The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Oct, 2019

    PM Scott Morrison’s visit to the USA

    Q. Last week, Scott Morrison made an official visit to the USA and held meetings with Donald Trump.

    To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about this visit and relations with the USA?

      NET: Agree NET: Disagree Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Unsure
    It is important for the Prime Minister to have a good relationship with the US President, whoever they might be, for the good of the nation 77% 15% 32% 45% 10% 5% 9%
    Scott Morrison should have attended the UN Climate Summit, alongside other world leaders, while in USA 70% 20% 39% 31% 13% 7% 10%
    Scott Morrison has shown good diplomacy skills during his official visit to USA 57% 28% 20% 37% 16% 12% 16%
    It reflects badly on Australia if Scott Morrison has a good relationship with Donald Trump 38% 48% 12% 26% 27% 21% 14%
    The Trump Presidency has been good for Australia 32% 49% 11% 21% 26% 23% 19%
    • Men and Liberal voters tended to agree that Scott Morrison’s relationship with Donald Trump was beneficial to Australian, than Labor and Greens voters.
    NET: Agree Total Gender Age
    Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+
    It is important for the Prime Minister to have a good relationship with the US President, whoever they might be, for the good of the nation 77% 79% 74% 69% 75% 84%
    Scott Morrison should have attended the UN Climate Summit, alongside other world leaders, while in USA 70% 68% 71% 68% 74% 67%
    Scott Morrison has shown good diplomacy skills during his official visit to USA 57% 60% 54% 49% 54% 67%
    It reflects badly on Australia if Scott Morrison has a good relationship with Donald Trump 38% 38% 39% 48% 41% 28%
    The Trump Presidency has been good for Australia 32% 39% 25% 33% 32% 30%
    Base 1,097 552 575 357 366 374

     

    NET: Agree Total Federal Voting Intention
    Labor Coalition Greens Independent / Other
    It is important for the Prime Minister to have a good relationship with the US President, whoever they might be, for the good of the nation 77% 74% 88% 72% 77%
    Scott Morrison should have attended the UN Climate Summit, alongside other world leaders, while in USA 70% 78% 64% 77% 69%
    Scott Morrison has shown good diplomacy skills during his official visit to USA 57% 43% 85% 36% 52%
    It reflects badly on Australia if Scott Morrison has a good relationship with Donald Trump 38% 48% 27% 60% 31%
    The Trump Presidency has been good for Australia 32% 22% 49% 22% 32%
    Base 1,097 346 376 115 154

     

  • Oct, 2019

    State of the economy

    Q. Overall, how would you describe the current state of the Australian economy?

      Sep’19 May’18 Nov’17 May’17 Dec’16
    Very good 5% 8% 3% 3% 2%
    Quite good 27% 31% 30% 27% 21%
    Neither good nor poor 32% 32% 38% 36% 37%
    Quite poor 25% 18% 17% 23% 28%
    Very poor 8% 6% 7% 6% 8%
    Unsure 3% 5% 5% 5% 4%
    NET: Good 32% 39% 33% 30% 23%
    NET: Poor 33% 24% 24% 29% 36%
    Base 1,097 1,033 1,021 1,007 1,001
    • Participants were quite mixed in their perceptions of the Australian economy, with an equal third believing the economy was in a good state (32%), poor state (33%) or neither good nor poor (32%).
    • Compared to May’18, more participants felt that the economy is in a poor state (up 9 percentage points, to 33%), closer to the Dec’16 high of 36%.
    • Liberal voters (45%) tended to be more positive in their evaluation of the economy than other voters (25%). 
      Total Gender Age
    Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+
    Very good 5% 6% 5% 7% 4% 4%
    Quite good 27% 28% 25% 28% 25% 26%
    Neither good nor poor 32% 30% 34% 35% 31% 32%
    Quite poor 25% 26% 25% 21% 28% 26%
    Very poor 8% 8% 8% 5% 9% 9%
    Unsure 3% 2% 4% 4% 3% 2%
    NET: Good 32% 34% 30% 35% 30% 30%
    NET: Poor 33% 33% 33% 26% 37% 35%
    Base 1,097 552 575 357 366 374

