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Government response to Covid-19
Q. Overall, how would you rate the Government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| 04/05 | 27/04 | 20/04 | 13/04 | 06/04 | 29/03 | 22/03 | |
| Very poor | 4% | 4% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 11% | 9% |
| Quite poor | 9% | 9% | 10% | 12% | 15% | 21% | 20% |
| Neither good, nor poor | 20% | 17% | 21% | 20% | 21% | 24% | 26% |
| Quite good | 38% | 44% | 42% | 40% | 37% | 34% | 33% |
| Very good | 28% | 26% | 23% | 23% | 21% | 11% | 12% |
| TOTAL: Poor | 14% | 13% | 15% | 17% | 21% | 31% | 29% |
| TOTAL: Good | 66% | 70% | 65% | 63% | 58% | 45% | 45% |
| Base (n) | 1,093 | 1,054 | 1,051 | 1,068 | 1,069 | 1,086 | 1,034 |
| Gender | Age Group | Location | |||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | ||
| Very poor | 4% | 6% | 3% | 5% | 6% | 3% | 5% | 4% | |
| Quite poor | 9% | 10% | 8% | 14% | 9% | 6% | 10% | 7% | |
| Neither good, nor poor | 20% | 21% | 20% | 32% | 22% | 9% | 20% | 21% | |
| Quite good | 38% | 36% | 40% | 37% | 39% | 39% | 38% | 39% | |
| Very good | 28% | 28% | 28% | 12% | 25% | 44% | 27% | 30% | |
| TOTAL: Poor | 14% | 16% | 11% | 19% | 14% | 8% | 15% | 11% | |
| TOTAL: Good | 66% | 63% | 68% | 49% | 64% | 82% | 65% | 69% | |
| Base (n) | 1,093 | 539 | 554 | 341 | 372 | 380 | 734 | 359 | |
State Government response to Covid-19
Q. How would you rate your state government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| 04/05 | 27/04 | 20/04 | 13/04 | |
| Very poor | 4% | 4% | 5% | 5% |
| Quite poor | 8% | 9% | 9% | 11% |
| Neither good, nor poor | 18% | 17% | 20% | 20% |
| Quite good | 38% | 41% | 39% | 38% |
| Very good | 31% | 30% | 26% | 26% |
| TOTAL: Poor | 12% | 13% | 14% | 16% |
| TOTAL: Good | 70% | 70% | 66% | 64% |
| Base (n) | 1,093 | 1,054 | 1,051 | 1,068 |
| State | |||||||
| Total | NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | ||
| Very poor | 4% | 5% | 3% | 6% | 3% | 2% | |
| Quite poor | 8% | 8% | 8% | 9% | 7% | 5% | |
| Neither good, nor poor | 18% | 19% | 17% | 21% | 13% | 14% | |
| Quite good | 38% | 45% | 32% | 43% | 31% | 30% | |
| Very good | 31% | 23% | 40% | 22% | 45% | 48% | |
| TOTAL: Poor | 12% | 13% | 11% | 15% | 10% | 7% | |
| TOTAL: Good | 70% | 68% | 72% | 65% | 76% | 79% | |
| Base (n) | 1,093 | 352 | 275 | 220 | 85 | 106 | |
- Across the country, the overall perception of states’ handling of the crisis is in line with government rating their own state’s handling as Very/Quite good (70% states, 66% federal). Rating of the state government in NSW increased from 63% to 68%, while in Victoria, the rating decreased from 77% to 72%.
Easing restrictions
Q. When do you think governments should start to ease the restrictions on travel and gatherings to allow offices, shops, restaurants, other workplaces, and public spaces to start operating again?
| 04/05 | 27/04 | 20/04 | |
| As soon as possible | 10% | 10% | 9% |
| Within the next 1 to 2 weeks | 9% | 7% | 6% |
| Within the next month | 21% | 18% | 14% |
| By the end of next month | 15% | 15% | 13% |
| It is too soon to consider easing restrictions | 37% | 42% | 49% |
| Unsure | 8% | 8% | 10% |
| Base (n) | 1,093 | 1,054 | 1,051 |
| Gender | Age Group | Location | |||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | ||
| As soon as possible | 10% | 12% | 9% | 11% | 13% | 8% | 10% | 12% | |
| Within the next 1 to 2 weeks | 9% | 11% | 7% | 12% | 9% | 7% | 9% | 10% | |
| Within the next month | 21% | 21% | 20% | 26% | 18% | 18% | 22% | 17% | |
| By the end of next month | 15% | 15% | 15% | 12% | 17% | 17% | 16% | 14% | |
| It is too soon to consider easing restrictions | 37% | 32% | 42% | 28% | 37% | 44% | 36% | 38% | |
| Unsure | 8% | 8% | 7% | 10% | 7% | 6% | 7% | 9% | |
| Base (n) | 1,093 | 539 | 554 | 341 | 372 | 380 | 734 | 359 | |
- People are becoming increasingly open to easing the lockdown restrictions. Those who think it’s too soon to lift restrictions has fallen from 49% two weeks ago to 37%.
- One in five people think restrictions should be eased within the next month (21%).
- Those aged over 55 are least likely to consider easing restrictions (44% say it’s too soon, compared to 28% of those aged 18-34).
- Women are more likely than men to think it’s too soon to consider lifting restrictions (42% to 32%).
