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Views on opening schools following Covid-19
Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following questions about children returning to school following the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions?
| TOTAL: Agree | TOTAL: Disagree | Strongly agree | Somewhat agree | Neither agree, nor disagree | Somewhat disagree | Strongly disagree | |
| Schools should teach most students remotely until the Covid-19 outbreak passes | 50% | 25% | 23% | 27% | 25% | 15% | 10% |
| It’s unreasonable to expect teachers to prepare separate lessons for children who are learning remotely and for children who still attend school | 52% | 21% | 23% | 30% | 27% | 12% | 8% |
| Even if schools in my state are open, I will still choose to keep my children home because of the Covid-19 outbreak
(PARENT/GUARDIAN ONLY) |
41% | 36% | 17% | 25% | 23% | 18% | 17% |
International Response
Q. Based on what you’ve seen in the media or heard from friends and family, how would you rate the response to the Covid-19 outbreak from each of these countries?
| TOTAL:
Good |
TOTAL:
Poor |
Very good | Quite good | Neither good, nor poor | Quite poor | Very poor | |
| New Zealand | 79% | 5% | 49% | 30% | 17% | 2% | 2% |
| China | 21% | 56% | 6% | 15% | 23% | 20% | 36% |
| United Kingdom | 20% | 48% | 4% | 16% | 33% | 31% | 17% |
| United States of America | 12% | 71% | 3% | 9% | 17% | 23% | 48% |
- Australians think New Zealand has managed the Covid-19 well, with 79% rating the countries performance as very/quite good.
- Around half of Australians rate the response of USA to Covid-19 as very poor (48%). Just 12% think the country has handled the outbreak well.
Coronavirus concerns
Q. To what extent are you concerned about the threat of Covid-19 (coronavirus) in Australia?
| 27/04 | 20/04 | 13/04 | 06/04 | 29/03 | 22/03 | 09/03 | 10/02 | |
| Very concerned | 39% | 44% | 45% | 51% | 53% | 39% | 27% | 25% |
| Quite concerned | 44% | 43% | 43% | 37% | 35% | 43% | 36% | 43% |
| Not that concerned | 13% | 11% | 9% | 10% | 10% | 14% | 28% | 26% |
| Not at all concerned | 3% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 4% | 9% | 6% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 1,051 | 1,068 | 1,069 | 1,086 | 1,034 | 1,096 | 1,057 |
| Age group | Location | |||||
| Total | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | |
| Very concerned | 39% | 39% | 42% | 37% | 41% | 36% |
| Quite concerned | 44% | 47% | 39% | 47% | 45% | 44% |
| Not that concerned | 13% | 10% | 15% | 14% | 12% | 15% |
| Not at all concerned | 3% | 4% | 4% | 2% | 2% | 5% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 343 | 332 | 379 | 720 | 334 |
- Concern about the threat of Covid-19 has lessened this again week, with 39% saying they are very concerned (down from 44% last week) and 44% saying they are quite concerned.
- Concern in both capital and regional areas has eased, with the proportion very concerned in capital cities falling from 46% to 41%, while in regional areas it has moved from 40% to 36%.
Likelihood of developing Coronavirus
Q. How likely do you think it is, that you will develop Covid-19?
| 27/04 | 20/04 | 13/04 | 06/04 | 29/03 | 22/03 | 09/03 | |
| Very likely | 5% | 7% | 5% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 7% |
| Somewhat likely | 21% | 25% | 28% | 33% | 36% | 34% | 24% |
| Somewhat unlikely | 50% | 52% | 49% | 45% | 45% | 45% | 43% |
| Very unlikely | 23% | 17% | 18% | 14% | 12% | 13% | 26% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 1,051 | 1,068 | 1,069 | 1,086 | 1,034 | 1,096 |
| Age group | Location | |||||
| Total | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | |
| Very likely | 5% | 10% | 6% | 1% | 7% | 3% |
| Somewhat likely | 21% | 29% | 21% | 15% | 22% | 20% |
| Somewhat unlikely | 50% | 41% | 48% | 59% | 50% | 50% |
| Very unlikely | 23% | 20% | 24% | 25% | 22% | 27% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 343 | 332 | 379 | 720 | 334 |
- The likelihood of catching Covid-19 has decreased again this week, with fewer people saying they are very/somewhat likely to contract the virus (27%, down from 32% last week).
- 18-34 are most likely to say they are very or somewhat likely to catch Covid-19 (39%) compared to 22% of those over 35.
Reaction to Covid-19
Q. Which of the following is closer to your personal views of the Covid-19 outbreak?
| 27/04 | 20/04 | 13/04 | 06/04 | 29/03 | 22/03 | |
| There has been an over-reaction to the threat of Covid-19 | 15% | 14% | 13% | 17% | 18% | 33% |
| The response to the threat of Covid-19 is about right | 68% | 63% | 59% | 46% | 39% | 39% |
| The threat of Covid-19 has been under-estimated | 18% | 24% | 29% | 37% | 43% | 28% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 1,051 | 1,068 | 1,069 | 1,086 | 1,034 |
| Gender | Age Group | ||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | ||
| There has been an over-reaction to the threat of Covid-19 | 15% | 18% | 12% | 21% | 15% | 10% | |
| The response to the threat of Covid-19 is about right | 68% | 65% | 70% | 63% | 67% | 72% | |
| The threat of Covid-19 has been under-estimated | 18% | 18% | 18% | 16% | 18% | 18% | |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 526 | 528 | 343 | 332 | 379 | |
- Two-thirds of people (68%) now believe the reaction to the threat of Covid-19 has been about right, with the proportion saying that the threat has been underestimated decreasing for a fourth week to just 18%.