     

      Total Federal Voting Intention
    Labor Coalition Greens Independent / Other
    Very good 5% 4% 9% 3% 2%
    Quite good 27% 24% 36% 20% 16%
    Neither good nor poor 32% 29% 36% 36% 30%
    Quite poor 25% 31% 17% 30% 33%
    Very poor 8% 10% 1% 8% 17%
    Unsure 3% 2% 1% 4% 1%
    NET: Good 32% 28% 45% 23% 18%
    NET: Poor 33% 41% 18% 37% 51%
    Base 1,097 346 374 115 154
  • Oct, 2019

    Indictors of whether the Australian economy is in a good or poor state

    Q. Which of the following indicators do you think is the most important when thinking about whether the Australian economy is in a good or poor state?

      Total Gender Age
    Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+
    The unemployment rate 25% 24% 25% 30% 26% 19%
    The cost of household bills 22% 21% 24% 16% 23% 28%
    The value of the Australian dollar to international currencies 13% 14% 12% 18% 12% 9%
    The amount of homeless people on the streets 10% 9% 10% 14% 10% 7%
    The interest rate set by Reserve Bank of Australia 9% 9% 8% 6% 8% 12%
    The gross domestic product per person 8% 10% 6% 6% 8% 9%
    The consumer price index 6% 5% 6% 6% 5% 6%
    The size of the national surplus 6% 6% 7% 3% 6% 9%
    The number of new shops, restaurants and cafes opening 2% 2% 2% 1% 2% 2%
    Base 1,097 552 575 357 366 374

     

      Total Federal Voting Intention
    Labor Coalition Greens Independent / Other
    The unemployment rate 25% 24% 24% 29% 22%
    The cost of household bills 22% 23% 21% 13% 33%
    The value of the Australian dollar to international currencies 13% 11% 14% 17% 9%
    The amount of homeless people on the streets 10% 12% 6% 18% 9%
    The interest rate set by Reserve Bank of Australia 9% 10% 9% 3% 8%
    The gross domestic product per person 8% 9% 8% 6% 7%
    The consumer price index 6% 5% 7% 7% 4%
    The size of the national surplus 6% 4% 10% 6% 6%
    The number of new shops, restaurants and cafes opening 2% 2% 2% 1% 3%
    Base 1,097 346 374 115 154
  • Oct, 2019

    Australian economy according to indicators

    Q. Overall, how would you describe the current state of the Australian economy? and Which of the following indicators do you think is the most important when thinking about whether the Australian economy is in a good or poor state?

      NET: Good NET: Poor NET (+/-)
    The size of the national surplus 51% 21% +30
    The consumer price index 45% 24% +21
    The gross domestic product per person 44% 31% +13
    The value of the Australian dollar to international currencies 34% 27% +7
    The unemployment rate 29% 29% 0
    The interest rate set by Reserve Bank of Australia 32% 40% -8
    The number of new shops, restaurants and cafes opening 41% 54% -13
    The amount of homeless people on the streets 26% 41% -15
    The cost of household bills 22% 39% -17
    • Half (51%) of those who think the national surplus is the best indicator for economic performance believe the economy is in a good place.
    • Those looking at household bills as an indicator for economic strength are the most pessimistic, with just 22% thinking the economy is in a good state, and 39% thinking it is in a poor state.
    • The amount of homeless people on the streets is a similarly negative economy indicator, with two-fifths of participants (41%) who consider this the most important indicator of the economy, believing the economy is in a poor state (compared to just 26% who think it’s in a good place).
  • Oct, 2019

    Australia providing military support in the Middle East

    Q. At the end of August, Australia agreed to provide military support to their allies in the Middle East to protect shipping and trade in the region.

    To what extent do you support or oppose Australia’s military involvement in the region?

