Essential Report
Better leadership during Covid-19 – PM vs state leader
Q. Who do you think has demonstrated better leadership qualities throughout the Covid-19 pandemic in Australia?
TOTAL: All states | |
Prime Minister Scott Morrison | 30% |
TOTAL: State Premier / Chief Minister | 52% |
Don’t know | 19% |
Base (n) | 1,109 |
- The majority of people (52%) think their state leaders have demonstrated better leadership qualities throughout the Covid-19 pandemic in Australia than the Prime Minister.
- About a third (30%) think the opposite is true – that the PM has performed better than state leaders and 19% don’t know.
- The pattern of people thinking their state leader has demonstrated better leadership qualities throughout the pandemic than the Prime Minister is consistent across each state. This is most apparent in WA where 76% think their premier, Mark McGowan, has demonstrated better leadership than Scott Morrison.
- Note: Due to small base sizes results for ACT, TAS and NT are not shown.
TOTAL: NSW | TOTAL: VIC | TOTAL: QLD | TOTAL: SA | TOTAL: WA | |
Prime Minister Scott Morrison | 29% | 34% | 32% | 29% | 19% |
State Premier / Chief Minister | 44% | 49% | 55% | 50% | 76% |
Don’t know | 27% | 17% | 13% | 21% | 5% |
Base (n) | 338 | 297 | 225 | 91 | 107 |

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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