The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Nov, 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?

    TOTAL: Good 16/11 02/11 05/10 21/09 07/09 24/08 10/08 27/07 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06
    NSW 75% 68% 65% 67% 57% 59% 61% 62% 63% 70% 65% 67%
    VIC 59% 55% 45% 47% 50% 47% 49% 53% 49% 65% 75% 72%
    QLD 71% 69% 69% 68% 66% 73% 68% 67% 69% 64% 67% 68%
    SA 76% 77% 81% 81% 74% 65% 72% 76% 79% 79% 76% 79%
    WA 82% 81% 83% 84% 87% 84% 86% 82% 77% 75% 77% 84%
    • Positive rating of the NSW Government has increased for the second time this month and now at 75%, and the highest rating we’ve seen in the past four months.
    • Ratings in Victoria also continue to improve, with 59% now rating the Victorian government’s response as good or very good.
    • Ratings in Queensland, SA and WA are consistent with recent results.
  • Nov, 2020

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    Federal government response to Covid-19

    Q. Overall, how would you rate the federal government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?

      02/11 05/10 21/09 07/09 24/08 10/08 27/07 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06
    Very poor 5% 5% 5% 8% 6% 7% 6% 6% 4% 3% 4% 5%
    Quite poor 10% 12% 13% 12% 11% 8% 11% 10% 8% 8% 8% 7%
    Neither good, nor poor 24% 22% 21% 22% 22% 21% 20% 20% 17% 16% 18% 20%
    Quite good 39% 39% 40% 40% 40% 40% 40% 40% 43% 42% 40% 39%
    Very good 22% 21% 21% 18% 22% 24% 24% 24% 27% 30% 30% 28%
    TOTAL: Poor 15% 18% 18% 19% 17% 16% 16% 16% 12% 11% 12% 12%
    TOTAL: Good 61% 60% 61% 59% 61% 63% 64% 64% 71% 72% 70% 68%
    Base (n) 1,063 1,066 1,081 1,076 1,068 1,010 1,058 1,054 1,079 1,087 1,073 1,059
    • Rating of the Federal Government’s handling of Covid-19 stays steady at 61% rating it very or quite good (60% last month).
  • Nov, 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?

    TOTAL: Good 02/11 05/10 21/09 07/09 24/08 10/08 27/07 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06
    NSW 68% 65% 67% 57% 59% 61% 62% 63% 70% 65% 67% 62%
    VIC 55% 45% 47% 50% 47% 49% 53% 49% 65% 75% 72% 71%
    QLD 69% 69% 68% 66% 73% 68% 67% 69% 64% 67% 68% 69%
    SA 77% 81% 81% 74% 65% 72% 76% 79% 79% 76% 79% 70%
    WA 81% 83% 84% 87% 84% 86% 82% 77% 75% 77% 84% 79%
    • Positive rating of the NSW Government has increased again this week, now at 68%, up from 57% in September and to high ratings seen in June.
    • Following the easing of lockdown restrictions and low numbers of new community transmissions, positive ratings in Victoria have increased 10%pts from 45% last month to 55%. This is the highest ratings have been in Victoria since June.
  • Oct, 2020

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    Federal Budget and post Covid-19 economic recovery

    Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the recent Federal Budget and the direction for the country to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic?

      TOTAL:

    Agree

    		 TOTAL:

    Disagree

    		 Strongly agree Somewhat agree Neither agree, nor disagree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Unsure
    The decisions the government makes now will affect the future health of the economy 75% 5% 43% 33% 13% 3% 2% 7%
    The government should take the recognition if their budget measures work, just as they should take responsibility if they do not 70% 5% 36% 34% 17% 4% 2% 8%
    There were better approaches to the budget like investing in jobs and services 51% 10% 20% 31% 29% 8% 2% 11%
    The global pandemic means that the health of the economy is out of the government’s control 49% 21% 18% 32% 22% 15% 6% 7%
    • There is strong agreement that the Government is responsible for the future of the economy. 75% agree that ‘The decisions the government makes now will affect the future health of the economy’ and 70% of people agree that ‘The government should take the recognition if their budget measures work, just as they should take responsibility if they do not’
    • However, half of people (49%) agree with the statement that ‘The global pandemic means that the health of the economy is out of the government’s control’. Coalition voters are more likely to agree with this statement than Labor voters (58% to 48%).
    • Half of people agree that ‘There were better approaches to the budget like investing in jobs and services’ (51%). Those more likely to agree with this statement include Labor voters (60%), those in paid employment (56%) and men (56%).
  • Oct, 2020

