Federal government’s role in increasing employment and jobs
Q. Which of the following is closer to your view of the federal government’s role in relation to employment and jobs?
Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | |||||||
Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | TOTAL: Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||
The federal government’s role is to reduce taxes and red tape so businesses can employ more workers | 35% | 42% | 29% | 34% | 35% | 36% | 30% | 44% | 31% | 38% |
The federal government’s role is to invest behind local industries to create more jobs | 44% | 44% | 43% | 40% | 43% | 47% | 49% | 42% | 48% | 46% |
Unsure | 21% | 14% | 28% | 26% | 22% | 18% | 21% | 14% | 21% | 16% |
Base (n) | 1,781 | 875 | 906 | 533 | 601 | 647 | 636 | 610 | 157 | 220 |
- More people think the federal government’s role is to invest behind local industries to create more jobs than to reduce taxes and red tape so businesses can employ more workers (44% to 35%). 21% are unsure on their preferred role.
- Men are more likely than women to think the federal government’s role is to reduce taxes and red tape so businesses can employ more workers (42% to 29%).
- Coalition voters are also more likely to agree with this viewpoint than all other voters combined (44% to 32% respectively).
Employment and Job prospects – Long-term unemployed
Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about looking for work when the Covid-19 restrictions are eased?
THOSE WHO WERE UNEMPLOYED BEFORE COVID-19 AND WILL BE LOOKING FOR EMPLOYMENT ONCE RESTRICTIONS ARE LIFTED (n=135)
TOTAL:
Agree |
TOTAL: Disagree | Strongly agree | Somewhat agree | Neither agree, nor disagree | Somewhat disagree | Strongly disagree | |
I’m confident I’ll be able to find a well-paying job in my field at my level of experience | 29% | 43% | 6% | 23% | 28% | 21% | 22% |
I’m confident there will be many appropriate jobs for me | 25% | 45% | 6% | 19% | 31% | 21% | 24% |
- 43% of people who were unemployed before the Covid-19 outbreak disagree that they’ll be able to find a well-paying job in their field at their level of experience and 45% disagree there will be appropriate jobs for them.
Employment and Job prospects – Recently unemployed
Q. Once the Covid-19 outbreak is over and restrictions are eased, how long do you think it will be before you are back in paid work?
THOSE WHO LOST WORK DUE TO COVID-19 (n=134)
TOTAL | |
I don’t think I’ll find paid work again | 10% |
I think it will take a long time for me to find paid work | 36% |
I don’t think I’ll be back straight away but I’m confident I’ll find paid work fairly quickly | 36% |
I’ll be back in paid work straight away | 18% |
I won’t be looking for paid work after the restrictions are eased | 1% |
Base (n) | 134 |
- Less than one in five of those who have been made unemployed since Covid-19 think they’ll be back in work straight away (18%).
- 36% think it will take them a long time to find paid work and 10% think they may not find paid work again.
Employment and Job prospects – Employed
Q. To what extent you agree or disagree with the following statements about work after the Covid-19 outbreak?
THOSE WHO ARE STILL IN EMPLOYMENT (n=488)
TOTAL:
Agree |
TOTAL: Disagree | Strongly agree | Somewhat agree | Neither agree, nor disagree | Somewhat disagree | Strongly disagree | |
I’m confident I’ll receive a pay rise soon after things are back to normal | 21% | 50% | 6% | 16% | 28% | 24% | 27% |
I’m confident I’ll be able to get a promotion if I want one | 22% | 44% | 6% | 16% | 34% | 22% | 22% |
I don’t think my wages will keep up with increases in the cost of living | 48% | 19% | 17% | 31% | 33% | 13% | 6% |
- There is low optimism for wage growth following Covid-19. Just 21% agree (strongly/somewhat) that they expect a pay rise soon after things are back to normal and 22% expect to be able to gain a promotion.
- Around half of people (48%) don’t think their wages will keep up with increases in the cost of living.
Attitude towards Australia first hiring
Q. Last weekend Kristina Kenneally, a NSW senator, called for the federal government to reduce the number of temporary migrant worker visas permitted after the Covid-19 outbreak. She argues that Australian businesses should prioritise training and hiring Australians for roles, rather than seeking temporary workers to fill skill-shortages.
To what extent, do you support or oppose this idea of “Australia first” hiring?
