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Reflection of JobKeeper surplus
Q. Last Friday the Federal Government announced that, due to an accounting error, the number of people on JobKeeper is around half what the Treasury estimated it to be. The current cost of JobKeeper has consequently been reduced from $130b to $70b.
How do you think this reflects on the government’s credibility?
| Federal Voting Intention | |||||
| Total | Labor | Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | |
| Very poorly | 18% | 30% | 6% | 24% | 22% |
| Quite poorly | 23% | 28% | 16% | 37% | 27% |
| Quite well | 11% | 12% | 14% | 8% | 5% |
| Very well | 5% | 4% | 5% | 0% | 10% |
| Does not affect the Government’s credibility | 43% | 26% | 59% | 31% | 37% |
| TOTAL: Poorly | 41% | 58% | 21% | 61% | 49% |
| TOTAL: Well | 16% | 16% | 19% | 8% | 15% |
| Base (n) | 1,059 | 299 | 413 | 95 | 136 |
- 43% of the public do not think the error causing the re-estimation of the JobKeeper cost affects the Government’s credibility, 41% think it reflects Very or Quite poorly.
- Most Coalition voters do not think the issue has affected the credibility of the Government (59%), while the majority of Labor (58%) and Greens (61%) voters think it reflects poorly.
Alternative spending options for JobKeeper surplus
Q. On which of the following would you prefer the Government use the $60B it has previously allocated to the JobKeeper program?
| Federal Voting Intention | |||||||
| Total | Labor | Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | |||
| Extend financial schemes supporting those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic (JobSeeker increases, JobKeeper and free early learning childcare) beyond their current end dates | 35% | 40% | 28% | 48% | 29% | ||
| Broaden JobKeeper scheme to include universities, migrant workers and employees of companies owned by foreign governments | 20% | 23% | 15% | 25% | 24% | ||
| Put money towards reducing national debt accumulate during the Covid-19 pandemic | 45% | 37% | 57% | 27% | 47% | ||
| Base (n) | 1,059 | 299 | 413 | 95 | 136 | ||
- A third of people would prefer the JobKeeper budget to be spent on extending the scheme beyond its current end date, with a further 20% preferring the scheme to be broadened to include more workers. 45% want the money to be put towards reducing the national debt.
- Younger people (aged 18-34) are more likely to want the money extending (42%) or broadening the scheme (29%) compared to those over 55 (25% and 16%).
- Over half of Coalition voters (57%) and retired people (58%) prefer using the money to reduce National debt, rather than providing more support for those who have lost work due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Coronavirus concerns
Q. To what extent are you concerned about the threat of Covid-19 (coronavirus) in Australia?
| 01/06 | 25/05 | 18/05 | 11/05 | 04/05 | 27/04 | 20/04 | 13/04 | 06/04 | 29/03 | 22/03 | |
| Very concerned | 32% | 30% | 33% | 34% | 32% | 39% | 44% | 45% | 51% | 53% | 39% |
| Quite concerned | 49% | 49% | 47% | 49% | 46% | 44% | 43% | 43% | 37% | 35% | 43% |
| Not that concerned | 15% | 16% | 16% | 14% | 18% | 13% | 11% | 9% | 10% | 10% | 14% |
| Not at all concerned | 4% | 5% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 4% |
| Base (n) | 1,059 | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,067 | 1,093 | 1,054 | 1,051 | 1,068 | 1,069 | 1,086 | 1,034 |
| Age group | Location | |||||
| Total | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | |
| Very concerned | 32% | 29% | 38% | 27% | 32% | 30% |
| Quite concerned | 49% | 51% | 45% | 52% | 50% | 47% |
| Not that concerned | 15% | 17% | 12% | 17% | 13% | 19% |
| Not at all concerned | 4% | 4% | 6% | 3% | 4% | 4% |
| Base (n) | 1,059 | 341 | 342 | 376 | 732 | 327 |
Likelihood of developing Coronavirus
Q. How likely do you think it is, that you will develop Covid-19?
| 01/06 | 25/05 | 18/05 | 11/05 | 04/05 | 27/04 | 20/04 | 13/04 | 06/04 | 29/03 | |
| Very likely | 7% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 5% | 5% | 7% | 5% | 8% | 8% |
| Somewhat likely | 23% | 22% | 25% | 24% | 26% | 21% | 25% | 28% | 33% | 36% |
| Somewhat unlikely | 48% | 51% | 48% | 48% | 46% | 50% | 52% | 49% | 45% | 45% |
| Very unlikely | 22% | 23% | 21% | 21% | 23% | 23% | 17% | 18% | 14% | 12% |
| Base (n) | 1,059 | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,067 | 1.093 | 1,054 | 1,051 | 1,068 | 1,069 | 1,086 |
| Age group | Location | |||||
| Total | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | |
| Very likely | 7% | 10% | 10% | 3% | 9% | 4% |
| Somewhat likely | 23% | 29% | 25% | 16% | 24% | 22% |
| Somewhat unlikely | 48% | 40% | 45% | 57% | 46% | 50% |
| Very unlikely | 22% | 21% | 21% | 24% | 21% | 23% |
| Base (n) | 1,059 | 341 | 342 | 376 | 732 | 327 |
Government response to Covid-19
Q. Overall, how would you rate the Government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| 01/06 | 25/05 | 18/05 | 11/05 | 04/05 | 27/04 | 20/04 | 13/04 | 06/04 | |
