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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).
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.
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.
Coronavirus concerns
Q. To what extent are you concerned about the threat of Covid-19 (coronavirus) in Australia?
| 21/09 | 07/09 | 24/08 | 10/08 | 27/07 | 13/07 | 22/06 | 15/06 | 08/06 | 01/06 | 25/05 | |
| Very concerned | 36% | 37% | 40% | 50% | 43% | 36% | 25% | 28% | 27% | 32% | 30% |
| Quite concerned | 45% | 45% | 46% | 40% | 44% | 48% | 50% | 45% | 48% | 49% | 49% |
| Not that concerned | 15% | 13% | 10% | 7% | 9% | 12% | 21% | 23% | 21% | 15% | 16% |
| Not at all concerned | 4% | 5% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 4% | 5% |
| Base (n) | 1,081 | 1,076 | 1,068 | 1,010 | 1,058 | 1,054 | 1,079 | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,059 | 1,087 |
- There has been no shift in concern about threat of Covid-19 in the past two weeks with 36% very concerned about the threat (37% in early September).
Federal government response to Covid-19
Q. Overall, how would you rate the federal government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| 21/09 | 07/09 | 24/08 | 10/08 | 27/07 | 13/07 | 22/06 | 15/06 | 08/06 | 01/06 | 25/05 | |
| Very poor | 5% | 8% | 6% | 7% | 6% | 6% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 5% | 4% |
| Quite poor | 13% | 12% | 11% | 8% | 11% | 10% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 7% | 6% |
| Neither good, nor poor | 21% | 22% | 22% | 21% | 20% | 20% | 17% | 16% | 18% | 20% | 16% |
| Quite good | 40% | 40% | 40% | 40% | 40% | 40% | 43% | 42% | 40% | 39% | 43% |
| Very good | 21% | 18% | 22% | 24% | 24% | 24% | 27% | 30% | 30% | 28% | 30% |
| TOTAL: Poor | 18% | 19% | 17% | 16% | 16% | 16% | 12% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 11% |
| TOTAL: Good | 61% | 59% | 61% | 63% | 64% | 64% | 71% | 72% | 70% | 68% | 73% |
| Base (n) | 1,081 | 1,076 | 1,068 | 1,010 | 1,058 | 1,054 | 1,079 | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,059 | 1,087 |
- Rating of the Federal Government’s handling of Covid-19 stays steady at 61% rating it very or quite good (59% earlier in the month).
Attitudes to latest Victorian restrictions (VICTORIA ONLY)
Q. On 6 September, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced the state’s roadmap for easing Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the updated restrictions?
| TOTAL: AGREE | 21/09 | 10/08 |
| I have a good understanding of what I am and am not allowed to do under the current restrictions | 74% | 80% |
| The restrictions affecting my area seem appropriate | 60% | 67% |
| The restrictions affecting my area will be effective at stopping the spread of Covid-19 | 64% | 63% |
| State & federal governments are doing enough to help people and businesses that are negatively affected by the restrictions | 40% | 54% |
| The changes won’t have much impact on my own lifestyle | 45% | 46% |
| VICTORIA ONLY | TOTAL:
Agree |
TOTAL: Disagree | Strongly agree | Somewhat agree | Neither agree, nor disagree | Somewhat disagree | Strongly disagree |
| I have a good understanding of what I am and am not allowed to do under the current restrictions | 74% | 6% | 43% | 31% | 20% | 2% | 4% |
| The restrictions affecting my area seem appropriate | 60% | 19% | 29% | 31% | 21% | 9% | 9% |
| The restrictions affecting my area will be effective at stopping the spread of Covid-19 | 64% | 10% | 29% | 35% | 26% | 5% | 5% |
| State & federal governments are doing enough to help people and businesses that are negatively affected by the restrictions | 40% | 24% | 15% | 26% | 36% | 16% | 8% |
| The changes won’t have much impact on my own lifestyle | 45% | 32% | 20% | 25% | 23% | 18% | 15% |
- 74% of Victorians agree they have a good understanding of what they are (and are not) allowed to do under the current restrictions, this hasn’t changed significantly from the 80% who agreed earlier the lockdowns. 60% agree that the restrictions are appropriate and 64% agree that the restrictions are effective at stopping the spread of the virus.
