The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Jun, 2020

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    Likelihood of developing Coronavirus

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

      22/08 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04 20/04
    Very likely 8% 6% 6% 7% 5% 6% 6% 5% 5% 7%
    Somewhat likely 23% 19% 22% 23% 22% 25% 24% 26% 21% 25%
    Somewhat unlikely 49% 49% 47% 48% 51% 48% 48% 46% 50% 52%
    Very unlikely 21% 26% 25% 22% 23% 21% 21% 23% 23% 17%
    Base (n) 1,079 1,087 1,073 1,059 1,087 1,073 1,067 1.093 1,054 1,051
  • Jun, 2020

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    Likelihood of second wave

    Q. How likely do you think it is, that there will be a second wave of Covid-19 infections will occur as a result of easing restrictions?

      Total Gender Age Group
      Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+
    Very likely 20% 18% 21% 18% 24% 17%
    Quite likely 43% 41% 45% 40% 40% 50%
    Neither likely nor unlikely 24% 26% 23% 28% 24% 21%
    Quite unlikely 10% 11% 8% 11% 8% 10%
    Very unlikely 3% 4% 2% 4% 4% 2%
    TOTAL: Likely 63% 59% 67% 58% 64% 67%
    TOTAL: Unlikely 13% 15% 10% 14% 12% 12%
    Base (n) 1,079 525 554 332 362 385

     

      State
      NSW VIC QLD SA WA
    Very likely 21% 24% 20% 14% 14%
    Quite likely 41% 45% 43% 45% 43%
    Neither likely nor unlikely 27% 21% 24% 23% 24%
    Quite unlikely 9% 7% 10% 11% 15%
    Very unlikely 3% 2% 3% 6% 4%
    TOTAL: Likely 62% 70% 63% 59% 57%
    TOTAL: Unlikely 12% 9% 13% 18% 19%
    Very likely 352 261 216 88 110
    • 63% of participants think a second wave of Covid-19 infections is probable with women (67%) and 55+ year olds (67%) more likely to say this will happen.
    • Victorians (70%) are more likely than other state residents to think a second wave is probable (61%), which coincides with the announcement of 19 new cases over the weekend.
    • There are no significant differences across voting intentions.
  • Jun, 2020

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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

     

  • Jun, 2020

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    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
  • Jun, 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?

      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.
  • Jun, 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?

      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
  • Jun, 2020

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    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

     

  • Jun, 2020

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    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
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