The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Oct, 2020

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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?

      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% 8% 6% 7% 6% 6% 4% 3% 4% 5%
    Quite poor 12% 13% 12% 11% 8% 11% 10% 8% 8% 8% 7%
    Neither good, nor poor 22% 21% 22% 22% 21% 20% 20% 17% 16% 18% 20%
    Quite good 39% 40% 40% 40% 40% 40% 40% 43% 42% 40% 39%
    Very good 21% 21% 18% 22% 24% 24% 24% 27% 30% 30% 28%
    TOTAL: Poor 18% 18% 19% 17% 16% 16% 16% 12% 11% 12% 12%
    TOTAL: Good 60% 61% 59% 61% 63% 64% 64% 71% 72% 70% 68%
    Base (n) 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 60% rating it very or quite good (59% last month).
  • Sep, 2020

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    Government response to Covid-19

    Q. Overall, how would you rate the Government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?

      07/09 24/08 10/08 27/07 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05
    Very poor 8% 6% 7% 6% 6% 4% 3% 4% 5% 4% 3%
    Quite poor 12% 11% 8% 11% 10% 8% 8% 8% 7% 6% 7%
    Neither good, nor poor 22% 22% 21% 20% 20% 17% 16% 18% 20% 16% 17%
    Quite good 40% 40% 40% 40% 40% 43% 42% 40% 39% 43% 41%
    Very good 18% 22% 24% 24% 24% 27% 30% 30% 28% 30% 32%
    TOTAL: Poor 19% 17% 16% 16% 16% 12% 11% 12% 12% 11% 11%
    TOTAL: Good 59% 61% 63% 64% 64% 71% 72% 70% 68% 73% 73%
    Base (n) 1,076 1,068 1,010 1,058 1,054 1,079 1,087 1,073 1,059 1,087 1,073
    • Participants’ rating of the Federal Government’s handling of Covid-19 crisis slips for the fourth consecutive week. From a high of 73% positive rating in May, 59% now say the Government’s handling has been good.
  • Sep, 2020

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    State Government response to Covid-19

    Q. How would you rate your state government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?

    TOTAL: Good 07/09 24/08 10/08 27/07 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05
    NSW 57% 59% 61% 62% 63% 70% 65% 67% 62% 65% 70%
    VIC 50% 47% 49% 53% 49% 65% 75% 72% 71% 73% 71%
    QLD 66% 73% 68% 67% 69% 64% 67% 68% 69% 74% 66%
    SA 74% 65% 72% 76% 79% 79% 76% 79% 70% 84% 80%
    WA 87% 84% 86% 82% 77% 75% 77% 84% 79% 83% 86%
    • Positive rating of the NSW Government’s continues to slide, with another -2%pts movement this week to 57%. This is down from a high of 70% in June.
    • Positive rating of the Victorian Government remains steady at 50%, though the majority of this survey was completed before the announcement of the lock-down extension in Victoria on Sunday 6th
    • Positive rating of the Queensland state government’s handing dropped to 66% this week from 73% a fortnight ago.
  • Jul, 2020

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    State Government response to Covid-19

    Q. How would you rate your state government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?

    All States 27/07 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04
    Very poor 7% 7% 5% 4% 4% 6% 4% 3% 4% 4% 4%
    Quite poor 11% 11% 8% 8% 7% 6% 7% 8% 8% 8% 9%
    Neither good, nor poor 18% 18% 17% 17% 17% 20% 17% 17% 16% 18% 17%
    Quite good 36% 36% 41% 38% 39% 38% 38% 39% 39% 38% 41%
    Very good 28% 28% 28% 33% 32% 30% 35% 33% 34% 31% 30%
    TOTAL: Poor 18% 17% 13% 12% 11% 12% 11% 11% 12% 12% 13%
    TOTAL: Good 65% 64% 69% 71% 71% 68% 73% 72% 73% 70% 70%
    Base (n) 1,058 1,054 1,079 1,087 1,073 1,059 1,087 1,073 1,067 1,093 1,054

