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Time to return to normal
Q. Thinking about the future, how long do you think it will take for the following to occur?
| Within the next six months | Seven months up to one year | One to two years | More than two years | Never | |
| Quarantine will no longer required after international travel | 12% | 27% | 35% | 22% | 4% |
| A Covid-19 vaccine will be developed | 11% | 22% | 43% | 20% | 4% |
| The housing market will return pre-pandemic levels | 11% | 22% | 38% | 25% | 4% |
| International travel will be allowed without restriction | 10% | 23% | 39% | 24% | 4% |
| Unemployment will return to pre-pandemic levels | 8% | 17% | 37% | 33% | 6% |
| The population will build resistance to Covid-19 through exposure (herd immunity) | 8% | 15% | 31% | 27% | 20% |
| Australia will pay off its national debt | 5% | 9% | 12% | 52% | 22% |
| WITHIN NEXT SIX MONTHS | Gender | Age Group | |||
| Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | |
| Quarantine will no longer required after international travel | 13% | 10% | 14% | 14% | 7% |
| A Covid-19 vaccine will be developed | 15% | 8% | 16% | 12% | 7% |
| The housing market will return pre-pandemic levels | 13% | 8% | 15% | 11% | 6% |
| International travel will be allowed without restriction | 12% | 9% | 16% | 13% | 4% |
| Unemployment will return to pre-pandemic levels | 8% | 7% | 13% | 8% | 3% |
| The population will build resistance to Covid-19 through exposure (herd immunity) | 9% | 7% | 11% | 9% | 3% |
| Australia will pay off its national debt | 7% | 3% | 9% | 6% | 1% |
| Base (n) | 525 | 554 | 332 | 362 | 385 |
Government response to Covid-19
Q. Overall, how would you rate the Government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| 22/08 | 15/06 | 08/06 | 01/06 | 25/05 | 18/05 | 11/05 | 04/05 | 27/04 | 20/04 | |
| Very poor | 4% | 3% | 4% | 5% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 5% |
| Quite poor | 8% | 8% | 8% | 7% | 6% | 7% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 10% |
| Neither good, nor poor | 17% | 16% | 18% | 20% | 16% | 17% | 16% | 20% | 17% | 21% |
| Quite good | 43% | 42% | 40% | 39% | 43% | 41% | 39% | 38% | 44% | 42% |
| Very good | 27% | 30% | 30% | 28% | 30% | 32% | 32% | 28% | 26% | 23% |
| TOTAL: Poor | 12% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 11% | 11% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 15% |
| TOTAL: Good | 71% | 72% | 70% | 68% | 73% | 73% | 71% | 66% | 70% | 65% |
| Base (n) | 1,079 | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,059 | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,067 | 1,093 | 1,054 | 1,051 |
| Gender | Age Group | Location | ||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | |
| Very poor | 4% | 6% | 2% | 5% | 5% | 2% | 4% | 4% |
| Quite poor | 8% | 9% | 8% | 12% | 7% | 6% | 9% | 7% |
| Neither good, nor poor | 17% | 18% | 16% | 23% | 21% | 8% | 16% | 19% |
