Q. Thinking about state border closures, which of the following is closer to your view?

• 41% of people think states with low or no Covid-19 cases should be allowed to keep their borders to other states closed for as long as they think is necessary.
• On the other hand, 37% think these states should be required to reopen their borders to other states when 80% of the adult (16+) population is fully vaccinated, and 23% think this should be required when 80% of the total population (including children) is fully vaccinated.
• Those aged 18-34 are more likely than older cohorts to think states with low or no Covid-19 cases should be required to reopen their borders to other states when 80% of the adult (16+) population is fully vaccinated (45%, compared to 36% of those aged 35-54 and 31% of those over 55).
• Those aged over 55 are the most likely to think this should only be required when 80% of the total population (including children) is fully vaccinated (29% to 20% of those aged 35-54 and 18% of those aged 18-34).

• Western Australians and Queenslanders are the most likely to think states with low or no Covid-19 cases should be allowed to keep their borders to other states closed for as long as they think is necessary (67% and 55% respectively).
• NSW residents are most likely to think these states should be required to reopen their borders to other states when 80% of the adult (16+) population is fully vaccinated (46%).
• Victorians are most likely to think opening state borders should be required when 80% of the total population (including children) is fully vaccinated (30%).

Q. The Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he has a “safe plan to ensure that Australia can open up again with confidence”.

Thinking about this statement, which of the following applies to you?

• About 4 in 10 (39%) say they understand the PM’s plan to ‘safely reopen’ Australia but don’t have confidence in it. In comparison, about a quarter (26%) say they understand the plan and have confidence in it.
• 20% aren’t aware of this plan, and 15% are aware of it but don’t understand it.
• Men are almost twice as likely as women to say they understand the plan and have confidence in it (34% to 19% respectively). Whereas women are more likely than men to say they aren’t aware of the plan (25% to 14%).
• Besides men, those aged 18-34 (30%) and Coalition voters (40%) are more likely than others to say they understand and have confidence in the PM’s plan.

Q. The Covid-19 vaccine rollout is underway in Australia.

Which of the following best describes your situation? 

• 69% of people say they’ve had at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, while 11% say they’ve booked their Covid-19 vaccination and are waiting for their first dose.
• 14% say they will get vaccinated but haven’t booked an appointment yet.
• Those most likely to say they’ve had at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine include men (72%), those aged over 55 (86%), Coalition voters (80%), those in NSW (75%) and Queenslanders (72%).
• 20% of people aged 18-34 have booked their vaccination and are waiting for their first dose. However, a further 20% say they haven’t booked their vaccination yet (20%).
• Only 6% of people now say they would never get vaccinated – the lowest number recorded this year.

Q. In your opinion, should being vaccinated against Covid-19 be mandatory in the following circumstances?:

• A high majority of people think being vaccinated against Covid-19 should be mandatory for health workers (83%), aged and disability care workers (82%), flight passengers (77%), and teachers and teacher’s aides (74%) – at least three quarters of people think mandatory vaccinations are necessary in each case.
• Around two thirds think mandatory vaccinations are necessary for sports events spectators (69%), hospitality and entertainment venue patrons (68%), and employees going into workplaces (62%).
• Over half think being vaccinated against Covid-19 should be mandatory for students to attend school, and for retail store customers (58% respectively).

• In each instance, those aged 18-34 and minor/independent party voters are the least likely to think being vaccinated against Covid-19 should be mandatory.
• While those over 55 are generally more likely to think mandatory vaccinations are necessary in each circumstance, their view is especially pronounced for health workers (93%), aged and disability care workers (94%), flight passengers (90%), and teachers and teachers’ aides (90%).
• Coalition voters are the most likely voters to think mandatory vaccinations are necessary for employees to work at their workplace (71% to 58% all other voters).
• There is no difference between those who have and don’t have dependent children in views towards whether mandatory vaccinations are necessary for students to attend school.

Q. Thinking about Covid-19 restrictions and vaccinations, which of the following is closer to your view?

• 44% of people think restrictions should only be relaxed when everyone has had the opportunity to get vaccinated. A further 39% think restrictions should be relaxed for people who have been fully vaccinated effective immediately. 17% think people who are vaccinated should not be treated any differently to unvaccinated people.
• Coalition voters (47%) and NSW residents (46%) are most likely to think restrictions should be relaxed for people who have been fully vaccinated effective immediately.
• Labor voters (51%) and Western Australians (51%) are most likely to think restrictions should only be relaxed when everyone has had the opportunity to get vaccinated.

• Support for easing of restrictions for fully vaccinated people is highest among those who themselves have already received a Covid-19 vaccine (47%).
• The majority of those waiting to receive a vaccine think restrictions should be eased only once everyone has had the opportunity to be vaccinated (66%).
• 43% of those who say they’ll get vaccinated but haven’t booked their vaccination yet think people who are vaccinated should not be treated any differently to unvaccinated people. Only 9% of those who have booked their vaccination say this.

Q. Some employers want to require their workers to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Which of the following is closer to your view?

• More people think the federal government should take the responsibility for mandatory vaccinations for workers by coordinating uniform laws across states (45%), than those who think this responsibility should be left to individual state governments (25%), or individual workplaces (31%).
• Those most likely to want the federal government to take responsibility for decisions on mandatory vaccinations for workers include those aged over 55 (59%), Coalition voters (53%) and people in NSW (51%).

Q. How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements about your state’s public health system during the Covid-19 pandemic?

• Over half of people believe that the public health system is already struggling to cope and will be overwhelmed by any surge in Covid hospitalisations (55%), and that the federal government is not paying enough attention to how the public health system will cope with increased Covid cases (53%).

• Coalition voters are most likely to believe that their state’s public health system can manage any surge in Covid hospitalisations (51%).

• However, South Australians are most concerned, with just 23% agreeing that any surges in Covid-19 hospitalisations can be managed by SA’s public health system.

Q. Thinking about your health in the past year, which of the following applies to you as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic?

• The Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown restrictions have had a knock-on effect on many people’s general health, with 44% visiting their GP less regularly and 32% avoiding seeking medical attention. 32% have also had check-ups or tests delayed or cancelled, and 22% have had electives procedures delayed or cancelled.
• 40% acknowledge a decline in their mental wellbeing and 31% in their physical health.

• Younger people are more likely than older people to have experienced the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on their health. Those aged 18-34 are more likely than those over 55 to have had delays or cancellations to medical appointments (42% to 20% for check-ups/tests, 34% to 11% for elective procedures).
• Younger people are most likely to have noticed a decline in both their mental wellbeing and physical health (53% and 37% respectively).
• People living in NSW and Victorians are more likely than those in other states to say their mental wellbeing has declined (43% and 45%).