The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Aug, 2021

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    Support for returning JobKeeper

    Q. To what extent do you support or oppose the return of JobKeeper to assist people and businesses affected by lockdowns in Australia?

      Total Gender Age Group Federal Voting Intention
    Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor TOTAL: Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    Strongly support 33% 28% 36% 37% 36% 25% 37% 23% 50% 33%
    Somewhat support 33% 34% 32% 31% 32% 36% 39% 35% 26% 27%
    Neither support nor oppose 23% 24% 23% 26% 22% 23% 19% 26% 16% 19%
    Somewhat oppose 6% 7% 5% 4% 4% 10% 3% 9% 4% 12%
    Strongly oppose 5% 6% 4% 1% 6% 7% 2% 7% 4% 8%
    TOTAL: Support 66% 62% 69% 69% 68% 61% 77% 58% 76% 60%
    TOTAL: Oppose 11% 13% 9% 5% 10% 16% 5% 16% 8% 20%
    Base (n) 1,098 537 561 341 372 385 371 402 90 128

     

      State
    NSW VIC QLD SA WA
    Strongly support 34% 34% 30% 28% 25%
    Somewhat support 34% 35% 28% 42% 33%
    Neither support nor oppose 22% 21% 28% 19% 29%
    Somewhat oppose 6% 6% 6% 5% 6%
    Strongly oppose 5% 3% 6% 5% 7%
    TOTAL: Support 68% 69% 59% 70% 58%
    TOTAL: Oppose 10% 10% 13% 11% 13%
    Base (n) 352 276 220 86 111
    • Around two-thirds (66%) of people would support the reintroduction of JobKeeper measures during lockdowns.
    • Those with the highest support for the return of JobKeeper measures include women (69%), those aged 18-34 (69%), and Labor and Greens voters (77% and 76% respectively).
  • Aug, 2021

    Stance on anti-lockdown protests

    Q. As you may be aware, there were anti-lockdown protests in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane recently. To what extent do you support or oppose these anti-lockdown protests?

      Total Gender Age Group Federal Voting Intention
    Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor TOTAL: Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    Strongly support 8% 10% 5% 9% 9% 5% 6% 7% 6% 22%
    Somewhat support 10% 11% 9% 18% 11% 4% 13% 8% 14% 9%
    Neither support nor oppose 15% 15% 15% 23% 16% 7% 14% 12% 17% 14%
    Somewhat oppose 10% 10% 10% 9% 12% 10% 9% 10% 15% 7%
    Strongly oppose 57% 53% 60% 41% 53% 74% 58% 62% 48% 48%
    TOTAL: Support 18% 22% 14% 27% 19% 9% 19% 16% 21% 31%
    TOTAL: Oppose 67% 64% 71% 50% 65% 84% 67% 72% 63% 54%
    Base (n) 1,098 537 561 341 372 385 371 402 90 128

     

      State
    NSW VIC QLD SA WA
    Strongly support 8% 6% 10% 6% 9%
    Somewhat support 10% 10% 12% 7% 12%
    Neither support nor oppose 15% 15% 19% 14% 7%
    Somewhat oppose 11% 10% 9% 13% 10%
    Strongly oppose 57% 59% 49% 60% 62%
    TOTAL: Support 17% 17% 22% 14% 21%
    TOTAL: Oppose 68% 69% 59% 73% 72%
    Base (n) 352 276 220 86 111
    • Most people (67%) oppose the recent anti-lockdown protests held around the country, with over half (57%) strongly opposing the protests.
    • Opposition was highest among women (71%), those aged over 55 (84%), and Coalition voters (72%).
  • Aug, 2021

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    Engagement in ‘risky’ activities

    Q.  In the last two years, have you engaged in any of the following activities?

    TOTAL: Yes Total All respondents who have not been vaccinated and would be willing to get the Pfizer vaccine but not the AstraZeneca vaccine
    Smoked cigarettes (manufactured or roll-your-own) 25% 26%
    Taken recreational drugs 11% 12%
    TOTAL: Drunk more than 10 standard drinks in a week or Drunk more than 4 standard drinks in a day 43% 43%
    TOTAL: Read or sent a text message while driving or Driven without wearing a seatbelt or Ridden a bicycle on a road 34% 34%
    Base (n) 1,098 323

