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).
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