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  • Feb, 2021

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    Attitudes towards Covid-19 pandemic and reopening Australia’s borders

    Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the Covid-19 pandemic in Australia and our national borders?

      TOTAL:  Agree TOTAL: Disagree   Strongly agree Somewhat agree Neither agree nor disagree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Unsure
    I want things to return to how they were before the Covid-19 pandemic 71% 8%   45% 26% 19% 7% 2% 2%
    I don’t think I could stand another lockdown 43% 29%   24% 19% 25% 18% 11% 3%
    After the vaccine has been rolled out, Australia should slowly and safely reopen its borders 67% 11%   31% 36% 17% 6% 4% 5%
    We should keep our borders closed until the pandemic is under control globally 71% 12%   43% 28% 15% 7% 5% 3%
    • While 7 in 10 (71%) agree that we should keep our borders closed until the pandemic is under control globally, 67% agree that after the vaccine has been rolled out, Australia should slowly and safely reopen its borders.
    • 7 in 10 (71%) agree that they want things to return to how they were before the Covid-19 pandemic.
    • 43% don’t think they could stand another lockdown. About a third (29%) disagree and a quarter (25%) neither agree nor disagree with this statement.
  • Feb, 2020

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    Attitudes towards border protection and Coronavirus

    Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the Coronavirus?

      NET: Agree NET: Disagree Strongly agree Somewhat agree Neither agree nor disagree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
    Because of global movements in people we are more vulnerable to the spread of viruses like this 81% 5% 43% 38% 14% 3% 2%
    The Australian government has been right to prevent people from mainland China entering Australia 80% 6% 53% 27% 14% 4% 3%
    The government and the media have done a good job in keeping the public informed about the virus 62% 15% 22% 40% 23% 10% 5%
    The border with China should be kept open to keep money from tourism and students coming into the country 20% 54% 6% 14% 26% 22% 32%

     

    NET: Agree   Age Federal Voting Intention (Lower House)
    Total 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor Coalition Greens NET: Other
    Because of global movements in people we are more vulnerable to the spread of viruses like this 81% 70% 82% 90% 80% 86% 76% 84%
    The Australian government has been right to prevent people from mainland China entering Australia 80% 71% 80% 88% 79% 88% 66% 82%
    The government and the media have done a good job in keeping the public informed about the virus 62% 53% 59% 73% 61% 73% 49% 53%
    The border with China should be kept open to keep money from tourism and students coming into the country 20% 28% 20% 13% 21% 21% 22% 13%
    Base (n) 1,090 341 374 375 336 390 104 146
    • Four out of five participants agree that because of global movements in people we are more vulnerable to the spread of viruses like this (81%) or the Australian government has been right to prevent people from mainland China entering Australia (80%).
    • Three in five agree the government and the media have done a good job in keeping the public informed about the virus (62%); but only one in five agree that the border with China should be kept open to keep money from tourism and students coming into the country (20%).
    • Participants over 55 years old (90%, 88% and 73% agreement respectively) and Liberal voters (86%, 88% and 73%) are more likely to agree with the top three statements.
    • Capital residents are more likely to agree that government and the media have done a good job in keeping the public informed about the virus than those in non-capital cities (65% compared to 57%).
    • Men, 18-34 year olds and participants with a university education are more likely to agree that the border with China should be kept open to keep money from tourism and students coming into the country (24%, 28%, 29% respectively); than women, participants over 55 or with a secondary school education (16%, 13%, 12% respectively).
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