     

    TOTAL: Yes Total All females who have not been vaccinated and would be willing to get the Pfizer vaccine but not the AstraZeneca vaccine
    Taken the birth control pill (oral contraceptive pill) 16% 20%
    Base (n): All females 561 194
    • A notable proportion of people who are unwilling to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine still engage in ‘risky’ activities.
    • In the past two years, 26% have smoked cigarettes, 43% have drunk alcohol over recommended limits, and 34% have engaged in risky behaviour when driving.
    • 20% of women unwilling to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine (but are willing to receive Pfizer) have taken the birth control pill in the past two years.
  • Aug, 2021

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    Support for Covid-19 measures

    Q. To what extent would you support or oppose the following measures in relation to Covid-19 vaccines?

      TOTAL: Support TOTAL: Oppose Strongly support Somewhat support Neither support nor oppose Somewhat oppose Strongly oppose
    Prioritise Pfizer vaccines for people with high-risk medical conditions or occupations 75% 5% 51% 23% 20% 2% 3%
    Require people to prove they are vaccinated before travelling interstate 72% 13% 47% 25% 15% 4% 9%
    Require people to prove they are vaccinated before entering public venues (e.g. restaurants, entertainment venues) 63% 19% 36% 27% 18% 8% 10%

     

    TOTAL: Support Total Gender Age Group Federal Voting Intention
    Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor TOTAL: Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    Prioritise Pfizer vaccines for people with high-risk medical conditions or occupations 75% 73% 77% 70% 74% 80% 76% 80% 73% 65%
    Require people to prove they are vaccinated before travelling interstate 72% 74% 70% 65% 68% 82% 76% 80% 62% 53%
    Require people to prove they are vaccinated before entering public venues (e.g. restaurants, entertainment venues) 63% 66% 60% 60% 59% 70% 65% 70% 64% 45%
    Base (n) 1,098 537 561 341 372 385 371 402 90 128
    • Most people support the prioritisation of Pfizer vaccines for people with high-risk medical conditions or occupations (75%).
    • 72% would support a requirement for people travelling interstate to prove they are vaccinated, and 63% would support requiring people to prove they are vaccinated before entering public venues.
    • Support for all these measures is higher among people aged over 55 than those aged under 55.
  • Aug, 2021

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    Importance for workers to be prioritised to be vaccinated against Covid-19

    Q. Thinking about the safety and welfare of Australians, how important to you is it that each of the following workers are prioritised to be vaccinated against Covid-19?

      TOTAL: Extremely important + Very important TOTAL:

    Not that important + Not at all important

    		 Extremely important Very important Fairly important Not that important Not at all important
    Emergency services workers (e.g. firefighters, police, paramedics) 86% 6% 70% 16% 8% 3% 3%
    Healthcare workers 86% 5% 71% 15% 9% 3% 2%
    Aged and disability care workers 85% 5% 68% 17% 10% 3% 3%
    Quarantine and border workers 84% 5% 66% 18% 11% 2% 3%
    Teachers and teachers’ aides 79% 7% 49% 30% 14% 4% 3%
    Essential retail workers (e.g. supermarket workers, pharmacy workers) 77% 7% 48% 29% 16% 4% 3%
    Social and support services workers (e.g. family violence and sexual assault workers, community housing workers) 77% 6% 50% 27% 17% 3% 3%
    Transport, postal and warehousing workers (e.g. Couriers, food delivery workers) 75% 8% 42% 33% 17% 5% 3%
    Early childhood educators 74% 8% 46% 29% 17% 5% 3%
    Construction workers 52% 17% 26% 26% 31% 12% 5%
    • Most people say it is extremely important for emergency service workers (70%), healthcare workers (71%), aged and disability care workers (68%), and quarantine and border staff (66%) to be prioritised for Covid-19 vaccines.
    • About half (49%) say it is extremely important for teachers and teacher’s aides to be prioritised for vaccines, and 46% think the same for early childhood educators.
    • The importance of vaccinating those working in education is similar to essential retail workers (48% extremely important), social and support services workers (50%), and transport, postal and warehousing workers (42%).
  • Aug, 2021

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    Views towards proportion of Australian population vaccinated against Covid-19 required for reopening international borders and removing Covid-19 restrictions

    Q. What proportion of the Australian population do you think should be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 (i.e. received both doses of a Covid-19 vaccine) before Australia reopens its international borders and removes all restrictions resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic?

