Performance of Scott Morrison
Q Do you approve or disapprove of the job Scott Morrison is doing as Prime Minister?
Mar’20 | Feb’20 | Jan’20 | Dec’19 | Nov’19 | Oct’19 | Sep’19 | Aug’19 | Jul’19 | |
NET: Approve | 41% | 39% | 40% | 45% | 45% | 47% | 49% | 48% | 48% |
NET: Disapprove | 49% | 52% | 52% | 43% | 41% | 38% | 36% | 37% | 34% |
Don’t know | 10% | 9% | 8% | 13% | 13% | 15% | 15% | 16% | 18% |
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 | 11% | 4% | 23% | 1% | 9% |
Approve | 31% | 15% | 54% | 14% | 29% |
Disapprove | 23% | 31% | 16% | 23% | 26% |
Strongly disapprove | 26% | 44% | 3% | 56% | 30% |
Don’t know | 10% | 7% | 4% | 5% | 7% |
NET: Approve | 41% | 19% | 77% | 16% | 38% |
NET: Disapprove | 49% | 75% | 19% | 79% | 55% |
Base (n) | 1,096 | 347 | 359 | 92 | 171 |
- The Prime Minister’s approval rating is now at 41% and still has not recovered following the fall from 45% at the end of last year.
- Now 49% disapprove of his performance, which shows no change from January (52%).
- However, the PM’s approval rating among Coalition voters remains high, 77% approval (78% in Feb’20).
Approval of Tony Abbott
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Prime Minister?
Total |
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib /Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote Other |
|
Tony Abbott as Opp-osition Leader 2 Sep 13 |
Tony Abbott as Prime Minister 24 Sep |
14 Jan |
11 Feb |
13 May |
8 July |
|
Total approve |
37% |
7% |
80% |
5% |
22% |
|
40% |
41% |
47% |
41% |
35% |
34% |
|
Total dis-approve |
54% |
89% |
12% |
86% |
70% |
|
49% |
36% |
43% |
47% |
55% |
58% |
|
Strongly approve |
13% |
3% |
31% |
– |
* |
13% |
14% |
13% |
12% |
12% |
8% |
||
Approve |
24% |
4% |
49% |
5% |
22% |
27% |
27% |
34% |
29% |
23% |
26% |
||
Disapprove |
19% |
28% |
9% |
27% |
21% |
19% |
13% |
18% |
19% |
18% |
22% |
||
Strongly disapprove |
35% |
61% |
3% |
59% |
49% |
30% |
23% |
25% |
28% |
37% |
36% |
||
Don’t know |
9% |
4% |
8% |
9% |
8% |
10% |
23% |
11% |
12% |
10% |
7% |
54% of respondents disapprove of the job Tony Abbott is doing as Prime Minister – down 4% since the last time this question was asked in July – and 37% approve of the job Tony Abbott is doing (up 3%). This represents an improvement in net rating from -24 to -17.
80% (up 3%) of Liberal/National voters approve of Tony Abbott’s performance, with 12% (down 4%) disapproving. 89% of Labor voters and 86% of Greens voters disapprove of Tony Abbott’s performance.
By gender men were 40% approve/51% disapprove and women 32% approve/57% disapprove.
Approval of Kevin Rudd
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Kevin Rudd is doing as Prime Minister?
Kevin Rudd 31 May 10 |
Julia Gillard 5 Jul 10 |
|
Julia Gillard 11 Jun 13 |
Kevin Rudd 15 Jul 13 |
|
Total approve |
41% |
48% |
37% |
50% |
|
Total disapprove |
47% |
27% |
54% |
35% |
|
Strongly approve |
7% |
14% |
10% |
18% |
|
Approve |
34% |
34% |
27% |
32% |
|
Disapprove |
25% |
13% |
21% |
15% |
|
Strongly disapprove |
22% |
14% |
33% |
20% |
|
Don’t know |
12% |
26% |
9% |
16% |
Kevin Rudd’s approval ratings are substantially higher than Julia Gillard’s as last measured 5 weeks ago. 50% (up 13%) approve of the job Kevin Rudd is doing as Prime Minister and 35% (down 19%) disapprove – a net rating of +15 compared to Julia Gillard’s -17.
