Essential Report
Time to return to normal
Q. Thinking about the future, how long do you think it will take for the following to occur?
| Within one year | One to two years | More than two years | Never | |
| The Covid-19 vaccine rollout will be completed in Australia | 18% | 44% | 30% | 8% |
| Quarantine will no longer be required after international travel | 12% | 34% | 43% | 11% |
| The housing market will return pre-pandemic levels | 18% | 31% | 31% | 20% |
| International travel will be allowed without restriction | 12% | 34% | 44% | 10% |
| Unemployment will return to pre-pandemic levels | 22% | 35% | 32% | 11% |
| Australia will pay off its national debt | 7% | 14% | 50% | 29% |
- Most people think the Covid-19 vaccine rollout will be completed in Australia in one to two years (44%). About a third (30%) think this will take more than two years. Only 18% expect the vaccine rollout to be completed within one year.
Federal budget and post Covid-19 economic recovery
Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the recent federal budget and the direction for the country to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic?
| TOTAL:
Agree |
This budget
May’21 |
Last budget
Oct’20 |
| The decisions the government makes now will affect the future health of the economy | 75% | 75% |
| The government should take the recognition if their budget measures work, just as they should take responsibility if they do not | 73% | 70% |
| The global pandemic means that the health of the economy is out of the government’s control | 42% | 49% |
| TOTAL:
Agree |
TOTAL:
Disagree |
Strongly agree | Somewhat agree | Neither agree, nor disagree | Somewhat disagree | Strongly disagree | Unsure | |
| The decisions the government makes now will affect the future health of the economy | 75% | 6% | 43% | 32% | 15% | 4% | 2% | 4% |
| The government should take the recognition if their budget measures work, just as they should take responsibility if they do not | 73% | 5% | 37% | 36% | 18% | 2% | 2% | 4% |
| The global pandemic means that the health of the economy is out of the government’s control | 42% | 26% | 12% | 30% | 27% | 19% | 7% | 5% |
- There is now less agreement that the global pandemic means that the health of the economy is out of the government’s control compared to last October (42% from 49%).
- However, there is still high agreement that ‘the decisions the government makes now will affect the future health of the economy’, and ‘the government should take the recognition if their budget measures work, just as they should take responsibility if they do not’ (75% and 73% respectively).
Attitudes towards 2021 in comparison to 2020
Q. Thinking about the next 12 months, do you think 2021 will be a better or worse year than 2020 for each of the following?
| TOTAL:
Better than 2020 |
TOTAL:
Worse than 2020 |
No different to 2020 | |
| You personally | 47% | 13% | 39% |
| Your job | 34% | 12% | 54% |
| The economy | 55% | 22% | 23% |
| The nation | 56% | 18% | 25% |
| The planet | 37% | 30% | 33% |
- Australians are generally optimistic that 2021 will be better than 2020. People are expecting that 2021 will be a better year than 2020 for the nation (56%) and the economy (55%). Just under half (47%) think 2021 will be better for themselves personally.
- Australians are less optimistic that 2021 will be better than 2020 for the planet (37%).
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Essential Report
In this week's report:
- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Views towards re-electing the federal Coalition government
- Party trust to handle issues
- Importance of Australia’s international reputation
- Scott Morrison’s impact on Australia’s international reputation
- Views towards Australia’s international reputation
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