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  • Mar, 2020

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    Support for non-permanent residents accessing Australian government support

    Q. You may be aware that non-permanent residents in Australia (such as skilled migrants, New Zealand citizens, people on temporary visas and refugees) are not currently eligible for most government benefits, such as Jobseeker Allowance. Non-permanent residents can’t return to their home countries as Australia has closed its international borders.

    To what extent do you support or oppose, non-permanent residents being able to access Australian government support if they lose their jobs as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak?

        Gender Age Group Location
    Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    Strongly support 25% 26% 24% 29% 27% 20% 27% 22%
    Somewhat support 29% 29% 29% 29% 27% 31% 30% 26%
    Neither support, nor oppose 24% 22% 25% 22% 23% 26% 21% 28%
    Somewhat oppose 12% 12% 12% 12% 10% 13% 12% 12%
    Strongly oppose 10% 11% 10% 8% 13% 10% 10% 11%
    NET: Support 54% 55% 53% 58% 54% 51% 57% 48%
    NET: Oppose 22% 23% 22% 20% 23% 23% 22% 24%
    Base (n) 1,086 539 547 341 362 383 727 359
    • 54% of participants support non-permanent residents accessing Australian government support if they lose their jobs as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.
    • Capital residents are more likely to support this measure than non-capital residents (57% compared to 48%).
  • Mar, 2020

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    Employment situation during Covid-19 outbreak

    Q. Which of the following best describes the impact of Covid-19 on your work:

        Gender Age Group Location
      Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    I wasn’t in paid work before the Covid-19 outbreak 41% 34% 47% 27% 27% 65% 37% 48%
    I was in paid work before the Covid-19 outbreak but am not now 19% 20% 17% 32% 17% 9% 20% 16%
    I’m still in paid work but am worried about losing my job because of the Covid-19 outbreak 25% 28% 22% 31% 34% 11% 28% 18%
    I’m still in paid work and am not worried about losing my job because of the Covid-19 outbreak 16% 18% 14% 11% 22% 14% 15% 17%
    Base (n) 1,086 539 547 341 362 383 727 359
    • 25% of participants are worried about losing their job because of the Covid-19 outbreak and another 19% were in paid employment before the outbreak, but now are not.
    • 32% of 18-34 year olds say they were in paid work before the Covid-19 outbreak but am not now – this is higher than 35-54 year olds (17%).
  • Mar, 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 29/03 22/03
    I do not expect the Covid-19 will impact my income 26% 24%
    I have sufficient savings to deal with a short-term loss of income 32% 26%
    I will struggle with a short-term loss of income, but will get by 23% 29%
    I will be in serious financial stress with short-term loss of income 20% 21%
    Base (n) 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 26% 31% 20% 23% 21% 32% 27% 22%
    I have sufficient savings to deal with a short-term loss of income 32% 31% 33% 40% 33% 23% 32% 30%
    I will struggle with a short-term loss of income, but will get by 23% 20% 25% 27% 30% 12% 24% 21%
    I will be in serious financial stress with short-term loss of income 20% 18% 22% 10% 16% 32% 17% 26%
    Base (n) 1,086 539 547 341 362 383 727 359

     

        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 26% 22% 27% 27% 17% 32%
    I have sufficient savings to deal with a short-term loss of income 32% 33% 31% 36% 32% 18%
    I will struggle with a short-term loss of income, but will get by 23% 27% 21% 25% 33% 4%
    I will be in serious financial stress with short-term loss of income 20% 18% 21% 11% 18% 46%
    Base (n) 1,086 713 373 567 274 202

     

  • Mar, 2020

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    Relative concern for the climate change

    Q. Considering everything which has happened so far this year, are you now more or less concerned about the impact of climate change than you were a year ago?

