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  • Mar, 2020

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    Likelihood of developing Coronavirus

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

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

     

        Age group Location
      Total 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    Very likely 8% 11% 8% 5% 8% 6%
    Somewhat likely 36% 37% 42% 29% 37% 34%
    Somewhat unlikely 45% 39% 41% 54% 43% 49%
    Very unlikely 12% 13% 10% 12% 12% 11%
    Base (n) 1,086 341 362 383 727 359
    • Individual likelihood of developing Covid-19 is on par with last week, 8% of participants believe it’s very likely they will develop Covid-19, compared to 12% who think it’s very unlikely.
    • Participants over 55 believe that they are unlikely to develop Covid-19 (66% somewhat/very unlikely) than those between 18-34 (52% unlikely).
  • Mar, 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?

      29/03 22/03
    There has been an over-reaction to the threat of Covid-19 18% 33%
    The response to the threat of Covid-19 is about right 39% 39%
    The threat of Covid-19 has been under-estimated 43% 28%
    Base (n) 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 18% 20% 17% 24% 19% 12%
    The response to the threat of Covid-19 is about right 39% 42% 36% 39% 39% 39%
    The threat of Covid-19 has been under-estimated 43% 39% 47% 37% 42% 49%
    Base (n) 1,086 539 547 341 362 383
    • Now 43% of participants believe the threat of Covid-19 has been under-estimated compared to 28% who said the same last week.
    • Women (47%) and participants over 55 years old (49%) are more likely say the treat has been under-estimated than men (39%) and 18-34 year olds (37%).
  • Mar, 2020

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    Truth in statements about Covid-19 spread

    Q. How confident are you that the following statements about Covid-19 are true?

      NET: True NET: Not true Definitely true Probably true Probably not true Definitely not true Unsure
    Even if children and young people tend to be less affected by Covid-19, they can still catch it and pass it on to others 88% 8% 62% 26% 6% 2% 4%
    It’s possible for people to have the virus and be contagious even if they don’t feel sick in any way 88% 8% 61% 26% 6% 3% 4%
    You can still catch Covid-19 even if you have a face mask 82% 12% 50% 32% 9% 3% 6%
    People are buying up and hoarding large amounts of medicines and toilet paper so they can sell them for inflated profits 74% 20% 38% 36% 16% 5% 5%
    Busloads of outsiders have been observed coming to small-town supermarkets and buying up most of their stock in response to the Covid-19 outbreak 73% 17% 39% 33% 13% 4% 10%
    It’s no more dangerous than a typical winter flu 31% 61% 16% 15% 17% 44% 8%
    • More than four in five participants believe the three statements about the spread of Covid-19 to be true.
    NET: True   Gender Age Group
    Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+
    Even if children and young people tend to be less affected by Covid-19, they can still catch it and pass it on to others 88% 85% 92% 81% 88% 95%
    You can still catch Covid-19 even if you have a face mask 82% 80% 85% 77% 81% 88%
    Busloads of outsiders have been observed coming to small-town supermarkets and buying up most of their stock in response to the Covid-19 outbreak 73% 70% 75% 65% 70% 81%
    People are buying up and hoarding large amounts of medicines and toilet paper so they can sell them for inflated profits 74% 71% 77% 69% 70% 82%
    It’s no more dangerous than a typical winter flu 31% 34% 28% 38% 30% 26%
    It’s possible for people to have the virus and be contagious even if they don’t feel sick in any way 88% 84% 91% 82% 88% 92%
    Base (n) 1,086 539 547 341 362 383
  • Mar, 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?

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

     

        Gender Age Group Location
      Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    Very poor 11% 12% 10% 10% 12% 10% 10% 12%
    Quite poor 21% 22% 20% 24% 21% 17% 23% 16%
    Neither good, nor poor 24% 22% 25% 32% 26% 14% 23% 24%
    Quite good 34% 35% 33% 27% 31% 42% 33% 36%
    Very good 11% 10% 13% 6% 10% 18% 11% 12%
    NET: Good 45% 44% 46% 33% 40% 60% 44% 48%
    NET: Poor 31% 33% 29% 35% 33% 26% 33% 28%
    Base (n) 1,086 539 547 341 362 383 727 359
  • Mar, 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 29/03 22/03
    I feel informed about the situation and the impact on me and my family 63% 64%
    I trust the Government to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak 56% 56%
    The information I’ve received has been clear and consistent 47% 51%
    I trust the media to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak 42% 35%
    Base (n) 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 63% 17% 6% 11% 20% 44% 19%
    I trust the Government to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak 56% 22% 8% 14% 23% 37% 19%
    The information I’ve received has been clear and consistent 47% 30% 10% 20% 23% 32% 15%
    I trust the media to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak 42% 33% 14% 19% 26% 32% 10%
  • Mar, 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?

