Essential Report
Preferred Prime Minister
Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese?
| Oct’21 | Sep’21 | Aug’21 | Jul’21 | Jun’21 | May’21 | Apr’21 | Mar’21 | Feb’21 | Jan’21 | Dec’20 | Nov’20 | |
| Scott Morrison | 45% | 47% | 45% | 46% | 48% | 50% | 47% | 52% | 52% | 51% | 50% | 53% |
| Anthony Albanese | 29% | 26% | 26% | 28% | 28% | 24% | 28% | 26% | 24% | 25% | 24% | 24% |
| Don’t know | 26% | 27% | 29% | 26% | 24% | 26% | 25% | 22% | 24% | 25% | 26% | 24% |
| Base (n) | 1.097 | 1,100 | 1,098 | 1,099 | 1,104 | 1,092 | 1,368 | 1,124 | 1,109 | 1,084 | 1,071 | 1,010 |
- 45% of Australians continue to think that Scott Morrison would make a better PM than Anthony Albanese (47% last month).
- 29% think the opposition leader would make the better Prime Minister (26% last month). 27% of participants don’t know who would make the better PM.
Performance of Anthony Albanese
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Anthony Albanese is doing as Opposition Leader?
| Sep’21 | Aug’21 | Jul’21 | Jun’21 | May’21 | Apr’21 | Mar’21 | Feb’21 | Jan’21 | Dec’20 | Nov’20 | Oct’20 | |
| TOTAL: Approve | 37% | 34% | 41% | 39% | 39% | 39% | 41% | 40% | 42% | 43% | 40% | 44% |
| TOTAL: Disapprove | 36% | 38% | 35% | 36% | 35% | 34% | 32% | 33% | 33% | 29% | 33% | 29% |
| Don’t know | 27% | 28% | 24% | 24% | 25% | 27% | 27% | 27% | 25% | 28% | 27% | 27% |
| Base (n) | 1,100 | 1,098 | 1,099 | 1,104 | 1,092 | 1,368 | 1,124 | 1,109 | 1,084 | 1,071 | 1,010 | 1,082 |
- The Opposition Leader’s approval rating is now at 37% (34% last month).
- The proportion of people disapproving of Albanese is now at 36% (38% last month). 27% say they are unsure of his performance.
Preferred Prime Minister
Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese?
| Sep’21 | Aug’21 | Jul’21 | Jun’21 | May’21 | Apr’21 | Mar’21 | Feb’21 | Jan’21 | Dec’20 | Nov’20 | Oct’20 | |
| Scott Morrison | 47% | 45% | 46% | 48% | 50% | 47% | 52% | 52% | 51% | 50% | 53% | 50% |
| Anthony Albanese | 26% | 26% | 28% | 28% | 24% | 28% | 26% | 24% | 25% | 24% | 24% | 25% |
| Don’t know | 27% | 29% | 26% | 24% | 26% | 25% | 22% | 24% | 25% | 26% | 24% | 25% |
| Base (n) | 1,100 | 1,098 | 1,099 | 1,104 | 1,092 | 1,368 | 1,124 | 1,109 | 1,084 | 1,071 | 1,010 | 1,082 |
- 47% of Australians continue to think that Scott Morrison would make a better PM than Anthony Albanese (45% last month).
- Just over a quarter (26%) think the opposition leader would make the better Prime Minister (same last month). 27% of participants don’t know who would make the better PM.
Performance of Anthony Albanese
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Anthony Albanese is doing as Opposition Leader?
| Aug’21 | Jul’21 | Jun’21 | May’21 | Apr’21 | Mar’21 | Feb’21 | Jan’21 | Dec’20 | Nov’20 | Oct’20 | Sep’20 | |
| TOTAL: Approve | 34% | 41% | 39% | 39% | 39% | 41% | 40% | 42% | 43% | 40% | 44% | 44% |
| TOTAL: Disapprove | 38% | 35% | 36% | 35% | 34% | 32% | 33% | 33% | 29% | 33% | 29% | 29% |
| Don’t know | 28% | 24% | 24% | 25% | 27% | 27% | 27% | 25% | 28% | 27% | 27% | 27% |
| Base (n) | 1,098 | 1,099 | 1,104 | 1,092 | 1,368 | 1,124 | 1,109 | 1,084 | 1,071 | 1,010 | 1,082 | 1,076 |
- The Opposition Leader’s approval rating has decreased to 34%, down from 41% last month.
- The proportion of people disapproving of Albanese has increased since last month, now at 38% (from 35%). 28% say they are unsure of his performance.
Preferred Prime Minister
Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese?
| Aug’21 | Jul’21 | Jun’21 | May’21 | Apr’21 | Mar’21 | Feb’21 | Jan’21 | Dec’20 | Nov’20 | Oct’20 | Sep’20 | |
| Scott Morrison | 45% | 46% | 48% | 50% | 47% | 52% | 52% | 51% | 50% | 53% | 50% | 49% |
| Anthony Albanese | 26% | 28% | 28% | 24% | 28% | 26% | 24% | 25% | 24% | 24% | 25% | 26% |
| Don’t know | 29% | 26% | 24% | 26% | 25% | 22% | 24% | 25% | 26% | 24% | 25% | 25% |
| Base (n) | 1,098 | 1,099 | 1,104 | 1,092 | 1,368 | 1,124 | 1,109 | 1,084 | 1,071 | 1,010 | 1,082 | 1,076 |
- Less than half (45%) of Australians now think that Scott Morrison would make a better PM than Anthony Albanese (46% last month).
