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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?
| 15/02 | 01/02 | 30/11 | 16/11 | 02/11 | 05/10 | 21/09 | 07/09 | 24/08 | 10/08 | 27/07 | 13/07 | |
| Very poor | 5% | 4% | 6% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 8% | 6% | 7% | 6% | 6% |
| Quite poor | 7% | 11% | 8% | 9% | 10% | 12% | 13% | 12% | 11% | 8% | 11% | 10% |
| Neither good nor poor | 19% | 19% | 19% | 18% | 24% | 22% | 21% | 22% | 22% | 21% | 20% | 20% |
| Quite good | 42% | 42% | 41% | 41% | 39% | 39% | 40% | 40% | 40% | 40% | 40% | 40% |
| Very good | 27% | 25% | 26% | 26% | 22% | 21% | 21% | 18% | 22% | 24% | 24% | 24% |
| TOTAL: Poor | 12% | 14% | 13% | 15% | 15% | 18% | 18% | 19% | 17% | 16% | 16% | 16% |
| TOTAL: Good | 69% | 67% | 67% | 67% | 61% | 60% | 61% | 59% | 61% | 63% | 64% | 64% |
| Base (n) | 1,109 | 1,092 | 1,034 | 1,010 | 1,063 | 1,066 | 1,081 | 1,076 | 1,068 | 1,010 | 1,058 | 1,054 |
- Rating of the federal government’s handling of Covid-19 has increased to 69% since last month, the highest rating in the last six months.
Views towards federal vs state government responsibility to manage Covid-19 hotel quarantine system
Q. Which of the following statements about Australia’s international borders and the Covid-19 hotel quarantine system for returning travellers is closest to your view?
| Total | Federal Voting Intention | ||||
| Labor | TOTAL: Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||
| It should be the federal government’s responsibility to protect Australia’s international borders and manage the hotel quarantine system | 62% | 63% | 59% | 57% | 67% |
| It should be each state governments’ responsibility to quarantine travellers returning within their borders and the federal government should be left out of this | 38% | 37% | 41% | 43% | 33% |
| Base (n) | 1,109 | 359 | 428 | 101 | 131 |
- More people think it should be the federal government’s responsibility to protect Australia’s international borders and manage the hotel quarantine system, than those who think it should be each state governments’ responsibility to quarantine travellers returning within their borders (62% to 38%).
- The view that this should be a federal rather than state government responsibility is consistent across all voting intentions.
Trust in Federal Government
Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the Federal Government?
[% of participants who answered the question]
| TOTAL:
Agree |
TOTAL:
Disagree |
Strongly agree | Somewhat agree | Somewhat disagree | Strongly disagree | |
| Regardless of who is in power, I trust the Federal Government to do what is right | 66% | 34% | 23% | 43% | 22% | 12% |
| As Australians we can always find ways to solve our country’s problems and get what we want | 84% | 16% | 29% | 55% | 13% | 3% |
| The government should do more to solve the problems facing our country | 91% | 9% | 53% | 38% | 7% | 2% |
| Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | |||||||||
| TOTAL: Agree | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | TOTAL: Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | |||
| Regardless of who is in power, I trust the Federal Government to do what is right | 66% | 62% | 70% | 61% | 71% | 65% | 60% | 77% | 56% | 49% | ||
| As Australians we can always find ways to solve our country’s problems and get what we want | 84% | 83% | 85% | 77% | 87% | 86% | 80% | 89% | 79% | 76% | ||
| The government should do more to solve the problems facing our country | 91% | 90% | 93% | 86% | 92% | 94% | 92% | 90% | 91% | 88% | ||
- Almost unanimously, Australians agree that the government should do more to solve the problems facing our country (91%) however there is high levels of agreement that as Australians we can always find ways to solve our country’s problems and get what we want (84%).
- Women are more likely than men to trust the Government to do what is right, regardless of who is in power (70% to 62%).
Federal government response to Covid-19
Q. Overall, how would you rate the federal government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| 02/11 | 05/10 | 21/09 | 07/09 | 24/08 | 10/08 | 27/07 | 13/07 | 22/06 | 15/06 | 08/06 | 01/06 | |
| Very poor | 5% | 5% | 5% | 8% | 6% | 7% | 6% | 6% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 5% |
| Quite poor | 10% | 12% | 13% | 12% | 11% | 8% | 11% | 10% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 7% |
| Neither good, nor poor | 24% | 22% | 21% | 22% | 22% | 21% | 20% | 20% | 17% | 16% | 18% | 20% |
| Quite good | 39% | 39% | 40% | 40% | 40% | 40% | 40% | 40% | 43% | 42% | 40% | 39% |
| Very good | 22% | 21% | 21% | 18% | 22% | 24% | 24% | 24% | 27% | 30% | 30% | 28% |
| TOTAL: Poor | 15% | 18% | 18% | 19% | 17% | 16% | 16% | 16% | 12% | 11% | 12% | 12% |
| TOTAL: Good | 61% | 60% | 61% | 59% | 61% | 63% | 64% | 64% | 71% | 72% | 70% | 68% |
| Base (n) | 1,063 | 1,066 | 1,081 | 1,076 | 1,068 | 1,010 | 1,058 | 1,054 | 1,079 | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,059 |
- Rating of the Federal Government’s handling of Covid-19 stays steady at 61% rating it very or quite good (60% last month).