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    Coronavirus concerns

    Q. To what extent are you concerned about the threat of Covid-19 (coronavirus) in Australia?

      05/10 21/09 07/09 24/08 10/08 27/07 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06
    Very concerned 30% 36% 37% 40% 50% 43% 36% 25% 28% 27% 32%
    Quite concerned 52% 45% 45% 46% 40% 44% 48% 50% 45% 48% 49%
    Not that concerned 15% 15% 13% 10% 7% 9% 12% 21% 23% 21% 15%
    Not at all concerned 3% 4% 5% 4% 3% 4% 3% 4% 4% 5% 4%
    Base (n) 1,066 1,081 1,076 1,068 1,010 1,058 1,054 1,079 1,087 1,073 1,059
    • Level of concern with Covid-19 has eased this week. 30% are now very concerned (down from 36% in September), with a corresponding increase to those saying they are Quite concerned (45% to 52%).
  • Oct, 2020

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    Federal government response to Covid-19

    Q. Overall, how would you rate the federal government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?

      05/10 21/09 07/09 24/08 10/08 27/07 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06
    Very poor 5% 5% 8% 6% 7% 6% 6% 4% 3% 4% 5%
    Quite poor 12% 13% 12% 11% 8% 11% 10% 8% 8% 8% 7%
    Neither good, nor poor 22% 21% 22% 22% 21% 20% 20% 17% 16% 18% 20%
    Quite good 39% 40% 40% 40% 40% 40% 40% 43% 42% 40% 39%
    Very good 21% 21% 18% 22% 24% 24% 24% 27% 30% 30% 28%
    TOTAL: Poor 18% 18% 19% 17% 16% 16% 16% 12% 11% 12% 12%
    TOTAL: Good 60% 61% 59% 61% 63% 64% 64% 71% 72% 70% 68%
    Base (n) 1,066 1,081 1,076 1,068 1,010 1,058 1,054 1,079 1,087 1,073 1,059
    • Rating of the Federal Government’s handling of Covid-19 stays steady at 60% rating it very or quite good (59% last month).
  • Oct, 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?

    TOTAL: Good 05/10 21/09 07/09 24/08 10/08 27/07 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06
    NSW 65% 67% 57% 59% 61% 62% 63% 70% 65% 67% 62%
    VIC 45% 47% 50% 47% 49% 53% 49% 65% 75% 72% 71%
    QLD 69% 68% 66% 73% 68% 67% 69% 64% 67% 68% 69%
    SA 81% 81% 74% 65% 72% 76% 79% 79% 76% 79% 70%
    WA 83% 84% 87% 84% 86% 82% 77% 75% 77% 84% 79%
    • Positive rating of the NSW Government was steady this week (65% rating the performance as good, compared to 67% last month).
    • Rating of state government performance was also steady in Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.
  • Oct, 2020

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    Economy: Revert to old ways vs opportunity for change

    Q. Which of the following options is closest to your view on the best way for Australia to recover economically following the Covid-19 pandemic?

      Total Gender Age Group
      Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+
    Now is not the time to experiment with new ideas, we should return to the way the economy was being run 22% 23% 22% 30% 23% 15%
    The pandemic has exposed flaws in the economy and there is an opportunity to explore new ways to run the economy 78% 77% 78% 70% 77% 85%
    Base (n) 1,066 531 535 340 341 385

     

      Total Federal Voting Intention
      Labor Liberal + National Greens TOTAL: Other
    Now is not the time to experiment with new ideas, we should return to the way the economy was being run 22% 21% 24% 23% 22%
    The pandemic has exposed flaws in the economy and there is an opportunity to explore new ways to run the economy 78% 79% 76% 77% 78%
    Base (n) 1,066 332 433 91 111
    • Over three-quarters of people believe that the pandemic has exposed flaws in the economy and there is an opportunity to explore new ways to run the economy (78%) with the remaining 22% thinking that now is not the time to experiment with new ideas, we should return to the way the economy was being run.
    • Preference for exploring new ideas was selected by the majority within gender (77% of men, 78% of women), ages (70% of 18-34 year olds, 77% of 35-54 year olds and 85% of those aged over 55), and voting intention.
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