- Just over a quarter (26%) think the opposition leader would make the better Prime Minister (28% in June). 29% of participants don’t know who would make the better PM.
Performance of Anthony Albanese
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Anthony Albanese is doing as Opposition Leader?
| Jul’21 | Jun’21 | May’21 | Apr’21 | Mar’21 | Feb’21 | Jan’21 | Dec’20 | Nov’20 | Oct’20 | Sep’20 | Aug’20 | |
| TOTAL: Approve | 41% | 39% | 39% | 39% | 41% | 40% | 42% | 43% | 40% | 44% | 44% | 44% |
| TOTAL: Disapprove | 35% | 36% | 35% | 34% | 32% | 33% | 33% | 29% | 33% | 29% | 29% | 30% |
| Don’t know | 24% | 24% | 25% | 27% | 27% | 27% | 25% | 28% | 27% | 27% | 27% | 25% |
| Base (n) | 1,099 | 1,104 | 1,092 | 1,368 | 1,124 | 1,109 | 1,084 | 1,071 | 1,010 | 1,082 | 1,076 | 1,010 |
- The Opposition Leader’s approval rating has increased slightly to 41% (from 39% in June).
- Similarly, the proportion of people disapproving of Albanese and those unsure are both consistent with last month (35% and 24% respectively).
Preferred Prime Minister
Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese?
| Jul’21 | Jun’21 | May’21 | Apr’21 | Mar’21 | Feb’21 | Jan’21 | Dec’20 | Nov’20 | Oct’20 | Sep’20 | Aug’20 | |
| Scott Morrison | 46% | 48% | 50% | 47% | 52% | 52% | 51% | 50% | 53% | 50% | 49% | 52% |
| Anthony Albanese | 28% | 28% | 24% | 28% | 26% | 24% | 25% | 24% | 24% | 25% | 26% | 22% |
| Don’t know | 26% | 24% | 26% | 25% | 22% | 24% | 25% | 26% | 24% | 25% | 25% | 26% |
| Base (n) | 1,099 | 1,104 | 1,092 | 1,368 | 1,124 | 1,109 | 1,084 | 1,071 | 1,010 | 1,082 | 1,076 | 1,010 |
- Less than half (46%) of Australians now believe that Scott Morrison would make a better PM than Anthony Albanese (48% last month).
- 28% think the opposition leader would make the better Prime Minister (same level in June). 26% of participants don’t know who would make the better PM.
| Men | Jul’21 | Jun’21 | May’21 | Apr’21 | Mar’21 | Feb’21 | Jan’21 | Dec’20 | Nov’20 | Oct’20 |
| Scott Morrison | 48% | 54% | 54% | 53% | 52% | 54% | 53% | 54% | 54% | 52% |
| Anthony Albanese | 31% | 30% | 26% | 29% | 30% | 28% | 28% | 29% | 28% | 29% |
| Don’t know | 21% | 16% | 20% | 18% | 19% | 19% | 19% | 17% | 19% | 19% |
| Women | ||||||||||
| Scott Morrison | 43% | 43% | 47% | 42% | 53% | 51% | 48% | 47% | 51% | 47% |
| Anthony Albanese | 26% | 25% | 22% | 26% | 23% | 21% | 22% | 19% | 20% | 22% |
| Don’t know | 31% | 31% | 31% | 32% | 24% | 29% | 31% | 34% | 28% | 31% |
- Less than half (48%) of men now believe Scott Morrison makes the better PM (54% in June), the lowest number since last March. About the same proportion as last month think Albanese would make the better PM (31%). More men are now unsure who would make the better PM (21% from 16% last month).
- The proportion of women who think Scott Morrison makes the better PM has dropped since May to 43% (from 47%). Just over a quarter (26%) of women now think Anthony Albanese would make the better PM (from 22% in May). 31% are undecided, consistent with the past few months.
Performance of Anthony Albanese
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Anthony Albanese is doing as Opposition Leader?
| Jun’21 | May’21 | Apr’21 | Mar’21 | Feb’21 | Jan’21 | Dec’20 | Nov’20 | Oct’20 | Sep’20 | Aug’20 | Jul’20 | |
| TOTAL: Approve | 39% | 39% | 39% | 41% | 40% | 42% | 43% | 40% | 44% | 44% | 44% | 44% |
| TOTAL: Disapprove | 36% | 35% | 34% | 32% | 33% | 33% | 29% | 33% | 29% | 29% | 30% | 28% |
| Don’t know | 24% | 25% | 27% | 27% | 27% | 25% | 28% | 27% | 27% | 27% | 25% | 28% |
| Base (n) | 1,104 | 1,092 | 1,368 | 1,124 | 1,109 | 1,084 | 1,071 | 1,010 | 1,082 | 1,076 | 1,010 | 1,054 |
- The Opposition Leader’s approval rating is unchanged at 39%.
- Similarly, the proportion of people disapproving of Albanese and those unsure are both consistent with last month (36% and 24% respectively).
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
