The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Jun, 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?

      22/08 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04 20/04
    Very poor 4% 3% 4% 5% 4% 3% 4% 4% 4% 5%
    Quite poor 8% 8% 8% 7% 6% 7% 9% 9% 9% 10%
    Neither good, nor poor 17% 16% 18% 20% 16% 17% 16% 20% 17% 21%
    Quite good 43% 42% 40% 39% 43% 41% 39% 38% 44% 42%
    Very good 27% 30% 30% 28% 30% 32% 32% 28% 26% 23%
    TOTAL: Poor 12% 11% 12% 12% 11% 11% 13% 14% 13% 15%
    TOTAL: Good 71% 72% 70% 68% 73% 73% 71% 66% 70% 65%
    Base (n) 1,079 1,087 1,073 1,059 1,087 1,073 1,067 1,093 1,054 1,051

     

        Gender Age Group Location
      Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    Very poor 4% 6% 2% 5% 5% 2% 4% 4%
    Quite poor 8% 9% 8% 12% 7% 6% 9% 7%
    Neither good, nor poor 17% 18% 16% 23% 21% 8% 16% 19%
    Quite good 43% 39% 47% 44% 43% 43% 43% 43%
    Very good 27% 28% 27% 17% 24% 40% 28% 27%
    TOTAL: Poor 12% 14% 10% 17% 12% 9% 13% 11%
    TOTAL: Good 71% 67% 74% 61% 67% 83% 71% 70%
    Base (n) 1,079 525 554 332 362 385 728 351
  • Jun, 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?

      22/08 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04 20/04
    Very poor 5% 4% 4% 6% 4% 3% 4% 4% 4% 5%
    Quite poor 8% 8% 7% 6% 7% 8% 8% 8% 9% 9%
    Neither good, nor poor 17% 17% 17% 20% 17% 17% 16% 18% 17% 20%
    Quite good 41% 38% 39% 38% 38% 39% 39% 38% 41% 39%
    Very good 28% 33% 32% 30% 35% 33% 34% 31% 30% 26%
    TOTAL: Poor 13% 12% 11% 12% 11% 11% 12% 12% 13% 14%
    TOTAL: Good 69% 71% 71% 68% 73% 72% 73% 70% 70% 66%
    Base (n) 1,079 1,087 1,073 1,059 1,087 1,073 1,067 1,093 1,054 1,051

     

        State
      Total NSW VIC QLD SA WA
    Very poor 5% 4% 8% 6% 4% 4%
    Quite poor 8% 8% 5% 14% 5% 4%
    Neither good, nor poor 17% 18% 22% 15% 13% 17%
    Quite good 41% 45% 38% 42% 39% 27%
    Very good 28% 25% 26% 22% 40% 48%
    TOTAL: Poor 13% 12% 13% 20% 8% 8%
    TOTAL: Good 69% 70% 65% 64% 79% 75%
    Base (n) 1,079 352 261 216 88 110
    • Victorian rating of their state government’s response is down 10% this week (from 75% to 65%) with 19 new cases of Covid-19 recorded this weekend.
  • Jun, 2020

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    Coronavirus concerns

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

      15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04 20/04 13/04
    Very concerned 28% 27% 32% 30% 33% 34% 32% 39% 44% 45%
    Quite concerned 45% 48% 49% 49% 47% 49% 46% 44% 43% 43%
    Not that concerned 23% 21% 15% 16% 16% 14% 18% 13% 11% 9%
    Not at all concerned 4% 5% 4% 5% 4% 3% 4% 3% 2% 3%
    Base (n) 1,087 1,073 1,059 1,087 1,073 1,067 1,093 1,054 1,051 1,068
  • Jun, 2020

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    Likelihood of developing Coronavirus

    Q. How likely do you think it is, that you will develop Covid-19?

      15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04 20/04 13/04
    Very likely 6% 6% 7% 5% 6% 6% 5% 5% 7% 5%
    Somewhat likely 19% 22% 23% 22% 25% 24% 26% 21% 25% 28%
    Somewhat unlikely 49% 47% 48% 51% 48% 48% 46% 50% 52% 49%
    Very unlikely 26% 25% 22% 23% 21% 21% 23% 23% 17% 18%
    Base (n) 1,087 1,073 1,059 1,087 1,073 1,067 1.093 1,054 1,051 1,068
  • Jun, 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?

      15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04 20/04 13/04
    Very poor 3% 4% 5% 4% 3% 4% 4% 4% 5% 6%
    Quite poor 8% 8% 7% 6% 7% 9% 9% 9% 10% 12%
    Neither good, nor poor 16% 18% 20% 16% 17% 16% 20% 17% 21% 20%
    Quite good 42% 40% 39% 43% 41% 39% 38% 44% 42% 40%
    Very good 30% 30% 28% 30% 32% 32% 28% 26% 23% 23%
    TOTAL: Poor 11% 12% 12% 11% 11% 13% 14% 13% 15% 17%
    TOTAL: Good 72% 70% 68% 73% 73% 71% 66% 70% 65% 63%
    Base (n) 1,087 1,073 1,059 1,087 1,073 1,067 1,093 1,054 1,051 1,068

     

        Gender Age Group Location
      Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    Very poor 3% 5% 1% 5% 2% 2% 3% 2%
    Quite poor 8% 8% 8% 11% 7% 7% 8% 8%
    Neither good, nor poor 16% 17% 16% 26% 15% 9% 17% 15%
    Quite good 42% 40% 44% 41% 48% 38% 43% 41%
    Very good 30% 30% 31% 17% 28% 44% 29% 34%
    TOTAL: Poor 11% 13% 10% 16% 9% 9% 12% 10%
    TOTAL: Good 72% 71% 74% 58% 76% 81% 71% 75%
    Base (n) 1,087 538 549 341 361 385 741 346
  • Jun, 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?