- 18-34 year olds are most likely to say that there has been an over-reaction to the threat of Covid-19 (21%) compared to those over 35 (12%).
Economic expectations
Q. Which of the following is closer to your expectations of what will happen to the economy following the Covid-19 situation?
| 27/04 | 20/04 | 13/04 | 06/04 | |
| The economy will rebound within 2-3 months and grow just as strong or stronger than before Covid-19 | 13% | 11% | 12% | 11% |
| The economy will be impacted for 6-12 months or longer and will stagnate or show slow growth thereafter | 49% | 47% | 49% | 51% |
| Covid-19 will have long lasting impact on the economy and the country will fall into a lengthy recession | 28% | 30% | 27% | 29% |
| Unsure | 10% | 11% | 11% | 9% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 1,051 | 1,068 | 1,069 |
| Gender | Age Group | ||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | ||
| The economy will rebound within 2-3 months and grow just as strong or stronger than before Covid-19 | 13% | 14% | 11% | 20% | 11% | 8% | |
| The economy will be impacted for 6-12 months or longer and will stagnate or show slow growth thereafter | 49% | 53% | 46% | 53% | 49% | 47% | |
| Covid-19 will have long lasting impact on the economy and the country will fall into a lengthy recession | 28% | 27% | 30% | 17% | 30% | 36% | |
| Unsure | 10% | 6% | 13% | 10% | 9% | 9% | |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 526 | 528 | 343 | 332 | 379 | |
Government response to Covid-19
Q. Overall, how would you rate the Government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| 27/04 | 20/04 | 13/04 | 06/04 | 29/03 | 22/03 | |
| Very poor | 4% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 11% | 9% |
| Quite poor | 9% | 10% | 12% | 15% | 21% | 20% |
| Neither good, nor poor | 17% | 21% | 20% | 21% | 24% | 26% |
| Quite good | 44% | 42% | 40% | 37% | 34% | 33% |
| Very good | 26% | 23% | 23% | 21% | 11% | 12% |
| NET: Poor | 13% | 15% | 17% | 21% | 31% | 29% |
| NET: Good | 70% | 65% | 63% | 58% | 45% | 45% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 1,051 | 1,068 | 1,069 | 1,086 | 1,034 |
| Gender | Age Group | Location | |||||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | ||
| Very poor | 4% | 4% | 4% | 6% | 4% | 2% | 4% | 4% | |
| Quite poor | 9% | 10% | 8% | 15% | 8% | 5% | 10% | 7% | |
| Neither good, nor poor | 17% | 18% | 16% | 24% | 16% | 11% | 18% | 15% | |
| Quite good | 44% | 46% | 43% | 45% | 46% | 42% | 43% | 46% | |
| Very good | 26% | 22% | 30% | 10% | 26% | 40% | 25% | 27% | |
| NET: Poor | 13% | 15% | 11% | 21% | 13% | 7% | 14% | 11% | |
| NET: Good | 70% | 68% | 73% | 55% | 72% | 82% | 68% | 74% | |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 526 | 528 | 343 | 332 | 379 | 720 | 334 | |
- For the third week in a row, the perception that the Government has done a good job handling the situation (very/somewhat good) has increased (now 70%, up from 65%).
- The ratings have increased most among those not in paid employment (up 5% to 64%), Labor voters (up 5% to 66%) and those with dependent children (up 5% to 70%).
State Government response to Covid-19
Q. How would you rate your state government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| 27/04 | 20/04 | 13/04 | |
| Very poor | 4% | 5% | 5% |
| Quite poor | 9% | 9% | 11% |
| Neither good, nor poor | 17% | 20% | 20% |
| Quite good | 41% | 39% | 38% |
| Very good | 30% | 26% | 26% |
| NET: Poor | 13% | 14% | 16% |
| NET: Good | 70% | 66% | 64% |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 1,051 | 1,068 |
| State | |||||||
| Total | NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | ||
| Very poor | 4% | 7% | 3% | 3% | 1% | 3% | |
| Quite poor | 9% | 11% | 6% | 10% | 5% | 9% | |
| Neither good, nor poor | 17% | 19% | 14% | 20% | 17% | 12% | |
| Quite good | 41% | 39% | 40% | 47% | 43% | 31% | |
| Very good | 30% | 24% | 37% | 20% | 34% | 45% | |
| NET: Poor | 13% | 18% | 9% | 13% | 6% | 12% | |
| NET: Good | 70% | 63% | 77% | 67% | 77% | 76% | |
| Base (n) | 1,054 | 323 | 272 | 217 | 84 | 109 | |
- Across the country, the overall perception of states’ handling of the crisis is in line with government rating their own state’s handling as Very/Quite good (both 70%).
- Victoria and South Australia now lead the state government response ratings (both 77%), with New South Wales lowest rated at 63%.
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Download this week's ReportEssential Report
Two Party Preferred: 14 May 2019
Labor
51.5%-0.5
Coalition
48.5%+0.5
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