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  • Aug, 2020

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    VIC: Covid-19 outbreak impact on favourability

    Q. How has the Covid-19 outbreak affected your views of the following people…?

    VICTORIA ONLY Daniel Andrews Scott Morrison
    Much more favourable 24% 25%
    A little more favourable 20% 33%
    No difference 26% 27%
    A little less favourable 10% 7%
    Much less favourable 19% 8%
    TOTAL: More favourable 44% 58%
    TOTAL: Less favourable 29% 15%
    Base (n) 499 499

     

    • 58% of Victorians say they now have a more favourable opinion of Scott Morrison due to the Covid-19 outbreak, while 44% say the same for Daniel Andrews.
    • Victorians over 55 years old and capital city residents are more likely to say their opinion of Scott Morrison has become more favourable (65% and 60% respectively) than 18-34 year olds and non-capital city residents (51% and 49%).
    • Victorians over 55 years old are more likely to have a less favourable opinion of Daniel Andrews (40%) than 18-34 year olds (19%).
    • Perception of the State Government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak is tied to perceptions of Daniel Andrews – those who say their state’s response is poor are more likely to say their opinion of Daniel Andrews is now less favourable, and vice versa.
  • Jul, 2020

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    Coronavirus concerns

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

      27/07 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04
    Very concerned 43% 36% 25% 28% 27% 32% 30% 33% 34% 32% 39%
    Quite concerned 44% 48% 50% 45% 48% 49% 49% 47% 49% 46% 44%
    Not that concerned 9% 12% 21% 23% 21% 15% 16% 16% 14% 18% 13%
    Not at all concerned 4% 3% 4% 4% 5% 4% 5% 4% 3% 4% 3%
    Base (n) 1,058 1,054 1,079 1,087 1,073 1,059 1,087 1,073 1,067 1,093 1,054

     

        State
      Total NSW VIC QLD SA WA
    Very concerned 43% 48% 47% 36% 40% 38%
    Quite concerned 44% 43% 43% 47% 46% 48%
    Not that concerned 9% 7% 7% 10% 11% 9%
    Not at all concerned 4% 2% 3% 7% 3% 6%
    Base (n) 1,058 352 239 220 88 110

     

    • Concern about Covid-19 has increased again – two weeks ago 36% of participants were very concerned about the threat of Covid-19 which has increased to 43%.
    • Concern is highest in New South Wales (48% are very concerned) and Victoria (47%), while states where Covid-19 cases aren’t increasing are less concerned (36% very concerned, QLD; 40% SA, 38% WA).
  • Jul, 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?

    All States 27/07 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04
    Very poor 7% 7% 5% 4% 4% 6% 4% 3% 4% 4% 4%
    Quite poor 11% 11% 8% 8% 7% 6% 7% 8% 8% 8% 9%
    Neither good, nor poor 18% 18% 17% 17% 17% 20% 17% 17% 16% 18% 17%
    Quite good 36% 36% 41% 38% 39% 38% 38% 39% 39% 38% 41%
    Very good 28% 28% 28% 33% 32% 30% 35% 33% 34% 31% 30%
    TOTAL: Poor 18% 17% 13% 12% 11% 12% 11% 11% 12% 12% 13%
    TOTAL: Good 65% 64% 69% 71% 71% 68% 73% 72% 73% 70% 70%
    Base (n) 1,058 1,054 1,079 1,087 1,073 1,059 1,087 1,073 1,067 1,093 1,054

     

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

     

    VICTORIA ONLY 27/07 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04
    Very poor 13% 14% 8% 6% 6% 4% 3% 3% 4% 3% 3%
    Quite poor 17% 12% 5% 5% 6% 7% 9% 10% 11% 8% 6%
    Neither good, nor poor 17% 25% 22% 13% 16% 17% 16% 15% 15% 17% 14%
    Quite good 34% 32% 38% 39% 38% 39% 37% 38% 34% 32% 40%
    Very good 19% 17% 26% 36% 34% 33% 36% 33% 37% 40% 37%
    TOTAL: Poor 30% 26% 13% 11% 12% 11% 11% 14% 14% 11% 9%
    TOTAL: Good 53% 49% 65% 75% 72% 71% 73% 71% 71% 72% 77%
    Base (n) 239 281 261 275 275 275 275 267 275 275 272

     

    • Victoria’s rating of their State Government’s performance is still well below their results in June and is steady during the last fortnight (53%).
    • South Australia (76%) and Western Australia (82%) have the highest state government ratings for handling the crisis.
  • Jul, 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?

      27/07 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04
    Very poor 6% 6% 4% 3% 4% 5% 4% 3% 4% 4% 4%
    Quite poor 11% 10% 8% 8% 8% 7% 6% 7% 9% 9% 9%
    Neither good, nor poor 20% 20% 17% 16% 18% 20% 16% 17% 16% 20% 17%
    Quite good 40% 40% 43% 42% 40% 39% 43% 41% 39% 38% 44%
    Very good 24% 24% 27% 30% 30% 28% 30% 32% 32% 28% 26%
    TOTAL: Poor 16% 16% 12% 11% 12% 12% 11% 11% 13% 14% 13%
    TOTAL: Good 64% 64% 71% 72% 70% 68% 73% 73% 71% 66% 70%
    Base (n) 1,058 1,054 1,079 1,087 1,073 1,059 1,087 1,073 1,067 1,093 1,054

     

    • Participants’ rating of the Federal Government’s handling of the crisis is stable from last fortnight, with 64% rating the response as good (either very or quite good).
  • Jul, 2020

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    Preference for elimination or suppression strategy

    Q. Out of the following two strategies, which do you think the Australian government should pursue in its response to the Covid-19 outbreak?