Federal Government led by Labor or Coalition better at…
Q. Do you think a Federal Government led by Labor or the Coalition would be better at…?
| Coalition | Labor | Neither | |
| Reducing national debt | 42% | 28% | 30% |
| Managing the economy | 44% | 31% | 25% |
| Creating jobs | 39% | 38% | 23% |
| Helping those who’ve lost work because of Covid-19 get back into the workforce | 38% | 40% | 22% |
| Supporting those in financial need | 35% | 42% | 23% |
| Improving the financial situation of women | 31% | 38% | 31% |
- A Coalition government is thought to be better than Labor at governance issues such as reducing national debt (42% to 28%) and managing the economy (44% to 31%).
- Elements where Labor is seen to do a better job than the Coalition is in supporting those in financial need (42% to 35%) and improving the financial situation for women (38% to 31%).
- Both parties are seen to be equally competent to create jobs (39% Coalition, 38% Labor) and helping those who have lost work due to Covid-19 (38% Coalition, 40% Labor).
Federal government response to Covid-19
Q. Overall, how would you rate the federal government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| 21/09 | 07/09 | 24/08 | 10/08 | 27/07 | 13/07 | 22/06 | 15/06 | 08/06 | 01/06 | 25/05 | |
| Very poor | 5% | 8% | 6% | 7% | 6% | 6% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 5% | 4% |
| Quite poor | 13% | 12% | 11% | 8% | 11% | 10% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 7% | 6% |
| Neither good, nor poor | 21% | 22% | 22% | 21% | 20% | 20% | 17% | 16% | 18% | 20% | 16% |
| Quite good | 40% | 40% | 40% | 40% | 40% | 40% | 43% | 42% | 40% | 39% | 43% |
| Very good | 21% | 18% | 22% | 24% | 24% | 24% | 27% | 30% | 30% | 28% | 30% |
| TOTAL: Poor | 18% | 19% | 17% | 16% | 16% | 16% | 12% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 11% |
| TOTAL: Good | 61% | 59% | 61% | 63% | 64% | 64% | 71% | 72% | 70% | 68% | 73% |
| Base (n) | 1,081 | 1,076 | 1,068 | 1,010 | 1,058 | 1,054 | 1,079 | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,059 | 1,087 |
- Rating of the Federal Government’s handling of Covid-19 stays steady at 61% rating it very or quite good (59% earlier in the month).
Effectiveness of higher income earners tax cuts at stimulating the economy
Q. The federal government is considering bringing forward tax cuts currently planned for 2022 which will give higher income earners much bigger tax cuts than those on lower incomes.
Which of these options do you most support?
| Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | |||||||
| Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | Liberal + National | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||
| The government should bring forward these tax cuts to this year | 33% | 34% | 31% | 33% | 41% | 24% | 28% | 40% | 26% | 29% |
| The government should stick to the existing timetable of 2022 | 29% | 31% | 27% | 40% | 25% | 24% | 29% | 31% | 28% | 26% |
| The government should scrap these tax cuts and spend the money on other priorities | 38% | 35% | 42% | 27% | 34% | 52% | 43% | 29% | 46% | 45% |
| Base (n) | 1,081 | 539 | 542 | 338 | 374 | 369 | 298 | 460 | 115 | 104 |
| Total | Household Income | |||
| TOTAL: Lower Income
(Up to $51,999 per year) |
TOTAL: Mid Income ($52,000-$103,999 per year) | TOTAL: Higher Income
(More than $104,000 per year) |
||
| The government should bring forward these tax cuts to this year | 33% | 25% | 29% | 46% |
| The government should stick to the existing timetable of 2022 | 29% | 24% | 33% | 27% |
| The government should scrap these tax cuts and spend the money on other priorities | 38% | 50% | 37% | 27% |
| Base (n) | 1,081 | 359 | 318 | 317 |
- 33% would support a decision to fast-track tax cuts for high income earners from 2022 to 2020. 29% think the cuts should keep to the existing timetable of 2022, while 38% think they should be scrapped.
- Fast-tracking the tax cuts has greatest support among those with a high household income (46%), while only 25% of those in a household with a lower income, and 29% of people in a mid-income household.
State and Federal Government Working Together
Q. How well do you think your State or Territory government and the Federal government are working together on issues to address the Covid-19 pandemic?
| Total | State | |||||
| NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | ||
| Very well | 17% | 21% | 8% | 15% | 19% | 24% |
| Quite well | 46% | 46% | 49% | 48% | 47% | 40% |
| Quite poorly | 22% | 19% | 28% | 19% | 21% | 23% |
| Very poorly | 8% | 8% | 10% | 10% | 6% | 3% |
| Unsure | 6% | 7% | 5% | 7% | 7% | 8% |
| TOTAL: Well | 64% | 66% | 57% | 64% | 66% | 65% |
| TOTAL: Poorly | 30% | 27% | 38% | 29% | 27% | 27% |
| Base (n) | 1,076 | 352 | 275 | 215 | 88 | 99 |
- People believe that more could be done between the Federal and State governments to address the Covid-19 pandemic. Less than a fifth of people (17%) think the Federal government and their state government are working together very well. While 46% say they are working together quite well, 30% rate the working relationship as poor.
- The Federal and Victorian governments are seen to have the worst relationship, with 57% of Victorians saying the Federal government is working well with their state government, but just 8% believe they are working very well together.
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Download this week's ReportEssential Report
Two Party Preferred:
Labor
47%
Coalition
44%
In this week's report:
- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Federal government response to Covid-19
- State government response to Covid-19
- Better leadership during Covid-19 – PM vs state leader
- Attitudes towards Craig Kelly controversy and Scott Morrison’s leadership
- Views towards federal vs state government responsibility to manage Covid-19 hotel quarantine system
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