coronavirus, covid-19, family, lockdown, social connections
Q. Since the start of the lockdown restrictions, do you feel closer or more distant from each of the following people in your life?
| My partner | My children | My extended family | My neighbours | My friends | My workmates | |
| I feel closer | 36% | 35% | 18% | 13% | 13% | 11% |
| It has not affected our relationship | 53% | 52% | 55% | 64% | 52% | 53% |
| I feel more distant | 11% | 13% | 27% | 23% | 34% | 36% |
| Base | 797 | 716 | 964 | 942 | 1,012 | 680 |
| TOTAL: I feel closer | Gender | Age Group | |||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | ||
| My partner | 36% | 36% | 36% | 49% | 36% | 24% | |
| My children | 35% | 32% | 38% | 50% | 41% | 22% | |
| My extended family | 18% | 18% | 18% | 24% | 19% | 13% | |
| My neighbours | 13% | 14% | 12% | 15% | 13% | 12% | |
| My friends | 13% | 13% | 14% | 19% | 11% | 11% | |
| My workmates | 11% | 11% | 11% | 13% | 11% | 8% | |
| TOTAL: I feel more distant | Gender | Age Group | |||||
| Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | ||
| My partner | 11% | 11% | 11% | 15% | 12% | 6% | |
| My children | 13% | 13% | 12% | 11% | 10% | 15% | |
| My extended family | 27% | 26% | 28% | 31% | 27% | 24% | |
| My neighbours | 23% | 21% | 24% | 23% | 21% | 24% | |
| My friends | 34% | 32% | 36% | 42% | 34% | 28% | |
| My workmates | 36% | 34% | 39% | 47% | 32% | 24% | |
2012, 2012 Outlook, Australian economy, economy, family, Personal financial situation, Polling, polls, workplace
Q. Thinking about the next 12 months, do you think 2012 will be a good or bad year for each of the following?
| Total good
Dec 10 |
Total bad
Dec10 |
Total good | Total bad | Very good | Good | Neither good nor bad | Bad | Very bad | Don’t know/Not applicable | |
| The Australian economy | 48% | 16% | 29% | 35% | 3% | 26% | 32% | 28% | 7% | 3% |
| Your personal financial situation | 39% | 20% | 33% | 27% | 4% | 29% | 38% | 20% | 7% | 2% |
| Your workplace * | 47% | 16% | 45% | 20% | 6% | 39% | 36% | 15% | 5% | 2% |
| You and your family overall | 51% | 14% | 52% | 16% | 10% | 42% | 30% | 12% | 4% | 2% |
* based on working people
Overall, respondents were optimistic that 2012 would be a good year for themselves overall (52%) and their workplace (45%). They tended to be less optimistic about their financial situation (33% good/27% bad) and somewhat pessimistic about the Australian economy (29%/35%).
Compared to expectations 12 months ago, respondents were much less optimistic about the Australian economy (48% good last year compared to 29% good this year) and also rather less optimistic about their own financial situation (39%/20% last year compared to 33%/27% this year).
When compared with last week’s questions on perceptions of 2011, these figures suggest that respondents expect 2012 to be better than 2011 for themselves and their family (net +36% for next year compared to net +24% for this year), a little better for their workplace (+25% next year, +20% last year) and their own financial situation (+6% next year, -2% this year). The Australian economy is expected to be a little worse in 2012 (-6% next year compared to +2% last year).
2011, family, Past Year, Personal financial situation, Polling, polls, workplace
Q. Has it been a good or bad year for each of the following?
| Total good
(Dec 10) |
Total bad
(Dec 10) |
Total good | Total bad | Very good | Good | Neither good nor bad | Bad | Very bad | Don’t know | |
| Your personal financial situation | 28% | 28% | 30% | 32% | 5% | 25% | 37% | 22% | 10% | 1% |
| Your workplace * | 43% | 21% | 43% | 23% | 8% | 35% | 33% | 18% | 5% | 2% |
| You and your family overall | 43% | 19% | 44% | 20% | 8% | 36% | 34% | 15% | 5% | 1% |
* based on working people
Respondents were evenly divided over whether it has been a good or bad year financially. Those most likely to say it was a good year were full-time workers (38% good/28% bad), aged under 35 (37%/28%) and incomes over $1,600pw (41%/25%).
Respondents were more positive about their workplace (43%/23%) and overall for themselves and their family (44%/20%). Younger respondents were a little more positive about themselves and their family– those aged under 35 split 50% good/15% bad.
On these measures 2011 was considered very similar to 2010.
carbon pricing scheme, Carbon Tax, climate change, Essential Report, family, Polling, polls
Q. How well informed do you feel about how the carbon pricing scheme will affect you and your family?
| Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Very well informed | 17% | 23% | 19% | 12% |
| Somewhat informed | 40% | 40% | 43% | 40% |
| A little informed | 26% | 24% | 24% | 28% |
| Not at all informed | 13% | 11% | 12% | 18% |
| Don’t know | 3% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
17% consider themselves very well informed about how the carbon pricing scheme will affect them and 40% say they are somewhat informed.
28% of those aged 55+ consider themselves very well informed and 44% somewhat informed. 51% of those aged 18-35 consider themselves very well or somewhat informed.
2011, 2011 outlook, Australian economy, economy, EMC, Essential Report, family, Personal financial situation
Q. Thinking about the next 12 months, do you think 2011 will be a good or bad year for each of the following?
| Total good | Total poor | Very good | Good | Neither good nor bad | Bad | Very bad | Don’t know/Not applicable | |
| The Australian economy | 48% | 16% | 5% | 43% | 32% | 14% | 2% | 5% |
| Your personal financial situation | 39% | 20% | 7% | 32% | 38% | 14% | 6% | 3% |
| Your workplace * | 47% | 16% | 8% | 39% | 33% | 13% | 3% | 4% |
| You and your family overall | 51% | 14% | 10% | 41% | 30% | 11% | 3% | 4% |
* based on working people
Overall, respondents were optimistic that 2011 would be a good year for themselves overall (51%), the Australian economy (48%) and their workplace (47%). They tended to be a little less optimistic about their financial situation (39% good/20% bad).
When compared with last week’s questions on perceptions of 2010, these figures suggest that respondents expect 2011 to be better than 2010.
In particular, more respondents believed it would be a good year for their personal situation (28% 2010/39% 2011), the Australian economy (41%/48%) and themselves and their families overall (43%/51%).
family, finances, workplace, year in review
Q. Has it been a good or bad year for each of the following?
| Total good | Total bad | Very good | Good | Neither good nor bad | Bad | Very bad | Don’t know | |
| Your personal financial situation | 28% | 28% | 4% | 24% | 42% | 21% | 7% | 1% |
| Your workplace * | 43% | 21% | 6% | 37% | 33% | 17% | 4% | 3% |
| You and your family overall | 43% | 19% | 7% | 36% | 36% | 14% | 5% | 2% |
* based on working people
Respondents were evenly divided over whether it has been a good or bad year financially. Those most likely to say it was a good year were full-time workers (37% good/20% bad), aged under 35 (37%/23%) and incomes over $1,600pw (42%/20%).
Respondents were more positive about their workplace (43%/21%) and overall for themselves and their family (43%/19%). Younger respondents were a little more positive about themselves and their family– those aged under 35 split 50% good/13% bad. Comments »