- 40% agree that enough is being done to help people and businesses that are negatively affected by the restrictions, this is lower that the 54% who agreed last month.
Attitudes towards Queensland border closure
Q. To what extent do you support or oppose the Queensland state government decision to close its borders to Victoria, New South Wales and ACT to prevent the spread of Covid-19?
| Total | State | |||||
| NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | ||
| Strongly oppose | 13% | 20% | 14% | 10% | 5% | 1% |
| Somewhat oppose | 13% | 16% | 13% | 12% | 7% | 7% |
| Somewhat support | 31% | 34% | 35% | 20% | 23% | 31% |
| Strongly support | 36% | 23% | 29% | 50% | 55% | 54% |
| Unsure | 8% | 7% | 10% | 8% | 9% | 7% |
| TOTAL: Oppose | 25% | 36% | 26% | 22% | 13% | 8% |
| TOTAL: Support | 66% | 57% | 64% | 70% | 78% | 85% |
| Base (n) | 1,081 | 352 | 274 | 212 | 85 | 104 |
| Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | |||||||
| Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | Liberal + National | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||
| Strongly oppose | 13% | 15% | 10% | 6% | 11% | 19% | 9% | 17% | 8% | 24% |
| Somewhat oppose | 13% | 15% | 11% | 14% | 11% | 14% | 9% | 18% | 12% | 15% |
| Somewhat support | 31% | 31% | 30% | 40% | 29% | 25% | 35% | 30% | 32% | 24% |
| Strongly support | 36% | 33% | 39% | 30% | 39% | 38% | 39% | 31% | 40% | 30% |
| Unsure | 8% | 7% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 5% | 8% | 4% | 8% | 7% |
| TOTAL: Oppose | 25% | 30% | 22% | 20% | 22% | 33% | 17% | 35% | 20% | 39% |
| TOTAL: Support | 66% | 64% | 69% | 70% | 67% | 62% | 74% | 61% | 73% | 54% |
| Base (n) | 1,081 | 539 | 542 | 338 | 374 | 369 | 298 | 460 | 115 | 104 |
- Two-thirds (66%) of Australians support the closure of its internal borders. Support for the decision is high in Queensland (70%), WA (85%) and SA (78%) support is lower in NSW (57%).
Government response to Covid-19
Q. Overall, how would you rate the Government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| 07/09 | 24/08 | 10/08 | 27/07 | 13/07 | 22/06 | 15/06 | 08/06 | 01/06 | 25/05 | 18/05 | |
| Very poor | 8% | 6% | 7% | 6% | 6% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 5% | 4% | 3% |
| Quite poor | 12% | 11% | 8% | 11% | 10% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 7% | 6% | 7% |
| Neither good, nor poor | 22% | 22% | 21% | 20% | 20% | 17% | 16% | 18% | 20% | 16% | 17% |
| Quite good | 40% | 40% | 40% | 40% | 40% | 43% | 42% | 40% | 39% | 43% | 41% |
| Very good | 18% | 22% | 24% | 24% | 24% | 27% | 30% | 30% | 28% | 30% | 32% |
| TOTAL: Poor | 19% | 17% | 16% | 16% | 16% | 12% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 11% | 11% |
| TOTAL: Good | 59% | 61% | 63% | 64% | 64% | 71% | 72% | 70% | 68% | 73% | 73% |
| Base (n) | 1,076 | 1,068 | 1,010 | 1,058 | 1,054 | 1,079 | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,059 | 1,087 | 1,073 |
- Participants’ rating of the Federal Government’s handling of Covid-19 crisis slips for the fourth consecutive week. From a high of 73% positive rating in May, 59% now say the Government’s handling has been good.
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Download this week's ReportEssential Report
Two Party Preferred:
Labor
45%
Coalition
48%
In this week's report:
- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Top Federal Government priorities for 2021
- Uptake of a Covid-19 vaccine
- Perceptions of change in the standard of living for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Changing views towards Australia Day
- Support towards a separate national day
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