The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Aug, 2020

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    Coronavirus concerns

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

      24/08 10/08 27/07 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05
    Very concerned 40% 50% 43% 36% 25% 28% 27% 32% 30% 33% 34%
    Quite concerned 46% 40% 44% 48% 50% 45% 48% 49% 49% 47% 49%
    Not that concerned 10% 7% 9% 12% 21% 23% 21% 15% 16% 16% 14%
    Not at all concerned 4% 3% 4% 3% 4% 4% 5% 4% 5% 4% 3%
    Base (n) 1,068 1,010 1,058 1,054 1,079 1,087 1,073 1,059 1,087 1,073 1,067

     

    • Concern about Covid-19 has eased this week with 40% very concerned about the threat (down from 50% earlier in the month).
  • Aug, 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?

      10/08 27/07 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05
    Very poor 7% 6% 6% 4% 3% 4% 5% 4% 3% 4% 4%
    Quite poor 8% 11% 10% 8% 8% 8% 7% 6% 7% 9% 9%
    Neither good, nor poor 21% 20% 20% 17% 16% 18% 20% 16% 17% 16% 20%
    Quite good 40% 40% 40% 43% 42% 40% 39% 43% 41% 39% 38%
    Very good 24% 24% 24% 27% 30% 30% 28% 30% 32% 32% 28%
    TOTAL: Poor 16% 16% 16% 12% 11% 12% 12% 11% 11% 13% 14%
    TOTAL: Good 63% 64% 64% 71% 72% 70% 68% 73% 73% 71% 66%
    Base (n) 1,010 1,058 1,054 1,079 1,087 1,073 1,059 1,087 1,073 1,067 1,093

     

    Participants’ rating of the Federal Government’s handling of the crisis remains stable with 63% rating their response as very or quite good.

  • Aug, 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: Very/Quite good 10/08 27/07 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05
    New South Wales 61% 62% 63% 70% 65% 67% 62% 65% 70% 70% 68%
    Victoria 49% 53% 49% 67% 75% 72% 71% 73% 71% 71% 72%
    Queensland 68% 67% 69% 64% 67% 68% 69% 74% 66% 70% 65%

     

    • Since the start of the outbreak in Victoria last month, the Victorian state government rating has been the lowest of the three most populous states with around half (49% this week) saying the Victorian Government is doing a Very good, or quite good job responding to Covid-19.
    • New South Wales has also seen a decrease in rating, moving from 70% in June to 61% this week.
  • Aug, 2020

    , ,

    Coronavirus concerns

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

      10/08 27/07 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05
    Very concerned 50% 43% 36% 25% 28% 27% 32% 30% 33% 34% 32%
    Quite concerned 40% 44% 48% 50% 45% 48% 49% 49% 47% 49% 46%
    Not that concerned 7% 9% 12% 21% 23% 21% 15% 16% 16% 14% 18%
    Not at all concerned 3% 4% 3% 4% 4% 5% 4% 5% 4% 3% 4%
    Base (n) 1,010 1,058 1,054 1,079 1,087 1,073 1,059 1,087 1,073 1,067 1,093

     

    • Concern about Covid-19 has further increased with 50% of Australians ‘very concerned’, up from 43% last month.
    • Concern is higher among capital city residents (92%) compared to non-capital city residents (84%), and lower among those likely to vote for an independent or other party at an election (81%) than all other voters (91%).
  • Aug, 2020

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    Information about Covid-19

    Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the information you’ve received about the Covid-19 outbreak?

