The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Apr, 2020

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    Likelihood of developing Coronavirus

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

      06/04 29/03 22/03 09/03
    Very likely 8% 8% 8% 7%
    Somewhat likely 33% 36% 34% 24%
    Somewhat unlikely 45% 45% 45% 43%
    Very unlikely 14% 12% 13% 26%
    Base (n) 1,069 1,086 1,034 1,096

     

        Age group Location
      Total 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    Very likely 8% 15% 9% 3% 9% 5%
    Somewhat likely 33% 34% 36% 31% 33% 34%
    Somewhat unlikely 45% 38% 42% 51% 44% 47%
    Very unlikely 14% 13% 13% 14% 13% 15%
    Base (n) 1,069 341 342 386 731 338
  • Apr, 2020

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    Reaction to Covid-19

    Q. Which of the following is closer to your personal views of the Covid-19 outbreak?

      06/04 29/03 22/03
    There has been an over-reaction to the threat of Covid-19 17% 18% 33%
    The response to the threat of Covid-19 is about right 46% 39% 39%
    The threat of Covid-19 has been under-estimated 37% 43% 28%
    Base (n) 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 17% 20% 14% 28% 17% 11%
    The response to the threat of Covid-19 is about right 46% 45% 47% 43% 46% 47%
    The threat of Covid-19 has been under-estimated 37% 35% 39% 29% 36% 42%
    Base (n) 1,069 523 546 341 342 386
    • There has been an increase in the proportion of women rating the reaction to the Covid-19 crisis to be about right (47%, up from 36% last week).
    • This increase has mainly come from a decrease in the proportion of women thinking the threat has been under-estimated (declining from 47% to 39%).
  • Apr, 2020

    Economic expectations

    Q. Which of the following is closer to your expectations of what will happen to the economy following the Covid-19 situation?

        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 11% 13% 9% 16% 11% 9%
    The economy will be impacted for 6-12 months or longer and will stagnate or show slow growth thereafter 51% 51% 50% 51% 45% 53%
    Covid-19 will have long lasting impact on the economy and the country will fall into a lengthy recession 29% 28% 30% 23% 33% 30%
    Unsure 9% 7% 11% 10% 10% 7%
    Base (n) 1,069 523 546 341 342 386
    • Half of people (51%) think Covid-19 will impact the economy for up to a year, with slow growth following. A further 29% believe the impact will be even more devastating, with long-lasting impact and recession.
    • Younger people aged 18-34 are a little more optimistic, with 16% thinking the economy will recover within 2-3 months (compared to 9% of those aged 55+).
  • Apr, 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?

      06/04 29/03 22/03
    Very poor 6% 11% 9%
    Quite poor 15% 21% 20%
    Neither good, nor poor 21% 24% 26%
    Quite good 37% 34% 33%
    Very good 21% 11% 12%
    NET: Poor 21% 31% 29%
    NET: Good 58% 45% 45%
    Base (n) 1,069 1,086 1,034

     

        Gender Age Group Location
      Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    Very poor 6% 8% 5% 7% 8% 5% 7% 6%
    Quite poor 15% 16% 13% 21% 15% 11% 15% 13%
    Neither good, nor poor 21% 22% 20% 31% 22% 16% 23% 18%
    Quite good 37% 36% 38% 34% 40% 37% 36% 39%
    Very good 21% 18% 24% 7% 15% 31% 19% 24%
    NET: Poor 21% 24% 18% 28% 23% 16% 22% 19%
    NET: Good 58% 54% 62% 41% 55% 68% 55% 63%
    Base (n) 1,069 523 546 341 342 386 731 338

     

  • Apr, 2020

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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 06/04 29/03 22/03
    I feel informed about the situation and the impact on me and my family 70% 63% 64%
    I trust the Government to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak 63% 56% 56%
    The information I’ve received has been clear and consistent 52% 47% 51%
    I trust the media to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak 51% 42% 35%
    Base (n) 1,069 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 70% 14% 27% 43% 17% 9% 5%
    I trust the Government to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak 63% 18% 26% 37% 19% 10% 8%
    The information I’ve received has been clear and consistent 52% 26% 17% 34% 22% 19% 7%
    I trust the media to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak 51% 26% 14% 37% 23% 16% 10%

     