| Quite good | 43% | 39% | 47% | 44% | 43% | 43% | 43% | 43% |
| Very good | 27% | 28% | 27% | 17% | 24% | 40% | 28% | 27% |
| TOTAL: Poor | 12% | 14% | 10% | 17% | 12% | 9% | 13% | 11% |
| TOTAL: Good | 71% | 67% | 74% | 61% | 67% | 83% | 71% | 70% |
| Base (n) | 1,079 | 525 | 554 | 332 | 362 | 385 | 728 | 351 |
State Government response to Covid-19
Q. How would you rate your state government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| 22/08 | 15/06 | 08/06 | 01/06 | 25/05 | 18/05 | 11/05 | 04/05 | 27/04 | 20/04 | |
| Very poor | 5% | 4% | 4% | 6% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 5% |
| Quite poor | 8% | 8% | 7% | 6% | 7% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 9% | 9% |
| Neither good, nor poor | 17% | 17% | 17% | 20% | 17% | 17% | 16% | 18% | 17% | 20% |
| Quite good | 41% | 38% | 39% | 38% | 38% | 39% | 39% | 38% | 41% | 39% |
| Very good | 28% | 33% | 32% | 30% | 35% | 33% | 34% | 31% | 30% | 26% |
| TOTAL: Poor | 13% | 12% | 11% | 12% | 11% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 14% |
| TOTAL: Good | 69% | 71% | 71% | 68% | 73% | 72% | 73% | 70% | 70% | 66% |
| Base (n) | 1,079 | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,059 | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,067 | 1,093 | 1,054 | 1,051 |
| State | |||||||
| Total | NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | ||
| Very poor | 5% | 4% | 8% | 6% | 4% | 4% | |
| Quite poor | 8% | 8% | 5% | 14% | 5% | 4% | |
| Neither good, nor poor | 17% | 18% | 22% | 15% | 13% | 17% | |
| Quite good | 41% | 45% | 38% | 42% | 39% | 27% | |
| Very good | 28% | 25% | 26% | 22% | 40% | 48% | |
| TOTAL: Poor | 13% | 12% | 13% | 20% | 8% | 8% | |
| TOTAL: Good | 69% | 70% | 65% | 64% | 79% | 75% | |
| Base (n) | 1,079 | 352 | 261 | 216 | 88 | 110 | |
- Victorian rating of their state government’s response is down 10% this week (from 75% to 65%) with 19 new cases of Covid-19 recorded this weekend.
State Government response to Covid-19
Q. How would you rate your state government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| 15/06 | 08/06 | 01/06 | 25/05 | 18/05 | 11/05 | 04/05 | 27/04 | 20/04 | |
| Very poor | 4% | 4% | 6% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 5% |
| Quite poor | 8% | 7% | 6% | 7% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 9% | 9% |
| Neither good, nor poor | 17% | 17% | 20% | 17% | 17% | 16% | 18% | 17% | 20% |
| Quite good | 38% | 39% | 38% | 38% | 39% | 39% | 38% | 41% | 39% |
| Very good | 33% | 32% | 30% | 35% | 33% | 34% | 31% | 30% | 26% |
| TOTAL: Poor | 12% | 11% | 12% | 11% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 14% |
| TOTAL: Good | 71% | 71% | 68% | 73% | 72% | 73% | 70% | 70% | 66% |
| Base (n) | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,059 | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,067 | 1,093 | 1,054 | 1,051 |
