Q. Some have suggested that Covid-19 vaccinations should be mandatory for workers in occupations with a high Covid-19 transmission risk (e.g. healthcare, aged and disability care, education).

To what extent would you support or oppose mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations for workers in occupations with a high Covid-19 transmission risk?

• Three-quarters of people would support the introduction of mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations for workers in occupations with a high Covid-19 transmission risk, with just 10% opposing.
• Support is highest among those aged over 55 (82%). Over half of both Coalition and Labor voters would strongly support the introduction of mandatory vaccines for high-risk workers (57% and 54%).

Q. If Covid-19 vaccinations became mandatory for workers in occupations with a high Covid-19 transmission risk, which of the following do you think should be responsible for managing this compliance?

• More people think the federal government should be responsible for managing vaccine compliance among high-risk works (39%) than state governments (30%), or individual employers (31%).

Q. Some employers are asking the government to allow workplace vaccination programs where employees can get a Covid-19 vaccine at work (in the same way employees can get flu shots at work).

Which of the following is closer to your view?

• The majority of people think the government should indemnify employers who provide Covid-19 vaccinations to their employees through workplace vaccination programs (68%). This is over twice as many who think that employers should be the ones liable if anything goes wrong through workplace vaccination programs.

Q. How would you rate your state government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?

• Amid the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak and lockdown in NSW, positive rating of the state government’s response to Covid-19 continues to drop, now at 47% from 57% a month ago.
• Coinciding with the eased restrictions in VIC, rating of the state government has improved (now at 54%, 50% last month).
• Positive rating of the SA government’s handling of Covid-19 has increased to 73%, an improvement from last month (67%).
• Positive rating of the WA government’s handling of Covid-19 has increased to 82%, an improvement from mid-July (77%).
• In QLD, positive rating of the state government’s handling of Covid-19 is at 60%, consistent with a month ago (61%).

Q. How well do you think your state government has handled the latest Covid-19 outbreak in your state?

[Asked only to those in NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, and WA]

• Of people in states which were recently affected by Covid-19 outbreaks, NSW residents are the least likely to think their state government has handled the outbreak well.
• About a quarter (24%) of those in NSW think their state government handled the outbreak extremely well or very well, compared to 47% of Victorians and Queenslanders respectively, 69% of South Australians, and 74% of Western Australians.

Q. Thinking about the latest Covid-19 lockdown in your state, do you think your state government…?

[Asked only to those in NSW, VIC, and SA]

• Half (50%) of those in NSW think their state government did not lock down hard enough. 39% think their state government locked down at about the right level, and 11% think they locked down too harshly.
• In contrast, the majority of Victorians (71%) and South Australians (85%) think their state governments locked down at about the right level.
• 23% of Victorians think their state government locked down too harshly.

Q. As far as you know, is the Australian Government doing enough, not enough or too much to support people affected by lockdowns?

• Just over a third of people (37%) think the government is not doing enough to support people affected by lockdowns, while just under half (47%) think the government is doing enough about this. 6% think they are doing too much and 9% are unsure.
• Greens, Labor and minor/independent party voters are more likely than Coalition voters to think the government is not doing enough to support those affected by lockdowns (63%, 49% and 45% to 19% respectively).
• In all states, around half of people think the government is doing enough to support those affected by the lockdowns. However, Victorians and South Australians are more likely than other states to think the government is not doing enough to support people affected by lockdowns (43% and 42% respectively).

Q. [Jun’21] As you may be aware, because support such as JobKeeper ended in April, people and businesses affected by the lockdown in Victoria have not been able to get financial support from the federal government.

The Victorian government has offered its own support package but has said the federal government should be helping out too, as support for people out of work is usually the responsibility of the federal government.

Which of the following is closer to your view?

Q. [Aug’21] As you may be aware, because support such as JobKeeper ended in April, people and businesses affected by the lockdowns across the country have not been able to get financial support from the federal government.

Some state governments have offered their own support packages but have said the federal government should be helping out too, as support for people out of work is usually the responsibility of the federal government.

Which of the following is closer to your view?

• 59% now think the federal government should provide financial support to people and businesses affected by future lockdowns (55% in June). 41% now think if state governments choose to lockdown their populations, state governments should be the ones providing financial support to people and businesses affected (45% in June).
• The view that the federal government should provide financial support to people and businesses affected by future lockdowns remains the majority view across all states.
• Labor and Greens voters are the most likely voters to hold this view (68% and 72% respectively).
• Of all voters, Coalition voters are the most likely to think if state governments choose to lockdown their populations, state governments should be the ones providing financial support to people and businesses affected (51% to 34% all other voters).