        Gender Age Group Location
    Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    More concerned about the impact of climate change 31% 32% 30% 41% 27% 27% 34% 25%
    No more or less concerned about the impact of climate change 53% 49% 56% 45% 56% 56% 50% 58%
    Less concerned about the impact of climate change 16% 19% 14% 14% 17% 17% 16% 17%
    Base (n) 1,086 539 547 341 362 383 727 359
  • Mar, 2020

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    Addressing Climate Change

    Q. As far as you know, do you think Australia is doing enough, not enough or too much to address climate change?

      Mar’20 Nov’19 Mar’19 Dec’18 Oct’18 Sep’17 Aug’16
    Doing enough 23% 22% 27% 24% 23% 20% 22%
    Not doing enough 55% 60% 51% 53% 56% 56% 52%
    Doing too much 9% 8% 11% 9% 7% 8% 8%
    Don’t know 13% 10% 12% 14% 13% 16% 18%
    Base (n) 1,086 1,083 1,089 1,032 1,027 1,011 1,022

     

        Gender Age Group Voting Intention
    Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor Coalition Greens NET: Other
    Doing enough 23% 26% 21% 19% 24% 26% 18% 36% 8% 20%
    Not doing enough 55% 51% 59% 63% 54% 49% 66% 37% 86% 52%
    Doing too much 9% 12% 5% 7% 6% 13% 5% 13% 2% 15%
    Don’t know 13% 11% 16% 12% 15% 12% 11% 14% 4% 14%
    Base (n) 1,086 539 547 341 362 383 328 372 95 146

     

  • Mar, 2020

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    Coronavirus concerns

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

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

     

        Age group Location
      Total 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    Very concerned 39% 36% 39% 41% 40% 36%
    Quite concerned 43% 43% 44% 43% 43% 45%
    Not that concerned 14% 18% 12% 12% 13% 26%
    Not at all concerned 4% 4% 5% 4% 5% 3%
    Base (n) 1,034 342 327 365 703 331
    • Concern about the threat of the Covid-19 virus has increased this week as the impact of the outbreak affects more of the country. 39% are now very concerned by the threat (up from 27% at the start of the month), while 43% say they are quite concerned (up from 36%).
    • Concern is highest among over 55 year olds (41% very concerned) and those in capital cities (40% concerned)
  • Mar, 2020

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    Likelihood of developing Coronavirus

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

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

     

        Age group Location
      Total 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    Very likely 8% 10% 8% 5% 9% 5%
    Somewhat likely 34% 35% 36% 32% 34% 35%
    Somewhat unlikely 45% 43% 43% 49% 43% 49%
    Very unlikely 13% 12% 13% 14% 14% 11%
    Base (n) 1,034 342 327 365 703 331
    • There has been an increase in the likelihood of developing Covid-19 during the last fortnight. 42% now say it is somewhat or very likely that they will develop Covid-19 (up from 31%).
    • Younger people (aged 18-34, 10% very likely to develop Covid-19) and those living in capital cities (9%) are more likely to expect to develop the virus than older people (55+) and those living in regional areas.
  • 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?

        Gender Age Group Location
      Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    There has been an over-reaction to the threat of Covid-19 33% 36% 30% 39% 37% 23% 34% 30%
    The response to the threat of Covid-19 is about right 39% 40% 39% 40% 33% 44% 39% 39%
    The threat of Covid-19 has been under-estimated 28% 24% 32% 21% 30% 33% 27% 31%
    Base (n) 1,096 519 515 342 327 365 703 331
    • A third of people believe there has been an over-reaction to the threat of Covid-19. Men (36%) and those aged 18-34 (39%) are more likely to think there has been an over-reaction than women (30%) and those aged 55+ (23%).
    • 39% think the reaction has been proportionate to the threat and 28% believe the threat has been under-estimated.
    • Those who think there has been an over-reaction are less concerned about the threat of Covid-19 (69% very/somewhat concerned, compared to 92% who think the threat has been under-estimated) and think they are less likely to contract the virus (38% to 49% very/somewhat likely to catch Covid-19).
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