      Total Gender Age Group Federal Voting Intention
    Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor TOTAL: Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    70% or less 29% 30% 28% 41% 30% 18% 31% 29% 30% 36%
    80% or more 62% 62% 61% 46% 60% 76% 62% 66% 56% 54%
    Unsure 10% 8% 11% 13% 10% 6% 8% 6% 14% 10%
    Base (n) 1,098 537 561 341 372 385 371 402 90 128
    • Most people think more than 80% of the population should be vaccinated before international borders are reopened (62%).
  • Jul, 2021

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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?

      19/07 05/07 07/06 24/05 12/04 15/03 01/03 15/02 01/02 30/11 16/11 02/11 05/10
    Very poor 13% 12% 10% 6% 7% 5% 6% 5% 4% 6% 5% 5% 5%
    Quite poor 19% 17% 14% 12% 10% 7% 8% 7% 11% 8% 9% 10% 12%
    Neither good nor poor 23% 26% 22% 25% 21% 18% 24% 19% 19% 19% 18% 24% 22%
    Quite good 32% 33% 38% 40% 40% 39% 39% 42% 42% 41% 41% 39% 39%
    Very good 14% 11% 15% 18% 22% 31% 23% 27% 25% 26% 26% 22% 21%
    TOTAL: Poor 31% 30% 24% 18% 17% 12% 14% 12% 14% 13% 15% 15% 18%
    TOTAL: Good 46% 44% 53% 58% 62% 70% 62% 69% 67% 67% 67% 61% 60%
    Base (n) 1,100 1,099 1,104 1,100 1,368 1,124 1,074 1,109 1,092 1,034 1,010 1,063 1,066

     

    TOTAL: Good 19/07 05/07 07/06 24/05 12/04 15/03 01/03
    NSW 49% 44% 62% 56% 66% 69% 64%
    VIC 39% 40% 42% 57% 55% 65% 51%
    QLD 46% 48% 54% 56% 63% 69% 66%
    SA 51% 48% 58% 66% 62% 78% 68%
    WA 51% 42% 49% 56% 65% 75% 66%
    • 46% of people rate the federal government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak as quite good or very good, with 31% rating it as poor.
    • Since peaking at 70% in March, positive rating of the federal government’s handling of Covid-19 has dropped off, falling to 44% earlier this month, the lowest rating recorded to date for this question which was first asked in March 2020.
    • Positive rating of the federal government’s handling of Covid-19 has improved in WA (up 9 percentage points to 51%), NSW (up 5 percentage points to 49%) and SA (up 3 percentage points to 48%).
    • In Victoria, positive rating is now at 39%, down from 65% in March. This positive rating also continues to drop in QLD, now 46% (from 69% in March).
  • Jul, 2021

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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?

    TOTAL: Good 19/07 05/07 07/06 24/05 12/04 15/03 01/03 15/02 01/02 30/11 16/11 02/11 05/10
    NSW 54% 57% 69% 68% 73% 75% 72% 72% 71% 76% 75% 68% 65%
    VIC 49% 50% 48% 63% 58% 62% 49% 59% 61% 60% 59% 55% 45%
    QLD 62% 61% 65% 68% 72% 75% 73% 76% 78% 72% 71% 69% 69%
    SA 68% 67% 67% 71% 75% 85% 78% 79% 80% 70% 76% 77% 81%
    WA 77% 86% 75% 77% 84% 91% 85% 88% 80% 83% 82% 81% 83%
    • Amidst 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 54% from 57% earlier this month and 69% in June.
    • With the current outbreak and lockdown in VIC, rating of the state government remains the lowest of all states at 49%, a similar level to earlier this month and last month (50% and 48% respectively).
    • While still the highest rating among all states, rating of the WA government has dropped to 77% from 86% earlier this month. This is similar to the level in June (75%).
    • Rating of the QLD and SA governments’ handling of Covid-19 remains high at 62% and 68% respectively (65% and 67% last month).
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