The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Mar, 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?

      29/03 22/03
    Very poor 11% 9%
    Quite poor 21% 20%
    Neither good, nor poor 24% 26%
    Quite good 34% 33%
    Very good 11% 12%
    NET: Good 45% 45%
    NET: Poor 31% 29%
    Base (n) 1,086 1,034

     

        Gender Age Group Location
      Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    Very poor 11% 12% 10% 10% 12% 10% 10% 12%
    Quite poor 21% 22% 20% 24% 21% 17% 23% 16%
    Neither good, nor poor 24% 22% 25% 32% 26% 14% 23% 24%
    Quite good 34% 35% 33% 27% 31% 42% 33% 36%
    Very good 11% 10% 13% 6% 10% 18% 11% 12%
    NET: Good 45% 44% 46% 33% 40% 60% 44% 48%
    NET: Poor 31% 33% 29% 35% 33% 26% 33% 28%
    Base (n) 1,086 539 547 341 362 383 727 359
  • Mar, 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 29/03 22/03
    I feel informed about the situation and the impact on me and my family 63% 64%
    I trust the Government to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak 56% 56%
    The information I’ve received has been clear and consistent 47% 51%
    I trust the media to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak 42% 35%
    Base (n) 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 63% 17% 6% 11% 20% 44% 19%
    I trust the Government to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak 56% 22% 8% 14% 23% 37% 19%
    The information I’ve received has been clear and consistent 47% 30% 10% 20% 23% 32% 15%
    I trust the media to provide honest and objective information about the Covid-19 outbreak 42% 33% 14% 19% 26% 32% 10%
  • Mar, 2020

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    Changing behaviour due to Covid-19

    Q. Have you changed your behaviour in any of the following ways since the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak?

      29/03 22/03
    Increased personal hygiene measures (e.g. hand washing) 79% 72%
    Limited attending social spaces, shops, restaurants or group events 75% 60%
    Stopped physical greetings (e.g. shaking hands, kissing, hugging) 73% 60%
    Bought additional groceries to stock-up 41% 33%
    Reduced use of cash to pay for purchases 43% 23%
    Changed working patterns (e.g. changed hours, or working from home) 33% 20%
    None of these 5% 12%
    Base (n) 1,086 1,034
    • Now 95% of participants claim that their behaviour has changed since the Covid-19 outbreak (up from 88% last week).
    • All the measures aimed at reducing the spread of the virus have increased observation compared to last week.
        Gender Age Group Location
      Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    Increased personal hygiene measures (e.g. hand washing) 79% 74% 84% 72% 80% 85% 79% 80%
    Limited attending social spaces, shops, restaurants or group events 75% 68% 83% 66% 77% 82% 75% 76%
    Stopped physical greetings (e.g. shaking hands, kissing, hugging) 73% 69% 78% 60% 73% 85% 73% 74%
    Bought additional groceries to stock-up 41% 39% 43% 43% 43% 38% 44% 36%
    Reduced use of cash to pay for purchases 43% 40% 47% 44% 44% 42% 44% 42%
    Changed working patterns (e.g. changed hours, or working from home) 33% 33% 32% 47% 36% 17% 37% 24%
    None of these 5% 7% 3% 5% 4% 6% 5% 5%
    Base (n) 1,086 539 547 341 362 383 727 359
    • Women and participants over 55 years olds are more likely to have changed their behaviour since the Covid-19 outbreak, than men and 18-34 year olds.
  • Mar, 2020

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    Support for restrictions to reduce the spread of Covid-19

    Q. To what extent do you support or oppose the following the following measures which have been implemented or suggested, to reduce the spread and transmission of Covid-19?

      NET: Support NET: Oppose Strongly support Somewhat support Neither support nor oppose Somewhat oppose Strongly oppose
    Closing Australia’s borders to other countries 88% 5% 74% 13% 7% 3% 2%
    Making direct payments to people who have lost work due to Covid-19 82% 5% 57% 25% 13% 3% 2%
    Closing pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes 81% 8% 57% 24% 11% 5% 3%
    Closing borders between Australia’s states and territories 80% 9% 55% 24% 11% 6% 3%
    Making direct payments to small and medium business who have lost income due to Covid-19 80% 7% 51% 29% 14% 4% 3%
    Closing schools 69% 13% 43% 26% 18% 8% 4%
    • More than 80% of participants support five of the six implemented or suggested measures to stop the spread of Covid-19 – closing schools is the only measure with lower support (69% support).
    NET: SUPPORT   Gender Age Group Location
    Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    Closing Australia’s borders to other countries 88% 82% 93% 77% 88% 96% 86% 91%
    Making direct payments to people who have lost work due to Covid-19 82% 79% 85% 74% 82% 90% 81% 84%
    Closing pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes 81% 76% 87% 73% 80% 90% 81% 82%
    Closing borders between Australia’s states and territories 80% 73% 86% 74% 78% 86% 79% 81%
    Making direct payments to small and medium business who have lost income due to Covid-19 80% 75% 84% 71% 78% 89% 78% 84%
    Closing schools 69% 63% 75% 71% 69% 67% 69% 70%
    Base (n) 1,086 539 547 341 362 383 727 359
    • Women and participants over 55 years olds are more supportive of all the listed measures than men or participants 18-34 years old.
        Household
    NET: SUPPORT Total Have dependent children Do not have dependent children
    Closing Australia’s borders to other countries 88% 85% 89%
    Making direct payments to people who have lost work due to Covid-19 82% 78% 84%
    Closing pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes 81% 79% 83%
    Closing borders between Australia’s states and territories 80% 80% 80%
    Making direct payments to small and medium business who have lost income due to Covid-19 80% 76% 82%
    Closing schools 69% 69% 69%
    Base (n) 1,086 713 373
    • There is no difference in support for closing schools between participants with dependent child and those without (both 69%).
  • Mar, 2020

