Essential Report
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Mandatory face masks
Q. To what extent do you support or oppose the mandatory use of face masks or coverings in public places to reduce the spread of Covid-19?
Gender | Age group | ||||||
Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | ||
Strongly oppose | 5% | 6% | 4% | 4% | 8% | 2% | |
Somewhat oppose | 8% | 10% | 6% | 12% | 9% | 3% | |
Neither support nor oppose | 20% | 21% | 19% | 25% | 18% | 17% | |
Somewhat support | 27% | 28% | 25% | 26% | 27% | 28% | |
Strongly support | 41% | 36% | 46% | 34% | 38% | 50% | |
TOTAL: Oppose | 13% | 16% | 10% | 16% | 17% | 6% | |
TOTAL: Support | 68% | 64% | 71% | 59% | 65% | 77% | |
Base (n) | 1,058 | 538 | 520 | 341 | 331 | 386 | |
State | ||||||||
Total | NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | |||
Strongly oppose | 5% | 2% | 5% | 8% | 4% | 5% | ||
Somewhat oppose | 8% | 8% | 10% | 9% | 5% | 7% | ||
Neither support nor oppose | 20% | 20% | 12% | 25% | 26% | 27% | ||
Somewhat support | 27% | 31% | 20% | 25% | 27% | 31% | ||
Strongly support | 41% | 39% | 53% | 33% | 38% | 30% | ||
TOTAL: Oppose | 13% | 10% | 14% | 17% | 9% | 12% | ||
TOTAL: Support | 68% | 70% | 74% | 58% | 65% | 61% | ||
Base (n) | 1,058 | 352 | 239 | 220 | 88 | 110 | ||
- There is strong support for the mandatory use of face masks and coverings in public places, with two-thirds (68%) of participants supporting this enforcement. (either strongly or somewhat).
- Support for this position was highest among women (71% support), those over 55 years old (77%), people in NSW (70%) and Victorian residents (74%).

COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
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Two Party Preferred:
Labor
47%
Coalition
44%
In this week's report:
- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Federal government response to Covid-19
- State government response to Covid-19
- Confidence in Labor government handling of Covid-19 pandemic
- Satisfaction with speed of Covid-19 vaccine rollout
- Party most responsible for slow vaccine rollout
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