85% of Labor voters approve (up 6%) and 4% disapprove (down 10%).
By gender – men 54% approve/35% disapprove, women 44% approve/34% disapprove.
Approval of Julia Gillard
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister?
|
19 Jul 2010 |
20 Dec |
14 Mar 2011 |
14 June |
12 Sept |
12 Dec |
12 Mar 2012 |
12 Jun |
10 Sept |
15 Oct |
12 Nov |
Total approve |
52% |
43% |
41% |
34% |
28% |
34% |
32% |
32% |
35% |
41% |
41% |
Total disapprove |
30% |
40% |
46% |
54% |
64% |
54% |
61% |
56% |
54% |
51% |
49% |
Strongly approve |
11% |
10% |
7% |
6% |
5% |
6% |
8% |
6% |
7% |
9% |
7% |
Approve |
41% |
33% |
34% |
28% |
23% |
28% |
24% |
26% |
28% |
32% |
34% |
Disapprove |
17% |
24% |
22% |
29% |
28% |
25% |
29% |
22% |
27% |
24% |
25% |
Strongly disapprove |
13% |
16% |
24% |
25% |
36% |
29% |
32% |
34% |
27% |
27% |
24% |
Don’t know |
18% |
17% |
13% |
13% |
8% |
11% |
7% |
12% |
11% |
8% |
10% |
41% (no change) approve of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister and 49% (down 2%) disapprove – a 2-point change in net rating from -10 to -8. This is Julia Gillard’s best approval rating since May 2011.
85% of Labor voters approve (down 2%) and 8% disapprove (down 1%).
By gender – men 37% approve/53% disapprove, women 44% approve/44% disapprove. In net terms this represents a decline with men from -14 to -16 and an improvement with women from -4 to 0.
Approval of Julia Gillard
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister?
19 Jul 2010 | 20 Dec 2010 | 14 Mar | 14 June | 12 Sept | 17 Oct | 14 Nov | |
Total approve | 52% | 43% | 41% | 34% | 28% | 34% | 37% |
Total disapprove | 30% | 40% | 46% | 54% | 64% | 59% | 55% |
Strongly approve | 11% | 10% | 7% | 6% | 5% | 7% | 8% |
Approve | 41% | 33% | 34% | 28% | 23% | 27% | 29% |
Disapprove | 17% | 24% | 22% | 29% | 28% | 27% | 25% |
Strongly disapprove | 13% | 16% | 24% | 25% | 36% | 32% | 30% |
Don’t know | 18% | 17% | 13% | 13% | 8% | 7% | 9% |
Julia Gillard’s approval rating has continued the improvement shown last month. 37% (up 3%) approve of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister and 55% (down 4%) disapprove – a change in net rating from -25 to -18 over the last 4 weeks. This represents Julia Gillard’s best ratings since May.
81% of Labor voters approve (up 7%) and 16% disapprove (down 5%).
By gender – men 37% approve/57% disapprove, women 36% approve/52% disapprove.
Better Prime Minister
Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott?
5 Jul 2010 | 17 Jan 2011 | 14 Feb | 14 Mar | 11 Apr | 9 May | 14 June | 11 July | 15 Aug | 12 Sept | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
Julia Gillard | 53% | 47% | 48% | 44% | 42% | 43% | 41% | 37% | 38% | 36% | 81% | 5% | 69% |
Tony Abbott | 26% | 32% | 31% | 33% | 33% | 35% | 36% | 39% | 36% | 40% | 5% | 79% | 8% |
Don’t know | 21% | 21% | 20% | 23% | 24% | 22% | 24% | 24% | 26% | 24% | 13% | 16% | 23% |
36% believe Julia Gillard would make the better Prime Minister and 40% prefer Tony Abbott – a net improvement for Tony Abbott of 6% on last month’s figures (from -2% to +4%).
Men prefer Tony Abbott 43%/37% and women favour Tony Abbott 37%/36%.