| Very poor | 5% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 6% | 6% |
| Quite poor | 7% | 6% | 7% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 10% | 12% | 15% |
| Neither good, nor poor | 20% | 16% | 17% | 16% | 20% | 17% | 21% | 20% | 21% |
| Quite good | 39% | 43% | 41% | 39% | 38% | 44% | 42% | 40% | 37% |
| Very good | 28% | 30% | 32% | 32% | 28% | 26% | 23% | 23% | 21% |
| TOTAL: Poor | 12% | 11% | 11% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 15% | 17% | 21% |
| TOTAL: Good | 68% | 73% | 73% | 71% | 66% | 70% | 65% | 63% | 58% |
| Base (n) | 1,059 | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,067 | 1,093 | 1,054 | 1,051 | 1,068 | 1,069 |
| Gender | Age Group | Location | |||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | ||
| Very poor | 5% | 5% | 4% | 6% | 6% | 3% | 5% | 4% | |
| Quite poor | 7% | 8% | 6% | 13% | 5% | 4% | 7% | 7% | |
| Neither good, nor poor | 20% | 21% | 20% | 31% | 20% | 11% | 21% | 19% | |
| Quite good | 39% | 42% | 37% | 37% | 45% | 36% | 40% | 38% | |
| Very good | 28% | 23% | 34% | 13% | 24% | 46% | 27% | 31% | |
| TOTAL: Poor | 12% | 14% | 10% | 19% | 10% | 7% | 12% | 12% | |
| TOTAL: Good | 68% | 65% | 70% | 50% | 70% | 82% | 67% | 69% | |
| Base (n) | 1,059 | 521 | 538 | 341 | 342 | 376 | 732 | 327 | |
State Government response to Covid-19
Q. How would you rate your state government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| 01/06 | 25/05 | 18/05 | 11/05 | 04/05 | 27/04 | 20/04 | 13/04 | |
| Very poor | 6% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 5% |
| Quite poor | 6% | 7% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 9% | 9% | 11% |
| Neither good, nor poor | 20% | 17% | 17% | 16% | 18% | 17% | 20% | 20% |
| Quite good | 38% | 38% | 39% | 39% | 38% | 41% | 39% | 38% |
| Very good | 30% | 35% | 33% | 34% | 31% | 30% | 26% | 26% |
| TOTAL: Poor | 12% | 11% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 14% | 16% |
| TOTAL: Good | 68% | 73% | 72% | 73% | 70% | 70% | 66% | 64% |
| Base (n) | 1,059 | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,067 | 1,093 | 1,054 | 1,051 | 1,068 |
| State | |||||||
| Total | NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | ||
| Very poor | 6% | 8% | 4% | 5% | 10% | 1% | |
| Quite poor | 6% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 4% | 2% | |
| Neither good, nor poor | 20% | 24% | 17% | 19% | 16% | 17% | |
| Quite good | 38% | 41% | 39% | 38% | 30% | 30% | |
| Very good | 30% | 20% | 33% | 30% | 40% | 49% | |
| TOTAL: Poor | 12% | 14% | 11% | 12% | 14% | 4% | |
| TOTAL: Good | 68% | 62% | 71% | 69% | 70% | 79% | |
| Base (n) | 1,059 | 345 | 275 | 208 | 83 | 101 | |
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?
| 01/06 | 25/05 | 18/05 | 11/05 | 04/05 | 27/04 | 20/04 | |
| As soon as possible | 17% | 14% | 9% | 13% | 10% | 10% | 9% |
| Within the next 1 to 2 weeks | 11% | 10% | 13% | 12% | 9% | 7% | 6% |
| Within the next month | 19% | 23% | 23% | 22% | 21% | 18% | 14% |
| By the end of next month | 16% | 17% | 22% | 20% | 15% | 15% | 13% |
| It is too soon to consider easing restrictions | 27% | 27% | 25% | 27% | 37% | 42% | 49% |
| Unsure | 10% | 9% | 8% | 6% | 8% | 8% | 10% |
| Base (n) | 1,059 | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,067 | 1,093 | 1,054 | 1,051 |
| Gender | Age Group | ||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | ||
| As soon as possible | 17% | 19% | 15% | 16% | 19% | 15% | |
| Within the next 1 to 2 weeks | 11% | 14% | 9% | 15% | 10% | 9% | |
| Within the next month | 19% | 19% | 19% | 23% | 15% | 20% | |
| By the end of next month | 16% | 16% | 15% | 14% | 15% | 18% | |
| It is too soon to consider easing restrictions | 27% | 23% | 32% | 21% | 29% | 30% | |
| Unsure | 10% | 10% | 9% | 10% | 11% | 7% | |
| Base (n) | 1,059 | 521 | 538 | 341 | 342 | 376 | |
Coronavirus concerns
Q. To what extent are you concerned about the threat of Covid-19 (coronavirus) in Australia?
| 25/05 | 18/05 | 11/05 | 04/05 | 27/04 | 20/04 | 13/04 | 06/04 | 29/03 | 22/03 | 09/03 | |
| Very concerned | 30% | 33% | 34% | 32% | 39% | 44% | 45% | 51% | 53% | 39% | 27% |
| Quite concerned | 49% | 47% | 49% | 46% | 44% | 43% | 43% | 37% | 35% | 43% | 36% |
| Not that concerned | 16% | 16% | 14% | 18% | 13% | 11% | 9% | 10% | 10% | 14% | 28% |
| Not at all concerned | 5% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 4% | 9% |
| Base (n) | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,067 | 1,093 | 1,054 | 1,051 | 1,068 | 1,069 | 1,086 | 1,034 | 1,096 |
| Age group | Location | |||||
| Total | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | |
| Very concerned | 30% | 29% | 33% | 28% | 32% | 26% |
| Quite concerned | 49% | 49% | 49% | 49% | 49% | 48% |
| Not that concerned | 16% | 18% | 14% | 17% | 15% | 20% |
| Not at all concerned | 5% | 4% | 4% | 6% | 4% | 7% |
| Base (n) | 1,087 | 341 | 364 | 382 | 738 | 349 |
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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