     

    TOTAL: Good 27/07 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04
    NSW 62% 63% 70% 65% 67% 62% 65% 70% 70% 68% 63%
    VIC 53% 49% 65% 75% 72% 71% 73% 71% 71% 72% 77%
    QLD 67% 69% 64% 67% 68% 69% 74% 66% 70% 65% 67%
    SA 76% 79% 79% 76% 79% 70% 84% 80% 78% 76% 77%
    WA 82% 77% 75% 77% 84% 79% 83% 86% 83% 79% 76%

     

    VICTORIA ONLY 27/07 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04
    Very poor 13% 14% 8% 6% 6% 4% 3% 3% 4% 3% 3%
    Quite poor 17% 12% 5% 5% 6% 7% 9% 10% 11% 8% 6%
    Neither good, nor poor 17% 25% 22% 13% 16% 17% 16% 15% 15% 17% 14%
    Quite good 34% 32% 38% 39% 38% 39% 37% 38% 34% 32% 40%
    Very good 19% 17% 26% 36% 34% 33% 36% 33% 37% 40% 37%
    TOTAL: Poor 30% 26% 13% 11% 12% 11% 11% 14% 14% 11% 9%
    TOTAL: Good 53% 49% 65% 75% 72% 71% 73% 71% 71% 72% 77%
    Base (n) 239 281 261 275 275 275 275 267 275 275 272

     

    • Victoria’s rating of their State Government’s performance is still well below their results in June and is steady during the last fortnight (53%).
    • South Australia (76%) and Western Australia (82%) have the highest state government ratings for handling the crisis.
  • Jul, 2020

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    Government response to Covid-19

    Q. Overall, how would you rate the Government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?

      27/07 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04
    Very poor 6% 6% 4% 3% 4% 5% 4% 3% 4% 4% 4%
    Quite poor 11% 10% 8% 8% 8% 7% 6% 7% 9% 9% 9%
    Neither good, nor poor 20% 20% 17% 16% 18% 20% 16% 17% 16% 20% 17%
    Quite good 40% 40% 43% 42% 40% 39% 43% 41% 39% 38% 44%
    Very good 24% 24% 27% 30% 30% 28% 30% 32% 32% 28% 26%
    TOTAL: Poor 16% 16% 12% 11% 12% 12% 11% 11% 13% 14% 13%
    TOTAL: Good 64% 64% 71% 72% 70% 68% 73% 73% 71% 66% 70%
    Base (n) 1,058 1,054 1,079 1,087 1,073 1,059 1,087 1,073 1,067 1,093 1,054

     

    • Participants’ rating of the Federal Government’s handling of the crisis is stable from last fortnight, with 64% rating the response as good (either very or quite good).
  • Jul, 2020

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    Preference for elimination or suppression strategy

    Q. Out of the following two strategies, which do you think the Australian government should pursue in its response to the Covid-19 outbreak?

     

        Voting intention
      Total Labor NET: Coalition Greens NET: Other
    Elimination strategy:

    Work towards removing all cases of Covid-19 in Australia

    		 44% 52% 31% 54% 49%
    Suppression strategy:

    Work towards minimising outbreaks and keeping the number of new cases at a manageable level for medical services until an effective vaccine is available

    		 56% 48% 69% 46% 51%
    Base (n) 1,058 334 428 81 107

     

        State  
      Total NSW VIC QLD SA WA
    Elimination strategy:

    Work towards removing all cases of Covid-19 in Australia

    		 44% 42% 46% 41% 42% 46%
    Suppression strategy:

    Work towards minimising outbreaks and keeping the number of new cases at a manageable level for medical services until an effective vaccine is available

    		 56% 58% 54% 59% 58% 54%
    Base (n) 1,058 352 239 220 88 110

     

