Essential Report
Expectations for 2019
Q. Thinking about the next 12 months, do you think 2019 will be a good or bad year for each of the following?
Total good | Total bad | NET | Very good | Good | Neither good nor bad | Bad | Very bad | Don’t know | 2017 NET | |||
The Australian economy | 30% | 28% | +2 | 5% | 25% | 33% | 21% | 7% | 10% | +12 | ||
Australian politics in general | 20% | 41% | -21 | 5% | 15% | 29% | 26% | 15% | 11% | -21 | ||
The Australian Government | 18% | 46% | -28 | 3% | 15% | 25% | 29% | 17% | 12% | na | ||
Large companies and corporations | 30% | 19% | +11 | 6% | 24% | 37% | 15% | 4% | 14% | +27 | ||
Small business | 32% | 18% | +14 | 4% | 28% | 36% | 14% | 4% | 13% | +5 | ||
Trade unions | 23% | 20% | +3 | 5% | 18% | 39% | 13% | 7% | 20% | -2 | ||
The average Australian | 32% | 22% | +10 | 5% | 27% | 37% | 17% | 5% | 10% | +2 | ||
Your personal financial situation | 36% | 23% | +13 | 6% | 30% | 34% | 15% | 8% | 7% | +12 | ||
Your workplace (workers) | 47% | 15% | +32 | 11% | 36% | 31% | 11% | 4% | 7% | +37 | ||
You and your family overall | 48% | 14% | +34 | 11% | 37% | 31% | 10% | 4% | 8% | +31 | ||
The planet | 25% | 33% | -8 | 5% | 20% | 32% | 22% | 11% | 10% | -15 | ||
The Australian cricket team | 20% | 24% | -4 | 4% | 16% | 31% | 16% | 8% | 25% | na |
Overall, there was a very positive outlook for your workplace (+37) and you and your family overall (+31). Expectations were also quite positive for large companies (+11), small business (+14), the average Australian (+10) and personal financial situation (+13).
Compared to last year, respondents were less optimistic about the economy and large companies but more optimistic about small business and the average Australian.

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Essential Report
In this week's report:
- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Views towards re-electing the federal Coalition government
- Party trust to handle issues
- Importance of Australia’s international reputation
- Scott Morrison’s impact on Australia’s international reputation
- Views towards Australia’s international reputation
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