| State | |||||||
| Total | NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | ||
| Very poor | 4% | 4% | 6% | 6% | 1% | 3% | |
| Quite poor | 8% | 9% | 5% | 12% | 6% | 4% | |
| Neither good, nor poor | 17% | 22% | 13% | 15% | 17% | 17% | |
| Quite good | 38% | 41% | 39% | 39% | 40% | 28% | |
| Very good | 33% | 24% | 36% | 28% | 36% | 49% | |
| TOTAL: Poor | 12% | 13% | 11% | 18% | 7% | 6% | |
| TOTAL: Good | 71% | 65% | 75% | 67% | 76% | 77% | |
| Base (n) | 1,087 | 352 | 275 | 217 | 83 | 107 | |
Likelihood of developing Coronavirus
Q. How likely do you think it is, that you will develop Covid-19?
| 08/06 | 01/06 | 25/05 | 18/05 | 11/05 | 04/05 | 27/04 | 20/04 | 13/04 | 06/04 | |
| Very likely | 6% | 7% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 5% | 5% | 7% | 5% | 8% |
| Somewhat likely | 22% | 23% | 22% | 25% | 24% | 26% | 21% | 25% | 28% | 33% |
| Somewhat unlikely | 47% | 48% | 51% | 48% | 48% | 46% | 50% | 52% | 49% | 45% |
| Very unlikely | 25% | 22% | 23% | 21% | 21% | 23% | 23% | 17% | 18% | 14% |
| Base (n) | 1,073 | 1,059 | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,067 | 1.093 | 1,054 | 1,051 | 1,068 | 1,069 |
| Age group | Location | |||||
| Total | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | |
| Very likely | 6% | 8% | 8% | 3% | 6% | 6% |
| Somewhat likely | 22% | 29% | 22% | 17% | 25% | 18% |
| Somewhat unlikely | 47% | 38% | 47% | 54% | 47% | 46% |
| Very unlikely | 25% | 25% | 23% | 27% | 22% | 30% |
| Base (n) | 1,073 | 341 | 363 | 369 | 727 | 349 |
Government response to Covid-19
Q. Overall, how would you rate the Government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| 08/06 | 01/06 | 25/05 | 18/05 | 11/05 | 04/05 | 27/04 | 20/04 | 13/04 | |
| Very poor | 4% | 5% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 6% |
| Quite poor | 8% | 7% | 6% | 7% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 10% | 12% |
| Neither good, nor poor | 18% | 20% | 16% | 17% | 16% | 20% | 17% | 21% | 20% |
| Quite good | 40% | 39% | 43% | 41% | 39% | 38% | 44% | 42% | 40% |
| Very good | 30% | 28% | 30% | 32% | 32% | 28% | 26% | 23% | 23% |
| TOTAL: Poor | 12% | 12% | 11% | 11% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 15% | 17% |
| TOTAL: Good | 70% | 68% | 73% | 73% | 71% | 66% | 70% | 65% | 63% |
| Base (n) | 1,073 | 1,059 | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,067 | 1,093 | 1,054 | 1,051 | 1,068 |
| Gender | Age Group | Location | |||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | ||
| Very poor | 4% | 5% | 2% | 5% | 4% | 2% | 4% | 4% | |
| Quite poor | 8% | 9% | 7% | 13% | 8% | 4% | 9% | 6% | |
| Neither good, nor poor | 18% | 19% | 17% | 26% | 18% | 11% | 18% | 18% | |
| Quite good | 40% | 38% | 43% | 41% | 45% | 36% | 41% | 39% | |
| Very good | 30% | 29% | 31% | 14% | 26% | 47% | 29% | 33% | |
| TOTAL: Poor | 12% | 14% | 9% | 18% | 11% | 6% | 12% | 10% | |
| TOTAL: Good | 70% | 67% | 74% | 55% | 71% | 83% | 70% | 72% | |
| Base (n) | 1,073 | 528 | 545 | 341 | 363 | 369 | 727 | 349 | |
State Government response to Covid-19
Q. How would you rate your state government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| 08/06 | 01/06 | 25/05 | 18/05 | 11/05 | 04/05 | 27/04 | 20/04 | |
| Very poor | 4% | 6% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 5% |
| Quite poor | 7% | 6% | 7% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 9% | 9% |
| Neither good, nor poor | 17% | 20% | 17% | 17% | 16% | 18% | 17% | 20% |
| Quite good | 39% | 38% | 38% | 39% | 39% | 38% | 41% | 39% |
| Very good | 32% | 30% | 35% | 33% | 34% | 31% | 30% | 26% |
| TOTAL: Poor | 11% | 12% | 11% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 14% |
| TOTAL: Good | 71% | 68% | 73% | 72% | 73% | 70% | 70% | 66% |
| Base (n) | 1,073 | 1,059 | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,067 | 1,093 | 1,054 | 1,051 |
| State | |||||||
| Total | NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | ||
| Very poor | 4% | 2% | 6% | 3% | 3% | 4% | |
| Quite poor | 7% | 10% | 6% | 9% | 6% | 2% | |
| Neither good, nor poor | 17% | 21% | 16% | 20% | 12% | 9% | |
| Quite good | 39% | 44% | 38% | 38% | 39% | 32% | |
| Very good | 32% | 23% | 34% | 29% | 40% | 52% | |
| TOTAL: Poor | 11% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 8% | 6% | |
| TOTAL: Good | 71% | 67% | 72% | 68% | 79% | 84% | |
| Base (n) | 1,073 | 336 | 275 | 214 | 85 | 108 | |
Speed of Easing Restrictions
Q. Overall, do you think your state or territory is moving too quickly, too slowly or at about the right speed when it comes to lifting lockdown restrictions?