    • The population is split on the preferred strategy to deal with Covid-19 in Australia. While 56% of participants think the Australian government should pursue a suppression strategy towards Covid-19, 46% opted for elimination of the virus.
    • Suppression was the favoured b the majority of residents in all states.
    • Coalition voters (69%) are more in favour of the Suppression strategy than, Labor (48%), Greens (46%) and voters for other parties (51%).
  • Jul, 2020

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    Government response to Covid-19

    Q. Overall, how would you rate the Government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?

      13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04
    Very poor 6% 4% 3% 4% 5% 4% 3% 4% 4% 4%
    Quite poor 10% 8% 8% 8% 7% 6% 7% 9% 9% 9%
    Neither good, nor poor 20% 17% 16% 18% 20% 16% 17% 16% 20% 17%
    Quite good 40% 43% 42% 40% 39% 43% 41% 39% 38% 44%
    Very good 24% 27% 30% 30% 28% 30% 32% 32% 28% 26%
    TOTAL: Poor 16% 12% 11% 12% 12% 11% 11% 13% 14% 13%
    TOTAL: Good 64% 71% 72% 70% 68% 73% 73% 71% 66% 70%
    Base (n) 1,054 1,079 1,087 1,073 1,059 1,087 1,073 1,067 1,093 1,054

     

    • Rating of the Federal Government’s handling of the crisis has declined from last month. 64% now rate the Governments response as good (Very good or quite good), down from 71% in June.
    • Victoria has the lowest rating (60% rated very/quite good, down from 70% in June). 
  • Jul, 2020

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    State Government response to Covid-19

    Q. How would you rate your state government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?

    All States 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04
    Very poor 7% 5% 4% 4% 6% 4% 3% 4% 4% 4%
    Quite poor 11% 8% 8% 7% 6% 7% 8% 8% 8% 9%
    Neither good, nor poor 18% 17% 17% 17% 20% 17% 17% 16% 18% 17%
    Quite good 36% 41% 38% 39% 38% 38% 39% 39% 38% 41%
    Very good 28% 28% 33% 32% 30% 35% 33% 34% 31% 30%
    TOTAL: Poor 17% 13% 12% 11% 12% 11% 11% 12% 12% 13%
    TOTAL: Good 64% 69% 71% 71% 68% 73% 72% 73% 70% 70%
    Base (n) 1,054 1,079 1,087 1,073 1,059 1,087 1,073 1,067 1,093 1,054

     

    TOTAL: Good 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04
    NSW 63% 70% 65% 67% 62% 65% 70% 70% 68% 63%
    VIC 49% 65% 75% 72% 71% 73% 71% 71% 72% 77%
    QLD 69% 64% 67% 68% 69% 74% 66% 70% 65% 67%
    SA 79% 79% 76% 79% 70% 84% 80% 78% 76% 77%
    WA 77% 75% 77% 84% 79% 83% 86% 83% 79% 76%

     

    • The positive rating of the State Government in Victoria has dropped from 65% in June to 49% this week. 17% think the Victorian government is doing a very good job (down from 26%) and those thinking they’ve done a quite good job has fallen from 28% to 32%.
    • Southern Australia (79%) and Western Australia (77%) have the highest state government ratings at handling the crisis.

     

    VICTORIA ONLY 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05 18/05 11/05 04/05 27/04
    Very poor 14% 8% 6% 6% 4% 3% 3% 4% 3% 3%
    Quite poor 12% 5% 5% 6% 7% 9% 10% 11% 8% 6%
    Neither good, nor poor 25% 22% 13% 16% 17% 16% 15% 15% 17% 14%
    Quite good 32% 38% 39% 38% 39% 37% 38% 34% 32% 40%
    Very good 17% 26% 36% 34% 33% 36% 33% 37% 40% 37%
    TOTAL: Poor 26% 13% 11% 12% 11% 11% 14% 14% 11% 9%
    TOTAL: Good 49% 65% 75% 72% 71% 73% 71% 71% 72% 77%
    Base (n) 281 261 275 275 275 275 267 275 275 272

     

    • At the same time, those rating the Victorian state Government’s performance as very or quite poor has doubled from 13% in June to 26% this week.

     

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