    NET: Agree 10/08 20/04 13/04 06/04 29/03 22/03
    I feel informed about the situation and the impact on me and my family 69% 66% 71% 70% 63% 64%
    I trust the Government to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak 66% 62% 65% 63% 56% 56%
    The information I’ve received has been clear and consistent 62% 55% 58% 52% 47% 51%
    I trust the media to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak 50% 41% 42% 51% 42% 35%
    Base (n) 1,010 1,051 1,068 1,069 1,086 1,034

     

      NET: Agree NET: Disagree Strongly agree Somewhat agree Neither agree nor disagree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
    I feel informed about the situation and the impact on me and my family 69% 10% 29% 40% 21% 6% 4%
    I trust the Government to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak 66% 14% 28% 38% 20% 8% 8%
    The information I’ve received has been clear and consistent 62% 16% 22% 40% 22% 11% 5%
    I trust the media to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak 50% 23% 15% 35% 27% 14% 8%

     

    • Agreement with these statements has increased since April, with the greatest increase in trust in the media (was 41% now 50%).
    • Broadly, participants over 55 are more likely to agree with these statements than those aged 18-34 years old.
    • Men are more likely than women to disagree that they trust the Government to provide honest and objective information (18% compared to 10% disagree).
  • Aug, 2020

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    Uptake of Covid-19 vaccine

    Q. If and when a vaccine for Covid-19 becomes available, how long would you wait before taking it?

        Gender Age group
    Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+
    I’d get vaccinated as soon as possible 56% 60% 53% 50% 54% 64%
    I’d get vaccinated, but wouldn’t do it straight away 35% 33% 37% 38% 37% 30%
    I’d never get vaccinated 8% 7% 10% 11% 9% 6%
    Base (n) 1,010 505 505 302 331 377

     

      Federal Voting Intention
    Labor Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    I’d get vaccinated as soon as possible 66% 57% 43% 44%
    I’d get vaccinated, but wouldn’t do it straight away 29% 36% 45% 34%
    I’d never get vaccinated 5% 7% 10% 21%
    Base (n) 311 413 78 94

     

  • Aug, 2020

    Truth in statements about Covid-19

    Q. How confident are you that the following statements about Covid-19 are true?

      TOTAL: True TOTAL: Not true Definitely true Probably true Probably not true Definitely not true Unsure
    It’s possible for people to have the virus and be contagious even if they don’t feel sick in any way 81% 12% 54% 27% 9% 3% 7%
    Masks trap the carbon dioxide people exhale close to their faces and make it harder to breathe in oxygen 33% 51% 11% 22% 23% 28% 16%
    It’s no more dangerous than a typical winter flu 32% 60% 15% 17% 15% 45% 9%
    You don’t need to wear a mask if you are physically distancing 29% 61% 8% 21% 26% 35% 10%
    The malaria drug, Hydroxychloroquine, has been shown to be a safe and effective treatment for Covid-19 20% 55% 7% 13% 21% 33% 26%

     

  • Aug, 2020

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    VIC: State Government response to Covid-19

    Q. How would you rate your state government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?

    VICTORIA ONLY 10/08 27/07 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05
    Very poor 16% 13% 14% 8% 6% 6% 4% 3% 3% 4% 3%
    Quite poor 14% 17% 12% 5% 5% 6% 7% 9% 10% 11% 8%
    Neither good, nor poor 21% 17% 25% 22% 13% 16% 17% 16% 15% 15% 17%
    Quite good 28% 34% 32% 38% 39% 38% 39% 37% 38% 34% 32%
    Very good 21% 19% 17% 26% 36% 34% 33% 36% 33% 37% 40%
    TOTAL: Poor 30% 30% 26% 13% 11% 12% 11% 11% 14% 14% 11%
    TOTAL: Good 49% 53% 49% 65% 75% 72% 71% 73% 71% 71% 72%
    Base (n) 499 239 281 261 275 275 275 275 267 275 275

     

    TOTAL: Good 10/08 27/07 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05
    NSW 61% 62% 63% 70% 65% 67% 62% 65% 70% 70% 68%
    VIC 49% 53% 49% 65% 75% 72% 71% 73% 71% 71% 72%
    QLD 68% 67% 69% 64% 67% 68% 69% 74% 66% 70% 65%
    SA 72% 76% 79% 79% 76% 79% 70% 84% 80% 78% 76%
    WA 86% 82% 77% 75% 77% 84% 79% 83% 86% 83% 79%

     

    • Victorian’s rating of their State Government’s performance has decreased with only 49% of Victorians saying their Government’s performance has been good. This is on par with the results a month ago.
    • Western Australia (86%) have the highest state government ratings for handling the crisis.
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