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    New Covid-19 restrictions

    Q. You may be aware, on Tuesday 24 March Scott Morrison announced that from midnight Wednesday 25 March new restrictions will apply to a range of services including funerals, weddings, open houses, auctions, galleries and libraries. Although some states have decided to bring school holidays forward, Scott Morrison’s announcement said that schools should stay open.

    Which of the following best describes how you feel about these new restrictions to reduce the spread of Covid-19?

        Gender Age Group
    Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+
    The new restrictions go too far 10% 13% 7% 12% 11% 6%
    The new restrictions are just right 54% 55% 53% 56% 49% 56%
    The new restrictions don’t go far enough 36% 32% 40% 32% 39% 38%
    Base (n) 1,086 539 547 341 362 383
  • Mar, 2020

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    Support for non-permanent residents accessing Australian government support

    Q. You may be aware that non-permanent residents in Australia (such as skilled migrants, New Zealand citizens, people on temporary visas and refugees) are not currently eligible for most government benefits, such as Jobseeker Allowance. Non-permanent residents can’t return to their home countries as Australia has closed its international borders.

    To what extent do you support or oppose, non-permanent residents being able to access Australian government support if they lose their jobs as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak?

        Gender Age Group Location
    Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    Strongly support 25% 26% 24% 29% 27% 20% 27% 22%
    Somewhat support 29% 29% 29% 29% 27% 31% 30% 26%
    Neither support, nor oppose 24% 22% 25% 22% 23% 26% 21% 28%
    Somewhat oppose 12% 12% 12% 12% 10% 13% 12% 12%
    Strongly oppose 10% 11% 10% 8% 13% 10% 10% 11%
    NET: Support 54% 55% 53% 58% 54% 51% 57% 48%
    NET: Oppose 22% 23% 22% 20% 23% 23% 22% 24%
    Base (n) 1,086 539 547 341 362 383 727 359
    • 54% of participants support non-permanent residents accessing Australian government support if they lose their jobs as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.
    • Capital residents are more likely to support this measure than non-capital residents (57% compared to 48%).
  • Mar, 2020

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    Employment situation during Covid-19 outbreak

    Q. Which of the following best describes the impact of Covid-19 on your work:

        Gender Age Group Location
      Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    I wasn’t in paid work before the Covid-19 outbreak 41% 34% 47% 27% 27% 65% 37% 48%
    I was in paid work before the Covid-19 outbreak but am not now 19% 20% 17% 32% 17% 9% 20% 16%
    I’m still in paid work but am worried about losing my job because of the Covid-19 outbreak 25% 28% 22% 31% 34% 11% 28% 18%
    I’m still in paid work and am not worried about losing my job because of the Covid-19 outbreak 16% 18% 14% 11% 22% 14% 15% 17%
    Base (n) 1,086 539 547 341 362 383 727 359
    • 25% of participants are worried about losing their job because of the Covid-19 outbreak and another 19% were in paid employment before the outbreak, but now are not.
    • 32% of 18-34 year olds say they were in paid work before the Covid-19 outbreak but am not now – this is higher than 35-54 year olds (17%).
  • Mar, 2020

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    Financial situation during Covid-19 outbreak

    Q. Which of the following best describes your financial situation during the Covid-19 outbreak?

    NET: Agree 29/03 22/03
    I do not expect the Covid-19 will impact my income 26% 24%
    I have sufficient savings to deal with a short-term loss of income 32% 26%
    I will struggle with a short-term loss of income, but will get by 23% 29%
    I will be in serious financial stress with short-term loss of income 20% 21%
    Base (n) 1,086 1,034

     

        Gender Age Group Location
      Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    I do not expect the Covid-19 will impact my income 26% 31% 20% 23% 21% 32% 27% 22%
    I have sufficient savings to deal with a short-term loss of income 32% 31% 33% 40% 33% 23% 32% 30%
    I will struggle with a short-term loss of income, but will get by 23% 20% 25% 27% 30% 12% 24% 21%
    I will be in serious financial stress with short-term loss of income 20% 18% 22% 10% 16% 32% 17% 26%
    Base (n) 1,086 539 547 341 362 383 727 359

     

        Household Employment
      Total Have dependent children Do not have dependent children In paid employment Not in paid employment Retired
    I do not expect the Covid-19 will impact my income 26% 22% 27% 27% 17% 32%
    I have sufficient savings to deal with a short-term loss of income 32% 33% 31% 36% 32% 18%
    I will struggle with a short-term loss of income, but will get by 23% 27% 21% 25% 33% 4%
    I will be in serious financial stress with short-term loss of income 20% 18% 21% 11% 18% 46%
    Base (n) 1,086 713 373 567 274 202

     

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