The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Apr, 2020

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    State Government response to Covid-19

    Q. How would you rate your state government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?

        State
      Total NSW VIC QLD SA WA
    Very poor 5% 6% 4% 6% 3% 3%
    Quite poor 11% 15% 5% 16% 7% 8%
    Neither good, nor poor 20% 23% 15% 27% 19% 11%
    Quite good 38% 38% 42% 33% 38% 36%
    Very good 26% 18% 33% 19% 33% 43%
    NET: Poor 16% 21% 10% 21% 10% 11%
    NET: Good 64% 56% 76% 52% 72% 79%
    Base (n) 1,068 328 272 222 87 110
    • Across the country, the overall perception of states’ handling of the crisis in in line with government 64% rating their own state’s handling as Very/Quite good (compared to 63%).
    • Victoria and Western Australia have the highest rating of their state government, while this is lower for Queensland (52%) and NSW (56%).
  • Apr, 2020

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    Managing Physical Isolation

    Q. How are you managing with the physical isolation rules imposed due to the Covid-19 outbreak?

        Gender Age Group
    Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+
    I have no concerns about reduced physical contact with friends and family 26% 27% 25% 17% 29% 31%
    I’m coping with seeing less of friends and family, but may start to miss them in the future 26% 26% 25% 31% 25% 21%
    I’m missing seeing friends and family, but am able to continue with day-to-day-life 37% 35% 38% 34% 33% 42%
    I’m feeling isolated or struggling to maintain my daily routines 12% 12% 12% 18% 13% 6%
    Base (n) 1,068 537 531 343 340 385
    • Over one-in-ten people are already struggling with the physical isolation restrictions (12%). They are most likely to be people aged 18-34 (18%) and people not in paid employment (18%)
    • Those aged 55 and over are most likely to say they have no concerns about the physical isolation restrictions (31%).
  • Apr, 2020

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    Social Activities during Physical Isolation

    Q. Are you doing any of the following to compensate for spending less time with friends and family since the start of physical isolation rules?

        Gender Age Group
    Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+
    I spend more time contacting people by text messaging, phone calls or online chats 57% 50% 64% 61% 53% 58%
    I’ve participated in online group catch ups 28% 29% 26% 43% 28% 14%
    I’ve sent gifts to friends and family 14% 14% 13% 19% 13% 11%
    I’ve started online activities with friends and family (e.g. online fitness, education classes) 21% 22% 20% 38% 20% 8%
    None of these 28% 33% 23% 16% 30% 35%
    Base (n) 1,068 537 531 343 340 385
    • Staying in touch with people by telephone or messaging is the most popular way to overcome issues about social isolation, being used by 57% of people. Since the physical isolation restrictions, 28% have participated in group catch-ups in lieu of physically meeting, and 21% have started online activities such as fitness sessions or online education classes.
    • Women were more likely than men to be calling or texting friends and family (64% to 50%).
    • 84% of those aged 18-34 have engaged in some activity to overcome the isolation. This is higher than those aged over 55 (65% have completed some activity).
  • Apr, 2020

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    Financial situation during Covid-19 outbreak

    Q. Which of the following best describes your financial situation during the Covid-19 outbreak?

    NET: Agree 13/04 06/04 29/03 22/03
    I do not expect the Covid-19 will impact my income 23% 24% 26% 24%
    I have sufficient savings to deal with a short-term loss of income 29% 28% 32% 26%
    I will struggle with a short-term loss of income, but will get by 33% 31% 23% 29%
    I will be in serious financial stress with short-term loss of income 16% 16% 20% 21%
    Base (n) 1,068 1,069 1,086 1,034

     

        Household Employment
      Total Have dependent children Do not have dependent children In paid employment Not in paid employment Retired
    I do not expect the Covid-19 will impact my income 23% 15% 27% 13% 19% 49%
    I have sufficient savings to deal with a short-term loss of income 29% 30% 29% 32% 20% 34%
    I will struggle with a short-term loss of income, but will get by 33% 39% 29% 41% 34% 11%
    I will be in serious financial stress with short-term loss of income 16% 17% 15% 13% 27% 6%
    Base (n) 1,068 362 706 543 254 225
  • Apr, 2020

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    Changing behaviour due to Covid-19

    Q. Have you changed your behaviour in any of the following ways since the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak?

      13/04 06/04 29/03 22/03
    Increased personal hygiene measures (e.g. hand washing) 76% 78% 79% 72%
    Limited attending social spaces, shops, restaurants or group events 76% 82% 75% 60%
    Stopped physical greetings (e.g. shaking hands, kissing, hugging) 75% 78% 73% 60%
    Bought additional groceries to stock-up 37% 38% 41% 33%
    Reduced use of cash to pay for purchases 52% 50% 43% 23%
    Changed working patterns (e.g. changed hours, or working from home) 32% 33% 33% 20%
    None of these 5% 3% 5% 12%
    Base (n) 1,068 1,069 1,086 1,034

     

  • Apr, 2020

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    Coronavirus concerns

    Q. To what extent are you concerned about the threat of the Coronavirus in Australia?

      06/04 29/03 22/03 09/03 10/02
    Very concerned 51% 53% 39% 27% 25%
    Quite concerned 37% 35% 43% 36% 43%
    Not that concerned 10% 10% 14% 28% 26%
    Not at all concerned 2% 3% 4% 9% 6%
    Base (n) 1,069 1,086 1,034 1,096 1,057

     

        Age group Location
      Total 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    Very concerned 51% 46% 51% 54% 53% 48%
    Quite concerned 37% 39% 37% 36% 37% 36%
    Not that concerned 10% 12% 9% 9% 8% 13%
    Not at all concerned 2% 3% 3% 1% 2% 2%
    Base (n) 1,069 341 342 386 731 338

     

  • Apr, 2020

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    Likelihood of developing Coronavirus

    Q. How likely do you think it is, that you will develop Covid-19?

      06/04 29/03 22/03 09/03
    Very likely 8% 8% 8% 7%
    Somewhat likely 33% 36% 34% 24%
    Somewhat unlikely 45% 45% 45% 43%
    Very unlikely 14% 12% 13% 26%
    Base (n) 1,069 1,086 1,034 1,096

     

        Age group Location
      Total 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    Very likely 8% 15% 9% 3% 9% 5%
    Somewhat likely 33% 34% 36% 31% 33% 34%
    Somewhat unlikely 45% 38% 42% 51% 44% 47%
    Very unlikely 14% 13% 13% 14% 13% 15%
    Base (n) 1,069 341 342 386 731 338
  • Apr, 2020

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    Reaction to Covid-19

    Q. Which of the following is closer to your personal views of the Covid-19 outbreak?

      06/04 29/03 22/03
    There has been an over-reaction to the threat of Covid-19 17% 18% 33%
    The response to the threat of Covid-19 is about right 46% 39% 39%
    The threat of Covid-19 has been under-estimated 37% 43% 28%
    Base (n) 1,069 1,086 1,034

     

        Gender Age Group
      Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+
    There has been an over-reaction to the threat of Covid-19 17% 20% 14% 28% 17% 11%
    The response to the threat of Covid-19 is about right 46% 45% 47% 43% 46% 47%
    The threat of Covid-19 has been under-estimated 37% 35% 39% 29% 36% 42%
    Base (n) 1,069 523 546 341 342 386
    • There has been an increase in the proportion of women rating the reaction to the Covid-19 crisis to be about right (47%, up from 36% last week).
    • This increase has mainly come from a decrease in the proportion of women thinking the threat has been under-estimated (declining from 47% to 39%).
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