      15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04 20/04
    Very poor 4% 4% 6% 4% 3% 4% 4% 4% 5%
    Quite poor 8% 7% 6% 7% 8% 8% 8% 9% 9%
    Neither good, nor poor 17% 17% 20% 17% 17% 16% 18% 17% 20%
    Quite good 38% 39% 38% 38% 39% 39% 38% 41% 39%
    Very good 33% 32% 30% 35% 33% 34% 31% 30% 26%
    TOTAL: Poor 12% 11% 12% 11% 11% 12% 12% 13% 14%
    TOTAL: Good 71% 71% 68% 73% 72% 73% 70% 70% 66%
    Base (n) 1,087 1,073 1,059 1,087 1,073 1,067 1,093 1,054 1,051

     

        State
      Total NSW VIC QLD SA WA
    Very poor 4% 4% 6% 6% 1% 3%
    Quite poor 8% 9% 5% 12% 6% 4%
    Neither good, nor poor 17% 22% 13% 15% 17% 17%
    Quite good 38% 41% 39% 39% 40% 28%
    Very good 33% 24% 36% 28% 36% 49%
    TOTAL: Poor 12% 13% 11% 18% 7% 6%
    TOTAL: Good 71% 65% 75% 67% 76% 77%
    Base (n) 1,087 352 275 217 83 107
  • Jun, 2020

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    Continuation of short-term measures

    Q. The Federal Government has introduced some short-term measures to help people financially deal with the Covid-19 outbreak. For each of the following, how long do you think do you think the schemes should continue?

        Should end as soon as possible Should end at current set date Should continue after the current end date Unsure
    Providing free childcare for children in early childhood education

    (Due to end 28th June 2020)

    		 May 14% 33% 36% 17%
    June 14% 28% 43% 14%
    Increase to JobSeeker payments to $1,115 per fortnight

    (Due to end 24th September 2020)

    		 May 21% 28% 36% 15%
    June 17% 32% 38% 13%
    Provision of JobKeeper wage subsidy of $1,500 per fortnight to eligible employers for each eligible worker

    (Due to end 24th September 2020)

    		 May 17% 36% 32% 14%
    June 14% 40% 34% 13%

     

    TOTAL: Should continue after the current end date   Gender Age Group
    Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+
    Providing free childcare for children in early childhood education 43% 43% 44% 52% 45% 35%
    Increase to JobSeeker payments to $1,115 per fortnight 38% 38% 37% 39% 40% 33%
    Provision of JobKeeper wage subsidy of $1,500 per fortnight to eligible employers for each eligible worker 34% 34% 34% 37% 41% 24%
    Base (n) 1,087 538 549 341 361 385
    • Support for extending the free childcare scheme beyond the current end date of 28th June has increased from 36% last month to 43%.
    • There has been no significant changes in the proportion of people who think the Jobkeeper (now at 34%) or Jobseeker (now at 38%) schemes should be extended beyond September.
    • Support for extending the free early childcare scheme is higher among those aged 18-34 than those aged over 55 (52% to 35%).
  • Jun, 2020

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    Agreement with changes to Jobkeeper for early learning professionals

    Q. This week the Government announced that from 20th July, it would stop paying the economy wide Jobkeeper wage subsidy to childcare services. It would be replaced by transition payments that may be less than the amount of Jobkeeper.

    To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements amount the removal of Jobkeeper for childcare professionals?

      TOTAL: Agree TOTAL: Disagree Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Unsure
    Withdrawing this support puts businesses and jobs at risks if there is a second outbreak of Covid-19 or lockdown restrictions are re-introduced 64% 20% 27% 37% 15% 5% 16%
    It is the right time to start to remove the Government funding for some industries 57% 28% 21% 36% 19% 9% 15%
    It is too soon to withdraw this support for the childcare sector when many children are not yet back in childcare 55% 30% 24% 32% 20% 9% 15%
    The Government has broken its promise to maintain the Jobkeeper program until September 53% 26% 22% 30% 18% 9% 21%
    I am worried that the Government will remove Jobkeeper support from other industries before the end of September 53% 28% 22% 31% 19% 9% 19%

     

        Federal Voting intention
    TOTAL: Agreement Total Labor Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other  
    Withdrawing this support puts businesses and jobs at risks if there is a second outbreak of Covid-19 or lockdown restrictions are re-introduced 64% 71% 59% 73% 66%  
    It is the right time to start to remove the Government funding for some industries 57% 53% 71% 39% 50%  
    It is too soon to withdraw this support for the childcare sector when many children are not yet back in childcare 55% 65% 45% 70% 62%  
    The Government has broken its promise to maintain the Jobkeeper program until September 53% 62% 43% 67% 57%  
    I am worried that the Government will remove Jobkeeper support from other industries before the end of September 53% 61% 46% 69% 54%  
    Base (n) 1,087 334 412 96 140  
    • 64% of people agree that the withdrawal of Jobkeeper could put businesses at risk if a second outbreak occurs.
    • Over half of people agree that the Government’s decision to change the conditions of the Jobkeeper scheme for early childcare workers means that the Government has broken its promise to keep Jobkeeper until September (53%). Similar numbers agree that ‘It is too soon to withdraw this support for the childcare sector when many children are not yet back in childcare’ (55%) and ‘I am worried that the Government will remove Jobkeeper support from other industries before the end of September’
    • 57% agree that it is the right time for the Government to start withdrawing funding for some industries.
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