      Total Federal Voting Intention
    Labor Coalition Greens Independent / Other
    Strongly support 16% 13% 25% 11% 13%
    Somewhat support 35% 34% 44% 28% 30%
    Somewhat oppose 19% 22% 17% 28% 19%
    Strongly oppose 15% 20% 7% 19% 24%
    Unsure 14% 11% 8% 15% 14%
    NET: Support 51% 47% 69% 38% 43%
    NET: Oppose 35% 42% 24% 47% 43%
    Base 1,097 346 346 115 154
    • 52% of those who support military involvement, are concerned about future conflict, whereas 75% of those who are opposed to military involvement are concerned there could be future conflict in the area.
    • Liberal voters are both more supportive of Australia’s military involvement in the Middle East (69%) and less concerned that this could lead to another conflict (46%).
  • Oct, 2019

    Concern about possibility of conflict in the Middle East

    Q. To what extent are you concerned that Australia’s military involvement in the Middle East, could mean that we become involved in another conflict in the near future?

      Total Federal Voting Intention
    Labor Coalition Greens Independent / Other
    Very concerned 26% 30% 21% 27% 37%
    Somewhat concerned 30% 34% 30% 34% 30%
    A little concerned 29% 25% 35% 29% 26%
    Not concerned at all 7% 4% 11% 5% 5%
    Unsure 7% 6% 4% 5% 3%
    NET: Concerned 57% 64% 50% 62% 67%
    NET: Not concerned 36% 30% 46% 34% 30%
    Base 1,097 346 374 115 154

     

  • Oct, 2019

    Personal safety

    Q. Which of the following is your biggest concern for your personal safety?

      Total Gender Age Oct’17
    Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+
    Terrorism 21% 19% 22% 23% 22% 17% 33%
    Car accident 21% 23% 19% 18% 20% 25% 20%
    Effects of climate change 20% 19% 22% 26% 18% 18% 7%
    Gang violence 13% 15% 12% 9% 16% 15% 7%
    Nuclear warfare 6% 6% 6% 10% 3% 4% 13%
    Natural disaster 6% 6% 5% 3% 7% 7% 7%
    Family violence 3% 2% 5% 6% 4% 1% 2%
    None of these 10% 10% 9% 6% 10% 13% –
    Base 1,097 552 575 357 366 374 1,032
    • Compared to Oct’17, terrorism has become less of a concern for participant’s personal safety (was 33%, now 21%) and the effects of climate change have become a bigger concern (was 7%, now 20%).
      Total Federal Voting Intention
    Labor Coalition Greens Independent / Other
    Terrorism 21% 20% 25% 13% 17%
    Car accident 21% 18% 25% 15% 25%
    Effects of climate change 20% 25% 13% 38% 17%
    Gang violence 13% 12% 13% 11% 18%
    Nuclear warfare 6% 8% 5% 4% 3%
    Natural disaster 6% 5% 5% 7% 9%
    Family violence 3% 3% 1% 7% 3%
    None of these 10% 8% 11% 5% 8%
    Base 1,097 346 374 115 154

     

  • Sep, 2019

    Performance of Scott Morrison

    Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Scott Morrison is doing as Prime Minister?

    Sep’19 Aug’19 Jul’19 Jun’19 Mar’19
    NET: Approve 49% 48% 48% 48% 43%
    NET: Disapprove 36% 37% 34% 36% 39%
    Don’t know 15% 16% 18% 18% 18%
    Base (n) 1,093 1,096 1,091 1,099 1,090

     

    TOTAL Labor Coalition Greens NET: Other
    Strongly approve 14% 6% 28% 5% 9%
    Approve 36% 25% 55% 17% 27%
    Disapprove 20% 27% 8% 30% 31%
    Strong disapprove 16% 29% 1% 32% 22%
    Don’t know 15% 13% 8% 16% 10%
    NET: Approve 49% 31% 83% 23% 36%
    NET: Disapprove 36% 56% 9% 61% 54%
    Base (n) 1,093 327 392 98 161
    • Just under half of Australians (49%) approve of the job Scott Morrison is doing as PM. This is consistent with the results over the last three months (Aug’19, Jul’19 and Jun’19, all 48%) and 5pts higher than before the start of the Federal election campaign in March (43%).
    • Morrison retains his high approval among Coalition voters (83%). Approval was also high among male (53%), university educated (57%), high income (57%) participants, and those with dependent children (57%).
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