Essential Report
Party trust to handle issues
Q. Which party would you trust most to handle the following issues?
Liberal | Labor | Unsure | Difference | Difference Oct’19 | ||
National Security | 41% | 28% | 32% | +13 | +17 | |
Management of the economy | 41% | 31% | 29% | +10 | +15 | |
Maintaining international relations | 37% | 32% | 31% | +5 | N/A | |
Ensuring the quality of Australia’s health system | 35% | 38% | 27% | -3 | -9 | |
Ensuring a quality education for all children | 34% | 38% | 28% | -4 | -7 | |
Housing affordability | 29% | 38% | 33% | -9 | -7 | |
Protecting Australian jobs and protection of local industries | 32% | 41% | 26% | -9 | -9 | |
Addressing climate change | 26% | 39% | 35% | -13 | -15 | |
Fair wages and workplace conditions | 28% | 46% | 27% | -18 | -19 | |
Base (n) | 1,094 | 1,094 | 1,094 | 1,033 |
- The Liberal party is most trusted to handle national security (41%, 13pts higher than Labor), manage the economy (41%, 10pts higher than Labor) and maintain international relations (37%, 5pts ahead of Labor).
- Labor are most trusted to handle fair wages and workplace conditions (46%, 18pt ahead of Liberals), address climate change (39%, 13pts ahead of Liberals), protect Australian jobs and local industries (41%, 9pts over Liberals) and increase housing affordability (38%, 9pts over Liberals).
- There is little difference in trust between the two major parties to ensure the quality of healthcare or education systems.
- The difference in trust between the parties is mostly similar to last time this was tested in October 2019.

COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
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
Sign up for updates
Receive the Essential Report in your inbox.Essential Tags
2PP
Abbott
ALP
Anthony Albanese
Approval of opposition leader
Approval of Tony Abbott
asylum seekers
Australian economy
Bill Shorten
Carbon Tax
climate change
coronavirus
covid-19
economy
Education
Election
EMC
environment
ER
Essential Media
Essential Report
Federal Budget
Federal Government
federal politics
Gillard
Greens
Julia Gillard
kevin rudd
Labor
Labor Party
Liberal
Liberal Party
Liberals
mining
Nationals
Opposition leader
peter lewis
Polling
polls
Prime Minister
Scott Morrison
tony abbott
two party preferred
voting
Voting intention
Recent Comments