     

        Voting intention
      Total Labor NET: Coalition Greens NET: Other
    Elimination strategy:

    Work towards removing all cases of Covid-19 in Australia

    		 44% 52% 31% 54% 49%
    Suppression strategy:

    Work towards minimising outbreaks and keeping the number of new cases at a manageable level for medical services until an effective vaccine is available

    		 56% 48% 69% 46% 51%
    Base (n) 1,058 334 428 81 107

     

        State  
      Total NSW VIC QLD SA WA
    Elimination strategy:

    Work towards removing all cases of Covid-19 in Australia

    		 44% 42% 46% 41% 42% 46%
    Suppression strategy:

    Work towards minimising outbreaks and keeping the number of new cases at a manageable level for medical services until an effective vaccine is available

    		 56% 58% 54% 59% 58% 54%
    Base (n) 1,058 352 239 220 88 110

     

    • The population is split on the preferred strategy to deal with Covid-19 in Australia. While 56% of participants think the Australian government should pursue a suppression strategy towards Covid-19, 46% opted for elimination of the virus.
    • Suppression was the favoured b the majority of residents in all states.
    • Coalition voters (69%) are more in favour of the Suppression strategy than, Labor (48%), Greens (46%) and voters for other parties (51%).
  • Jul, 2020

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    Mandatory face masks

    Q. To what extent do you support or oppose the mandatory use of face masks or coverings in public places to reduce the spread of Covid-19?

        Gender Age group
      Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+
    Strongly oppose 5% 6% 4% 4% 8% 2%
    Somewhat oppose 8% 10% 6% 12% 9% 3%
    Neither support nor oppose 20% 21% 19% 25% 18% 17%
    Somewhat support 27% 28% 25% 26% 27% 28%
    Strongly support 41% 36% 46% 34% 38% 50%
    TOTAL: Oppose 13% 16% 10% 16% 17% 6%
    TOTAL: Support 68% 64% 71% 59% 65% 77%
    Base (n) 1,058 538 520 341 331 386

     

        State
      Total NSW VIC QLD SA WA  
    Strongly oppose 5% 2% 5% 8% 4% 5%  
    Somewhat oppose 8% 8% 10% 9% 5% 7%  
    Neither support nor oppose 20% 20% 12% 25% 26% 27%  
    Somewhat support 27% 31% 20% 25% 27% 31%  
    Strongly support 41% 39% 53% 33% 38% 30%  
    TOTAL: Oppose 13% 10% 14% 17% 9% 12%  
    TOTAL: Support 68% 70% 74% 58% 65% 61%  
    Base (n) 1,058 352 239 220 88 110  
    • There is strong support for the mandatory use of face masks and coverings in public places, with two-thirds (68%) of participants supporting this enforcement. (either strongly or somewhat).
    • Support for this position was highest among women (71% support), those over 55 years old (77%), people in NSW (70%) and Victorian residents (74%).
  • Jul, 2020

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    Effectiveness of face masks

    Q. In your opinion, how effective are face masks or coverings at preventing the spread of Covid-19?

        Gender Age group
      Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+
    Very effective 19% 21% 17% 22% 19% 16%
    Quite effective 46% 43% 49% 40% 47% 51%
    Not that effective 20% 22% 17% 24% 19% 17%
    Not effective at all 5% 7% 4% 5% 7% 4%
    Unsure 10% 7% 13% 8% 9% 12%
    Base (n) 1,058 538 520 341 331 386

     

        State
      Total NSW VIC QLD SA WA
    Very effective 19% 18% 19% 20% 19% 13%
    Quite effective 46% 49% 56% 34% 43% 42%
    Not that effective 20% 19% 14% 24% 25% 26%
    Not effective at all 5% 4% 5% 10% 2% 6%
    Unsure 10% 11% 6% 13% 12% 13%
    Base (n) 1,058 352 239 220 88 110

     

    • There is widespread belief that using face masks can reduce the spread of the virus, 19% think they are very effective and 46% quite effective. Just 5% thinking they are not effective at all effective in preventing the spread of Covid-19.
    • Victorians are most likely to believe masks are effective at preventing the spread of Covid-19 with 19% believing they are ‘very effective’ and 56% saying ‘quite effective’.
  • Jul, 2020

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    Expected restriction levels

    Q. In response to the Covid-19 outbreak, what do you expect will happen to the restriction levels in your local area over the next two months?

        Gender State
      Total Male Female NSW VIC QLD SA WA
    I expect restrictions will become tighter 39% 35% 43% 53% 38% 37% 25% 16%
    I expect no change to the restrictions 39% 42% 37% 35% 40% 39% 44% 51%
    I expect restrictions will have eased 22% 23% 20% 12% 22% 24% 31% 33%
    Base (n) 1,058 538 520 352 239 220 88 110

     

    • Australians are preparing for a continuation, or tightening of restrictions over the next few months. 39% expect tighter restrictions in their local area and the same number do not expect any change to the current rules and guidelines. About one in five (22%) believe that restrictions will ease.
    • Women (43%) and residents of New South Wales (53%) are most likely to expect restrictions to become tighter; while men (35%) and Western Australia residents (16%) are less likely to expect this.
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