Preferred Prime Minister
Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese?
May’20 | Apr’20 | Mar’20 | Feb’20 | Jan’20 | Nov’19 | Oct’19 | Sep’19 | Aug’19 | Jul’19 | Jun’19 | |
Scott Morrison | 50% | 46% | 40% | 36% | 36% | 44% | 43% | 46% | 44% | 44% | 43% |
Anthony Albanese | 25% | 27% | 35% | 36% | 39% | 28% | 28% | 25% | 28% | 26% | 25% |
Don’t know | 25% | 27% | 25% | 28% | 25% | 29% | 29% | 29% | 28% | 31% | 32% |
Base (n) | 1,093 | 1,069 | 1,096 | 1,056 | 1,081 | 1,075 | 1,088 | 1,093 | 1,096 | 1,091 | 1,099 |
Federal Voting Intention | |||||
Total | Labor | Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | |
Scott Morrison | 50% | 25% | 84% | 23% | 53% |
Anthony Albanese | 25% | 48% | 7% | 42% | 20% |
Don’t know | 25% | 27% | 8% | 35% | 27% |
Base (n) | 1,093 | 325 | 435 | 108 | 114 |
- 50% of participants believe that Scott Morrison would make a better PM than Anthony Albanese (25%). Around a quarter (25%) of participants don’t know who would make the better PM.
- Just under half of Labor voters believe Albanese would make the better PM (48%) compared to Morrison (25%). 27% said they didn’t know who would make the better leader.
Performance of Anthony Albanese
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Anthony Albanese is doing as Opposition Leader?
Apr’20 | Mar’20 | Feb’20 | Jan’20 | Dec’19 | Nov’19 | Oct’19 | Sep’19 | Aug’19 | Jul’19 | |
NET: Approve | 44% | 41% | 41% | 43% | 39% | 37% | 40% | 36% | 38% | 39% |
NET: Disapprove | 29% | 33% | 31% | 30% | 28% | 34% | 29% | 31% | 29% | 24% |
Don’t know | 27% | 26% | 28% | 27% | 33% | 29% | 31% | 33% | 33% | 37% |
Base (n) | 1,069 | 1,096 | 1,056 | 1,081 | 1,035 | 1,075 | 1,088 | 1,093 | 1,096 | 1,091 |
Total | Federal Voting Intention | ||||
Labor | Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | ||
Strongly approve | 8% | 18% | 3% | 4% | 4% |
Approve | 36% | 48% | 32% | 46% | 23% |
Disapprove | 21% | 10% | 33% | 23% | 25% |
Strongly disapprove | 8% | 3% | 13% | 5% | 10% |
Don’t know | 27% | 20% | 19% | 22% | 38% |
NET: Approve | 44% | 66% | 35% | 50% | 26% |
NET: Disapprove | 29% | 13% | 46% | 29% | 36% |
Base (n) | 1,069 | 333 | 387 | 102 | 122 |
- The Opposition Leader’s approval rating has remained consistent this month, at 44% compared to 41% in March.
- Albanese’s approval among Labor voters remains relatively low at 66%, compared to Morrison’s approval among Coalition voters (87%).
Preferred Prime Minister
Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese?
Apr’20 | Mar’20 | Feb’20 | Jan’20 | Nov’19 | Oct’19 | Sep’19 | Aug’19 | Jul’19 | Jun’19 | |
Scott Morrison | 46% | 40% | 36% | 36% | 44% | 43% | 46% | 44% | 44% | 43% |
Anthony Albanese | 27% | 35% | 36% | 39% | 28% | 28% | 25% | 28% | 26% | 25% |
Don’t know | 27% | 25% | 28% | 25% | 29% | 29% | 29% | 28% | 31% | 32% |
Base (n) | 1,069 | 1,096 | 1,056 | 1,081 | 1,075 | 1,088 | 1,093 | 1,096 | 1,091 | 1,099 |
Federal Voting Intention | |||||
Total | Labor | Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | |
Scott Morrison | 46% | 25% | 83% | 16% | 43% |
Anthony Albanese | 27% | 47% | 8% | 50% | 21% |
Don’t know | 27% | 28% | 9% | 34% | 37% |
Base (n) | 1,069 | 333 | 387 | 102 | 122 |
- 46% of participants believe that Scott Morrison would make a better PM than Anthony Albanese (27%). Around a quarter (25%) of participants don’t know who would make the better PM.
- A quarter of Labor voters believe Scott Morrison to make the better PM compared to Albanese (25%), up from 13% in March).
Performance of Anthony Albanese
Q Do you approve or disapprove of the job Anthony Albanese is doing as Opposition Leader?
Mar’20 | Feb’20 | Jan’20 | Dec’19 | Nov’19 | Oct’19 | Sep’19 | Aug’19 | Jul’19 | |
NET: Approve | 41% | 41% | 43% | 39% | 37% | 40% | 36% | 38% | 39% |
NET: Disapprove | 33% | 31% | 30% | 28% | 34% | 29% | 31% | 29% | 24% |
Don’t know | 26% | 28% | 27% | 33% | 29% | 31% | 33% | 33% | 37% |
Base (n) | 1,096 | 1,056 | 1,081 | 1,035 | 1,075 | 1,088 | 1,093 | 1,096 | 1,091 |
Total | Federal Voting Intention | ||||
Labor | Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | ||
Strongly approve | 8% | 16% | 4% | 7% | 7% |
Approve | 33% | 48% | 30% | 33% | 19% |
Disapprove | 22% | 14% | 30% | 29% | 25% |
Strongly disapprove | 10% | 2% | 19% | 5% | 16% |
Don’t know | 26% | 20% | 17% | 26% | 33% |
NET: Approve | 41% | 64% | 34% | 40% | 26% |
NET: Disapprove | 33% | 16% | 49% | 33% | 41% |
Base (n) | 1,096 | 347 | 359 | 92 | 171 |
- The Opposition Leader’s approval rating is also at 41%, on par with the results from Jan’20 (43%).