      29/03 22/03
    Increased personal hygiene measures (e.g. hand washing) 79% 72%
    Limited attending social spaces, shops, restaurants or group events 75% 60%
    Stopped physical greetings (e.g. shaking hands, kissing, hugging) 73% 60%
    Bought additional groceries to stock-up 41% 33%
    Reduced use of cash to pay for purchases 43% 23%
    Changed working patterns (e.g. changed hours, or working from home) 33% 20%
    None of these 5% 12%
    Base (n) 1,086 1,034
    • Now 95% of participants claim that their behaviour has changed since the Covid-19 outbreak (up from 88% last week).
    • All the measures aimed at reducing the spread of the virus have increased observation compared to last week.
        Gender Age Group Location
      Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    Increased personal hygiene measures (e.g. hand washing) 79% 74% 84% 72% 80% 85% 79% 80%
    Limited attending social spaces, shops, restaurants or group events 75% 68% 83% 66% 77% 82% 75% 76%
    Stopped physical greetings (e.g. shaking hands, kissing, hugging) 73% 69% 78% 60% 73% 85% 73% 74%
    Bought additional groceries to stock-up 41% 39% 43% 43% 43% 38% 44% 36%
    Reduced use of cash to pay for purchases 43% 40% 47% 44% 44% 42% 44% 42%
    Changed working patterns (e.g. changed hours, or working from home) 33% 33% 32% 47% 36% 17% 37% 24%
    None of these 5% 7% 3% 5% 4% 6% 5% 5%
    Base (n) 1,086 539 547 341 362 383 727 359
    • Women and participants over 55 years olds are more likely to have changed their behaviour since the Covid-19 outbreak, than men and 18-34 year olds.
  • Mar, 2020

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    Support for restrictions to reduce the spread of Covid-19

    Q. To what extent do you support or oppose the following the following measures which have been implemented or suggested, to reduce the spread and transmission of Covid-19?

      NET: Support NET: Oppose Strongly support Somewhat support Neither support nor oppose Somewhat oppose Strongly oppose
    Closing Australia’s borders to other countries 88% 5% 74% 13% 7% 3% 2%
    Making direct payments to people who have lost work due to Covid-19 82% 5% 57% 25% 13% 3% 2%
    Closing pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes 81% 8% 57% 24% 11% 5% 3%
    Closing borders between Australia’s states and territories 80% 9% 55% 24% 11% 6% 3%
    Making direct payments to small and medium business who have lost income due to Covid-19 80% 7% 51% 29% 14% 4% 3%
    Closing schools 69% 13% 43% 26% 18% 8% 4%
    • More than 80% of participants support five of the six implemented or suggested measures to stop the spread of Covid-19 – closing schools is the only measure with lower support (69% support).
    NET: SUPPORT   Gender Age Group Location
    Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    Closing Australia’s borders to other countries 88% 82% 93% 77% 88% 96% 86% 91%
    Making direct payments to people who have lost work due to Covid-19 82% 79% 85% 74% 82% 90% 81% 84%
    Closing pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes 81% 76% 87% 73% 80% 90% 81% 82%
    Closing borders between Australia’s states and territories 80% 73% 86% 74% 78% 86% 79% 81%
    Making direct payments to small and medium business who have lost income due to Covid-19 80% 75% 84% 71% 78% 89% 78% 84%
    Closing schools 69% 63% 75% 71% 69% 67% 69% 70%
    Base (n) 1,086 539 547 341 362 383 727 359
    • Women and participants over 55 years olds are more supportive of all the listed measures than men or participants 18-34 years old.
        Household
    NET: SUPPORT Total Have dependent children Do not have dependent children
    Closing Australia’s borders to other countries 88% 85% 89%
    Making direct payments to people who have lost work due to Covid-19 82% 78% 84%
    Closing pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes 81% 79% 83%
    Closing borders between Australia’s states and territories 80% 80% 80%
    Making direct payments to small and medium business who have lost income due to Covid-19 80% 76% 82%
    Closing schools 69% 69% 69%
    Base (n) 1,086 713 373
    • There is no difference in support for closing schools between participants with dependent child and those without (both 69%).
  • Mar, 2020

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    New Covid-19 restrictions

    Q. You may be aware, on Tuesday 24 March Scott Morrison announced that from midnight Wednesday 25 March new restrictions will apply to a range of services including funerals, weddings, open houses, auctions, galleries and libraries. Although some states have decided to bring school holidays forward, Scott Morrison’s announcement said that schools should stay open.

    Which of the following best describes how you feel about these new restrictions to reduce the spread of Covid-19?

        Gender Age Group
    Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+
    The new restrictions go too far 10% 13% 7% 12% 11% 6%
    The new restrictions are just right 54% 55% 53% 56% 49% 56%
    The new restrictions don’t go far enough 36% 32% 40% 32% 39% 38%
    Base (n) 1,086 539 547 341 362 383
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