | 61% |
| My physical health and catching the virus | 59% | 64% | 62% |
| My economic situation if I lose my job or have less work | 57% | 59% | 58% |
| Children’s development by missing out on school | 52% | 56% | 52% |
| My ability to buy food and essential items if stores run out | 50% | 58% | 58% |
| My mental health as a result of social distancing | 47% | 50% | 47% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 1,051 | 1,068 |
| Very concerned | Quite concerned | Not that concerned | Not at all concerned | Unsure | |
| The Australian economy as a whole | 47% | 38% | 11% | 2% | 2% |
| General unemployment if companies are forced out of business | 41% | 42% | 11% | 4% | 2% |
| The physical health of close family members | 32% | 37% | 23% | 7% | 2% |
| The impact on my superannuation, savings or investments | 32% | 32% | 21% | 11% | 5% |
| My close family members’ mental health | 23% | 37% | 26% | 12% | 2% |
| My physical health and catching the virus | 25% | 33% | 29% | 11% | 2% |
| My economic situation if I lose my job or have less work | 29% | 28% | 19% | 18% | 7% |
| Children’s development by missing out on school | 20% | 32% | 26% | 13% | 8% |
| My ability to buy food and essential items if stores run out | 18% | 32% | 33% | 33% | 14% |
| My mental health as a result of social distancing | 20% | 26% | 28% | 23% | 2% |
- Economic issues are still the most concerning consequences of the Covid-19 crisis – 47% say they are very concerned about the economy as a whole and 41% are very concerned about general unemployment.
- Those aged 18-34 are more likely than other age groups to be concerned about the impact on their mental health (29% very concerned, 17% 35+), their close family members’ mental health (30%, 20% 35+) and their ability to buy food (27%, 15% 35+).
- Concern for children is highest among those in households with dependent children (31% are very concerned).
Likelihood of developing Coronavirus
Q. How likely do you think it is, that you will develop Covid-19?
| 27/04 | 20/04 | 13/04 | 06/04 | 29/03 | 22/03 | 09/03 | |
| Very likely | 5% | 7% | 5% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 7% |
| Somewhat likely | 21% | 25% | 28% | 33% | 36% | 34% | 24% |
| Somewhat unlikely | 50% | 52% | 49% | 45% | 45% | 45% | 43% |
| Very unlikely | 23% | 17% | 18% | 14% | 12% | 13% | 26% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 1,051 | 1,068 | 1,069 | 1,086 | 1,034 | 1,096 |
| Age group | Location | |||||
| Total | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | |
| Very likely | 5% | 10% | 6% | 1% | 7% | 3% |
| Somewhat likely | 21% | 29% | 21% | 15% | 22% | 20% |
| Somewhat unlikely | 50% | 41% | 48% | 59% | 50% | 50% |
| Very unlikely | 23% | 20% | 24% | 25% | 22% | 27% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 343 | 332 | 379 | 720 | 334 |
- The likelihood of catching Covid-19 has decreased again this week, with fewer people saying they are very/somewhat likely to contract the virus (27%, down from 32% last week).
- 18-34 are most likely to say they are very or somewhat likely to catch Covid-19 (39%) compared to 22% of those over 35.
Reaction to Covid-19
Q. Which of the following is closer to your personal views of the Covid-19 outbreak?
| 27/04 | 20/04 | 13/04 | 06/04 | 29/03 | 22/03 | |
| There has been an over-reaction to the threat of Covid-19 | 15% | 14% | 13% | 17% | 18% | 33% |
| The response to the threat of Covid-19 is about right | 68% | 63% | 59% | 46% | 39% | 39% |
| The threat of Covid-19 has been under-estimated | 18% | 24% | 29% | 37% | 43% | 28% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 1,051 | 1,068 | 1,069 | 1,086 | 1,034 |
| Gender | Age Group | ||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | ||
| There has been an over-reaction to the threat of Covid-19 | 15% | 18% | 12% | 21% | 15% | 10% | |
| The response to the threat of Covid-19 is about right | 68% | 65% | 70% | 63% | 67% | 72% | |
| The threat of Covid-19 has been under-estimated | 18% | 18% | 18% | 16% | 18% | 18% | |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 526 | 528 | 343 | 332 | 379 | |
- Two-thirds of people (68%) now believe the reaction to the threat of Covid-19 has been about right, with the proportion saying that the threat has been underestimated decreasing for a fourth week to just 18%.
- 18-34 year olds are most likely to say that there has been an over-reaction to the threat of Covid-19 (21%) compared to those over 35 (12%).
Economic expectations
Q. Which of the following is closer to your expectations of what will happen to the economy following the Covid-19 situation?
| 27/04 | 20/04 | 13/04 | 06/04 | |
| The economy will rebound within 2-3 months and grow just as strong or stronger than before Covid-19 | 13% | 11% | 12% | 11% |
| The economy will be impacted for 6-12 months or longer and will stagnate or show slow growth thereafter | 49% | 47% | 49% | 51% |
| Covid-19 will have long lasting impact on the economy and the country will fall into a lengthy recession | 28% | 30% | 27% | 29% |
| Unsure | 10% | 11% | 11% | 9% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 1,051 | 1,068 | 1,069 |
| Gender | Age Group | ||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | ||
| The economy will rebound within 2-3 months and grow just as strong or stronger than before Covid-19 | 13% | 14% | 11% | 20% | 11% | 8% | |
| The economy will be impacted for 6-12 months or longer and will stagnate or show slow growth thereafter | 49% | 53% | 46% | 53% | 49% | 47% | |
| Covid-19 will have long lasting impact on the economy and the country will fall into a lengthy recession | 28% | 27% | 30% | 17% | 30% | 36% | |
| Unsure | 10% | 6% | 13% | 10% | 9% | 9% | |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 526 | 528 | 343 | 332 | 379 | |
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Download this week's ReportEssential Report
Two Party Preferred: 14 May 2019
Labor
51.5%-0.5
Coalition
48.5%+0.5
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