Government Decisions and Policies
Q. Thinking about what the Labor Government has done over the last few years, do you approve or disapprove of the following Government actions?
Total approve | Total disapprove | Strongly approve | Approve | Disapprove | Strongly disapprove | Don’t know | |
Increased funding of health services | 89% | 5% | 42% | 47% | 3% | 2% | 6% |
Increasing the age pension | 78% | 14% | 34% | 44% | 8% | 6% | 8% |
Increasing superannuation to 12% | 75% | 13% | 28% | 47% | 9% | 4% | 12% |
Managing the economy to keep unemployment and interest rates low | 70% | 21% | 21% | 49% | 12% | 9% | 10% |
Spending on new school buildings | 68% | 24% | 19% | 49% | 15% | 9% | 8% |
Introducing a national disability insurance scheme | 63% | 13% | 18% | 45% | 9% | 4% | 24% |
Stimulus spending to tackle the GFC | 61% | 28% | 21% | 40% | 15% | 13% | 11% |
Paid parental leave | 60% | 30% | 19% | 41% | 17% | 13% | 10% |
Introducing a tax on large profits of mining companies | 58% | 29% | 27% | 31% | 16% | 13% | 13% |
Building the NBN (National Broadband Network) | 54% | 34% | 19% | 35% | 17% | 17% | 12% |
Stopping live cattle exports until welfare concerns were addressed | 53% | 34% | 24% | 29% | 17% | 17% | 12% |
Abolished WorkChoices | 51% | 33% | 23% | 28% | 21% | 12% | 16% |
Sending asylum seekers to Malaysia | 39% | 45% | 17% | 22% | 20% | 25% | 16% |
Introducing a carbon tax to tackle climate change | 33% | 53% | 15% | 18% | 14% | 39% | 14% |
Government decisions and policies with highest approval were increased funding of health services (89% approve), increasing the age pension (78%) and increasing superannuation to 12% (75%).
Only two of the actions listed received less than majority approval – sending asylum seekers to Malaysia was 39% approve/45% disapprove and introducing a carbon tax to tackle climate change was 33% approve/53% disapprove.
Labor voters showed majority approval of all decisions and policies, Greens voters showed majority approval for all except sending asylum seekers to Malaysia (21% approve/63% disapprove).
Liberal/National voters approved of half the items listed – increased funding of health services (89% approve), increasing the age pension (79%), increasing superannuation to 12% (71%), managing the economy to keep unemployment and interest rates low (54%), spending on new school buildings (54%), introducing a national disability insurance scheme (60%) and paid parental leave (52%).
Approval of Julia Gillard
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister?
19 Jul | 20 Sep | 20 Dec | 17 Jan 2011 | 14 Feb | 14 Mar | 11 Apr | 9 May | 14 June | 11 July | 15 Aug | |
Total approve | 52% | 45% | 43% | 51% | 48% | 41% | 37% | 41% | 34% | 29% | 35% |
Total disapprove | 30% | 37% | 40% | 36% | 41% | 46% | 50% | 48% | 54% | 62% | 55% |
Strongly approve | 11% | 12% | 10% | 8% | 9% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 6% | 5% | 6% |
Approve | 41% | 33% | 33% | 43% | 39% | 34% | 30% | 34% | 28% | 24% | 29% |
Disapprove | 17% | 21% | 24% | 24% | 25% | 22% | 25% | 26% | 29% | 30% | 24% |
Strongly disapprove | 13% | 16% | 16% | 12% | 16% | 24% | 25% | 22% | 25% | 32% | 31% |
Don’t know | 18% | 19% | 17% | 14% | 11% | 13% | 13% | 11% | 13% | 9% | 11% |
35% (up 6%) approve of the job Julia Gillard is doing as Prime Minister and 55% (down 7%) disapprove – a change in net rating from -33 to -20 over the last 4 weeks.
77% of Labor voters approve (up 5%) and 13% disapprove (down 7%).
By gender – men 35% approve/57% disapprove, women 34% approve/52% disapprove.

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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