Gender | Age Group | ||||||
Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | ||
Strongly support | 41% | 36% | 46% | 27% | 42% | 53% | |
Somewhat support | 26% | 28% | 23% | 25% | 26% | 25% | |
Neither support, nor oppose | 21% | 21% | 21% | 30% | 24% | 10% | |
Somewhat oppose | 6% | 7% | 4% | 10% | 3% | 5% | |
Strongly oppose | 6% | 8% | 5% | 9% | 5% | 6% | |
TOTAL: Support | 67% | 64% | 70% | 52% | 68% | 78% | |
TOTAL: Oppose | 12% | 15% | 9% | 18% | 8% | 12% | |
Base (n) | 1,067 | 532 | 535 | 341 | 341 | 385 | |
Federal Voting Intention | ||||
Labor | Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | |
Strongly support | 41% | 44% | 23% | 61% |
Somewhat support | 22% | 31% | 26% | 21% |
Neither support, nor oppose | 24% | 15% | 34% | 12% |
Somewhat oppose | 7% | 4% | 7% | 4% |
Strongly oppose | 6% | 5% | 10% | 2% |
TOTAL: Support | 63% | 75% | 50% | 82% |
TOTAL: Oppose | 13% | 10% | 17% | 7% |
Base (n) | 306 | 418 | 86 | 143 |
- Kristina Kenneally’s “Australia first” hiring approach is supported by 67% of participants; women (70%), those over 55 (78%), Coalition (75%) and other party voters (82%) are more likely to support this approach than men (64%), 18-34 year olds (52%) and Greens voters (50%).
Employment situation during Covid-19 outbreak
Q. Which of the following best describes the impact of Covid-19 on your work:
Gender | Age Group | Location | |||||||
Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Capital | Non-Capital | ||
I wasn’t in paid work before the Covid-19 outbreak | 41% | 34% | 47% | 27% | 27% | 65% | 37% | 48% | |
I was in paid work before the Covid-19 outbreak but am not now | 19% | 20% | 17% | 32% | 17% | 9% | 20% | 16% | |
I’m still in paid work but am worried about losing my job because of the Covid-19 outbreak | 25% | 28% | 22% | 31% | 34% | 11% | 28% | 18% | |
I’m still in paid work and am not worried about losing my job because of the Covid-19 outbreak | 16% | 18% | 14% | 11% | 22% | 14% | 15% | 17% | |
Base (n) | 1,086 | 539 | 547 | 341 | 362 | 383 | 727 | 359 | |
- 25% of participants are worried about losing their job because of the Covid-19 outbreak and another 19% were in paid employment before the outbreak, but now are not.
- 32% of 18-34 year olds say they were in paid work before the Covid-19 outbreak but am not now – this is higher than 35-54 year olds (17%).
Impact of Budget on employment
Q. Do you think the Government’s budget will be good or bad for employment in Australia?
Total
|
|
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Vote other |
|
Total good |
21% |
8% |
46% |
3% |
11% |
|
Total bad |
49% |
76% |
15% |
74% |
67% |
|
Very good |
4% |
4% |
8% |
– |
1% |
|
Good |
17% |
4% |
38% |
3% |
10% |
|
Neither good nor bad |
21% |
13% |
31% |
12% |
16% |
|
Bad |
24% |
30% |
13% |
37% |
31% |
|
Very bad |
25% |
46% |
2% |
37% |
36% |
|
Don’t know |
9% |
4% |
8% |
11% |
5% |
49% think that the Government’s budget will be bad for employment in Australia and 21% think it will be good for employment.
Among those earning less than $600pw, 17% think it will be good and 60% think it will be bad.
Employment by religious organisations
Q. Should religious organisations be allowed to refuse to hire people who don’t live according to the organisations’ beliefs?
Total |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
Men |
Women |
Aged 18-34 |
Aged 35-54 |
Aged 55+ |
|
Yes |
34% |
26% |
42% |
22% |
34% |
33% |
35% |
31% |
37% |
No |
52% |
58% |
48% |
63% |
54% |
51% |
54% |
50% |
54% |
Don’t know |
14% |
16% |
10% |
15% |
12% |
15% |
11% |
19% |
9% |
34% think that religious organisations should be allowed to refuse to hire people who don’t live according to the organisations’ beliefs and 52% think they should not.
Those most likely to think they should not were Labor voters (58%), Greens voters (63%) and respondents on lower incomes (57% of those earning less than $1,000pw).

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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