Opening schools following Covid-19
Q. Which of the following is closest to your views on the reopening of schools?
| Parent/Guardian Status | ||||
| Total | I am a parent/guardian of
school-aged children |
I am not a parent/guardian of school-aged children | ||
| Schools should only open for children of essential workers | 32% | 36% | 30% | |
| Schools should re-open for all children | 45% | 44% | 46% | |
| Schools should remain closed with all teaching conducted online | 23% | 20% | 24% | |
| Base (n) | 1,093 | 291 | 802 | |
Views on opening schools following Covid-19
Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following questions about children returning to school following the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions?
| TOTAL: Agree | TOTAL: Disagree | Strongly agree | Somewhat agree | Neither agree, nor disagree | Somewhat disagree | Strongly disagree | |
| Schools should teach most students remotely until the Covid-19 outbreak passes | 50% | 25% | 23% | 27% | 25% | 15% | 10% |
| It’s unreasonable to expect teachers to prepare separate lessons for children who are learning remotely and for children who still attend school | 52% | 21% | 23% | 30% | 27% | 12% | 8% |
| Even if schools in my state are open, I will still choose to keep my children home because of the Covid-19 outbreak
(PARENT/GUARDIAN ONLY) |
41% | 36% | 17% | 25% | 23% | 18% | 17% |
International Response
Q. Based on what you’ve seen in the media or heard from friends and family, how would you rate the response to the Covid-19 outbreak from each of these countries?
| TOTAL:
Good |
TOTAL:
Poor |
Very good | Quite good | Neither good, nor poor | Quite poor | Very poor | |
| New Zealand | 79% | 5% | 49% | 30% | 17% | 2% | 2% |
| China | 21% | 56% | 6% | 15% | 23% | 20% | 36% |
| United Kingdom | 20% | 48% | 4% | 16% | 33% | 31% | 17% |
| United States of America | 12% | 71% | 3% | 9% | 17% | 23% | 48% |
- Australians think New Zealand has managed the Covid-19 well, with 79% rating the countries performance as very/quite good.
- Around half of Australians rate the response of USA to Covid-19 as very poor (48%). Just 12% think the country has handled the outbreak well.
Coronavirus concerns
Q. To what extent are you concerned about the threat of Covid-19 (coronavirus) in Australia?
| 27/04 | 20/04 | 13/04 | 06/04 | 29/03 | 22/03 | 09/03 | 10/02 | |
| Very concerned | 39% | 44% | 45% | 51% | 53% | 39% | 27% | 25% |
| Quite concerned | 44% | 43% | 43% | 37% | 35% | 43% | 36% | 43% |
| Not that concerned | 13% | 11% | 9% | 10% | 10% | 14% | 28% | 26% |
| Not at all concerned | 3% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 4% | 9% | 6% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 1,051 | 1,068 | 1,069 | 1,086 | 1,034 | 1,096 | 1,057 |
| Age group | Location | |||||
| Total | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | |
| Very concerned | 39% | 39% | 42% | 37% | 41% | 36% |
| Quite concerned | 44% | 47% | 39% | 47% | 45% | 44% |
| Not that concerned | 13% | 10% | 15% | 14% | 12% | 15% |
| Not at all concerned | 3% | 4% | 4% | 2% | 2% | 5% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 343 | 332 | 379 | 720 | 334 |
- Concern about the threat of Covid-19 has lessened this again week, with 39% saying they are very concerned (down from 44% last week) and 44% saying they are quite concerned.
- Concern in both capital and regional areas has eased, with the proportion very concerned in capital cities falling from 46% to 41%, while in regional areas it has moved from 40% to 36%.
Specific coronavirus concerns
Q. To what extent are you concerned about these possible impacts of the Covid-19?
| NET: CONCERNED (VERY/SOMEWHAT) | 27/04 | 20/04 | 13/04 |
| The Australian economy as a whole | 85% | 87% | 85% |
| General unemployment if companies are forced out of business | 83% | 83% | 79% |
| The physical health of close family members | 69% | 74% | 73% |
| The impact on my superannuation, savings or investments | 63% | 67% | 63% |
| My close family members’ mental health | 60% | 64% | 61% |
| My physical health and catching the virus | 59% | 64% | 62% |
| My economic situation if I lose my job or have less work | 57% | 59% | 58% |
| Children’s development by missing out on school | 52% | 56% | 52% |
| My ability to buy food and essential items if stores run out | 50% | 58% | 58% |
| My mental health as a result of social distancing | 47% | 50% | 47% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 1,051 | 1,068 |
| Very concerned | Quite concerned | Not that concerned | Not at all concerned | Unsure | |
| The Australian economy as a whole | 47% | 38% | 11% | 2% | 2% |
| General unemployment if companies are forced out of business | 41% | 42% | 11% | 4% | 2% |
| The physical health of close family members | 32% | 37% | 23% | 7% | 2% |
| The impact on my superannuation, savings or investments | 32% | 32% | 21% | 11% | 5% |
| My close family members’ mental health | 23% | 37% | 26% | 12% | 2% |
| My physical health and catching the virus | 25% | 33% | 29% | 11% | 2% |
| My economic situation if I lose my job or have less work | 29% | 28% | 19% | 18% | 7% |
| Children’s development by missing out on school | 20% | 32% | 26% | 13% | 8% |
| My ability to buy food and essential items if stores run out | 18% | 32% | 33% | 33% | 14% |
| My mental health as a result of social distancing | 20% | 26% | 28% | 23% | 2% |
- Economic issues are still the most concerning consequences of the Covid-19 crisis – 47% say they are very concerned about the economy as a whole and 41% are very concerned about general unemployment.
- Those aged 18-34 are more likely than other age groups to be concerned about the impact on their mental health (29% very concerned, 17% 35+), their close family members’ mental health (30%, 20% 35+) and their ability to buy food (27%, 15% 35+).
- Concern for children is highest among those in households with dependent children (31% are very concerned).
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Download this week's ReportEssential Report
Two Party Preferred: 14 May 2019
Labor
51.5%-0.5
Coalition
48.5%+0.5
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