    NET: AGREE   Gender Age Group Location
    Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    I feel informed about the situation and the impact on me and my family 70% 66% 74% 56% 68% 78% 69% 71%
    I trust the Government to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak 63% 59% 66% 51% 60% 70% 63% 63%
    The information I’ve received has been clear and consistent 52% 49% 55% 42% 46% 60% 51% 52%
    I trust the media to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak 51% 50% 52% 41% 49% 56% 52% 49%
    Base (n) 1,069 523 546 341 342 386 731 338
    • This week, woman are more likely to agree that they feel informed of the situation and the impact on them and their families (74% up from 62%), that they trust the government to provide honest and objective information (66%, up from 56%) and trust the media (52%, up from 41%). Men’s agreement that they have trust in the media has also increased from 42% to 50%.
    • People living in regional areas have higher agreement in all four statements this week – ‘I feel informed about the situation and the impact on me and my family’ (63% to 71%), ‘I trust the Government to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak’ (53% to 63%), ‘The information I’ve received has been clear and consistent’ (43% to 52%) and ‘I trust the media to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak (38% to 49%).
    • There has been increased agreement among those aged 35-54 that they feel informed (59% to 68%) and have trust in the information from government (49% to 60%).
    • Older people (aged over 55) and those in capital cities are more likely to agree that they trust the information in media this week (42% to 56% and 43% to 52% respectively).
  • Apr, 2020

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    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?

      06/04 29/03 22/03
    Increased personal hygiene measures (e.g. hand washing) 78% 79% 72%
    Limited attending social spaces, shops, restaurants or group events 82% 75% 60%
    Stopped physical greetings (e.g. shaking hands, kissing, hugging) 78% 73% 60%
    Bought additional groceries to stock-up 38% 41% 33%
    Reduced use of cash to pay for purchases 50% 43% 23%
    Changed working patterns (e.g. changed hours, or working from home) 33% 33% 20%
    None of these 3% 5% 12%
    Base (n) 1,069 1,086 1,034

     

        Gender Age Group Location
      Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    Increased personal hygiene measures (e.g. hand washing) 78% 73% 83% 68% 78% 83% 80% 74%
    Limited attending social spaces, shops, restaurants or group events 82% 77% 87% 70% 81% 89% 81% 83%
    Stopped physical greetings (e.g. shaking hands, kissing, hugging) 78% 75% 82% 63% 77% 87% 79% 78%
    Bought additional groceries to stock-up 38% 32% 44% 41% 41% 35% 40% 33%
    Reduced use of cash to pay for purchases 50% 47% 54% 50% 52% 50% 51% 48%
    Changed working patterns (e.g. changed hours, or working from home) 33% 32% 33% 46% 48% 17% 38% 23%
    None of these 3% 4% 2% 2% 4% 3% 2% 5%
    Base (n) 1,069 523 546 341 342 386 731 338

     

  • Apr, 2020

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    Financial situation during Covid-19 outbreak

    Q. Which of the following best describes your financial situation during the Covid-19 outbreak?

    NET: Agree 06/04 29/03 22/03
    I do not expect the Covid-19 will impact my income 24% 26% 24%
    I have sufficient savings to deal with a short-term loss of income 28% 32% 26%
    I will struggle with a short-term loss of income, but will get by 31% 23% 29%
    I will be in serious financial stress with short-term loss of income 16% 20% 21%
    Base (n) 1,069 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 24% 25% 23% 13% 19% 32% 25% 29%
    I have sufficient savings to deal with a short-term loss of income 28% 29% 27% 27% 24% 31% 29% 26%
    I will struggle with a short-term loss of income, but will get by 31% 31% 32% 38% 34% 27% 31% 29%
    I will be in serious financial stress with short-term loss of income 16% 15% 18% 22% 23% 10% 15% 17%
    Base (n) 1,069 523 546 341 342 386 731 338

     

        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 24% 21% 26% 12% 27% 46%
    I have sufficient savings to deal with a short-term loss of income 28% 24% 30% 33% 20% 29%
    I will struggle with a short-term loss of income, but will get by 31% 36% 29% 39% 31% 17%
    I will be in serious financial stress with short-term loss of income 16% 19% 15% 16% 22% 8%
    Base (n) 1,069 353 716 533 255 223
  • Mar, 2020

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    Coronavirus concerns

    Q. To what extent are you concerned about the threat of the Coronavirus in Australia?

      29/03 22/03 09/03 10/02
    Very concerned 53% 39% 27% 25%
    Quite concerned 35% 43% 36% 43%
    Not that concerned 10% 14% 28% 26%
    Not at all concerned 3% 4% 9% 6%
    Base (n) 1,086 1,034 1,096 1,057

     

        Gender Age Group Location
      Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    Very concerned 53% 49% 56% 50% 54% 54% 56% 46%
    Quite concerned 35% 37% 32% 35% 35% 35% 33% 37%
    Not that concerned 10% 10% 9% 12% 9% 9% 9% 13%
    Not at all concerned 3% 3% 2% 3% 2% 2% 2% 4%
    Base (n) 1,086 539 547 341 362 383 727 359
    • Concern about Covid-19 has increased this week, with 53% now very concerned (up 14pts from last week).
    • This is driven by more women saying they are very concerned about Covid-19 (up 8pts from last week) and capital city residents increasing concern (also up 8pt).
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