- A third of participants (33%) disapprove of Albanese’s performance which is up from Dec’19 (28%).
- Albanese’s approval among Labor voters remains relatively low at 64%, compared to Morrison’s approval among Coalition voters (77%).
Preferred Prime Minister
Q Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese?
Mar’20 | Feb’20 | Jan’20 | Nov’19 | Oct’19 | Sep’19 | Aug’19 | Jul’19 | Jun’19 | |
Scott Morrison | 40% | 36% | 36% | 44% | 43% | 46% | 44% | 44% | 43% |
Anthony Albanese | 35% | 36% | 39% | 28% | 28% | 25% | 28% | 26% | 25% |
Don’t know | 25% | 28% | 25% | 29% | 29% | 29% | 28% | 31% | 32% |
Base (n) | 1,096 | 1,056 | 1,081 | 1,075 | 1,088 | 1,093 | 1,096 | 1,091 | 1,099 |
Federal Voting Intention | |||||
Total | Labor | Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | |
Scott Morrison | 40% | 13% | 78% | 15% | 38% |
Anthony Albanese | 35% | 66% | 11% | 58% | 23% |
Don’t know | 25% | 21% | 12% | 27% | 39% |
Base (n) | 1,096 | 347 | 359 | 92 | 171 |
- 40% of participants believe that Scott Morrison would make a better PM than Anthony Albanese (35%).
- Three-quarters (78%) of Coalition voters prefer Morrison whereas 66% of Labor voters prefer Albanese.
- A quarter (25%) 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?
Feb’20 | Jan’20 | Dec’19 | Nov’19 | Oct’19 | Sep’19 | Aug’19 | Jul’19 | |
NET: Approve | 41% | 43% | 39% | 37% | 40% | 36% | 38% | 39% |
NET: Disapprove | 31% | 30% | 28% | 34% | 29% | 31% | 29% | 24% |
Don’t know | 28% | 27% | 33% | 29% | 31% | 33% | 33% | 37% |
Base (n) | 1,056 | 1,081 | 1,035 | 1,075 | 1,088 | 1,093 | 1,096 | 1,091 |
Total | Federal Voting Intention | ||||
Labor | Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | ||
Strongly approve | 6% | 12% | 4% | 3% | 2% |
Approve | 35% | 51% | 34% | 27% | 17% |
Disapprove | 22% | 12% | 30% | 27% | 28% |
Strongly disapprove | 9% | 2% | 15% | 6% | 20% |
Don’t know | 28% | 24% | 18% | 37% | 32% |
NET: Approve | 41% | 62% | 37% | 30% | 20% |
NET: Disapprove | 31% | 14% | 45% | 33% | 49% |
Base (n) | 1,056 | 354 | 320 | 113 | 155 |
- Approval for Albanese has remained steady at 41% (43% last month). Those who don’t know about Albanese’s performance remains relatively high, at 28%.
- His approval within his voter base (62% among Labor voters) is still not as strong as Scott Morrison (78% among Coalition voters).
Preferred Prime Minister
Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese?
Feb’20 | Jan’20 | Nov’19 | Oct’19 | Sep’19 | Aug’19 | Jul’19 | Jun’19 | |
Scott Morrison | 36% | 36% | 44% | 43% | 46% | 44% | 44% | 43% |
Anthony Albanese | 36% | 39% | 28% | 28% | 25% | 28% | 26% | 25% |
Don’t know | 28% | 25% | 29% | 29% | 29% | 28% | 31% | 32% |
Base (n) | 1,056 | 1,081 | 1,075 | 1,088 | 1,093 | 1,096 | 1,091 | 1,099 |
Federal Voting Intention | |||||
Total | Labor | Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | |
Scott Morrison | 36% | 14% | 77% | 5% | 31% |
Anthony Albanese | 36% | 64% | 12% | 58% | 24% |
Don’t know | 28% | 23% | 11% | 37% | 45% |
Base (n) | 1,056 | 354 | 320 | 113 | 155 |
- Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese are considered equally capable of being Prime Minister (both 36%).
- 28% are unsure 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?
Jan’20 | Dec’19 | Nov’19 | Oct’19 | Sep’19 | Aug’19 | Jul’19 | |
NET: Approve | 43% | 39% | 37% | 40% | 36% | 38% | 39% |
NET: Disapprove | 30% | 28% | 34% | 29% | 31% | 29% | 24% |
Don’t know | 27% | 33% | 29% | 31% | 33% | 33% | 37% |
Base (n) | 1,081 | 1,035 | 1,075 | 1,088 | 1,093 | 1,096 | 1,091 |
Total | Federal Voting Intention | ||||
Labor | Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | ||
Strongly approve | 8% | 16% | 4% | 8% | 2% |
Approve | 35% | 48% | 31% | 34% | 25% |
Disapprove | 21% | 11% | 29% | 16% | 27% |
Strongly disapprove | 10% | 2% | 17% | 4% | 15% |
Don’t know | 27% | 22% | 19% | 39% | 30% |
NET: Approve | 43% | 64% | 35% | 41% | 27% |
NET: Disapprove | 30% | 13% | 46% | 20% | 43% |
Base (n) | 1,081 | 349 | 372 | 106 | 148 |
- Approval for Albanese has remained steady heading into 2020, moving from 39% to 43% between December and January.
- His approval from within his voter base (64% among Labor voters) is not as strong as Scott Morrison (79% among Coalition voters).
- Those who don’t know about Albanese’s performance is now 27%, the lowest since he became the Labor leader.

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
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