| State | |||||||
| Total | NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | ||
| Moving too quickly | 20% | 24% | 20% | 13% | 18% | 16% | |
| About the right speed | 67% | 67% | 70% | 63% | 71% | 68% | |
| Moving too slowly | 13% | 9% | 9% | 23% | 10% | 16% | |
| Base (n) | 1,073 | 336 | 275 | 214 | 85 | 108 | |
Reopening pubs and clubs with patron restrictions
| State | |||||||
| Total | NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | ||
| Moving too quickly | 30% | 33% | 40% | 19% | 19% | 25% | |
| About the right speed | 59% | 60% | 49% | 62% | 71% | 63% | |
| Moving too slowly | 11% | 7% | 11% | 19% | 9% | 12% | |
| Base (n) | 1,073 | 336 | 275 | 214 | 85 | 108 | |
Reopening restaurants and cafes with patron restrictions
| State | |||||||
| Total | NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | ||
| Moving too quickly | 22% | 23% | 28% | 13% | 20% | 19% | |
| About the right speed | 65% | 67% | 60% | 64% | 75% | 68% | |
| Moving too slowly | 13% | 10% | 11% | 23% | 6% | 14% | |
| Base (n) | 1,073 | 336 | 275 | 214 | 85 | 108 | |
Allowing outside group exercise classes
| State | |||||||
| Total | NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | ||
| Moving too quickly | 16% | 19% | 19% | 12% | 13% | 14% | |
| About the right speed | 72% | 70% | 72% | 73% | 76% | 77% | |
| Moving too slowly | 12% | 12% | 9% | 16% | 11% | 10% | |
| Base (n) | 1,073 | 336 | 275 | 214 | 85 | 108 | |
Reopening schools for all students
| State | |||||||
| Total | NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | ||
| Moving too quickly | 23% | 27% | 30% | 17% | 14% | 16% | |
| About the right speed | 67% | 67% | 57% | 72% | 79% | 77% | |
| Moving too slowly | 10% | 6% | 13% | 11% | 7% | 7% | |
| Base (n) | 1,073 | 336 | 275 | 214 | 85 | 108 | |
Reopening borders between states and territories
| State | |||||||
| Total | NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | ||
| Moving too quickly | 24% | 22% | 25% | 20% | 36% | 23% | |
| About the right speed | 58% | 57% | 57% | 60% | 52% | 64% | |
| Moving too slowly | 18% | 21% | 18% | 20% | 12% | 13% | |
| Base (n) | 1,073 | 336 | 275 | 214 | 85 | 108 | |
- Two-thirds (67%) of participants believe that their state/territory is moving at about the right speed when it comes to removing restrictions. 24% believe that the restrictions are being eased too quickly and another 18% say they are moving too slowly.
- Queensland residents are most likely to say their state is moving too slowly (23%) while New South Wales residents are more likely to say their state is moving too quickly (24%).
- Participants 18-34 years and those living capital cities are generally more likely to say that their state is lifting restrictions too quickly.
- When asked about specific restrictions, participants are more likely to say allowing outside group exercise classes is moving at the right speed (72%) and less likely to say reopening pubs and clubs (59%) or reopening borders between states and territories (58%).
- 40% Victorians think their government is moving too quickly to reopen pubs and clubs and 30% think schools are being reopened too quickly.
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Download this week's ReportEssential Report
Two Party Preferred:
Labor
47%
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