The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Dec, 2020

    Interest in news stories

    Q. How closely have you been following these news stories in the last fortnight?

      TOTAL:

    Closely

    		 TOTAL:

    Not closely
     
    The Covid-19 outbreak in South Australia 69% 31%
    The trial results of Covid-19 vaccines 66% 34%
    The Trump campaign’s ongoing legal disputes regarding the US presidential election 56% 44%
    The alleged war crimes committed by Australian special forces soldiers in Afghanistan 53% 47%
    • The Covid-19 outbreak in South Australia was the news item most closely followed over the past two weeks (69%), followed closely by the trial results of Covid-19 vaccines (66%).
    • The Trump campaign’s ongoing legal disputes regarding the US presidential election was followed by 56% of people and the alleged war crimes committed by Australian special forces soldiers in Afghanistan by 53%.
  • Dec, 2020

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    Interest in news stories

    Q. How closely have you been following these news stories in the last fortnight?

    The alleged war crimes committed by Australian special forces soldiers in Afghanistan

      Total Gender Age Group Federal Voting Intention
      Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor TOTAL: Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    Very closely 17% 23% 10% 17% 16% 17% 19% 17% 22% 17%
    Fairly closely 36% 39% 34% 32% 33% 42% 38% 40% 27% 33%
    Not that closely 31% 27% 36% 32% 31% 31% 30% 32% 31% 29%
    Not closely at all 16% 11% 21% 18% 20% 10% 13% 11% 21% 21%
    TOTAL: Closely 53% 62% 44% 49% 49% 59% 57% 57% 49% 50%
    TOTAL: Not closely 47% 38% 56% 51% 51% 41% 43% 43% 51% 50%
    Base (n) 1,034 528 506 329 320 385 322 430 88 107
  • Dec, 2020

    , ,

    Interest in news stories

    Q. How closely have you been following these news stories in the last fortnight?

    The Trump campaign’s ongoing legal disputes regarding the US presidential election

      Total Gender Age Group Federal Voting Intention
      Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor TOTAL: Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    Very closely 22% 29% 16% 23% 25% 19% 21% 25% 29% 28%
    Fairly closely 34% 36% 33% 38% 31% 34% 39% 36% 28% 28%
    Not that closely 29% 23% 33% 27% 28% 31% 28% 29% 27% 22%
    Not closely at all 15% 11% 19% 13% 17% 15% 12% 10% 16% 22%
    TOTAL: Closely 56% 65% 48% 60% 56% 54% 60% 61% 57% 55%
    TOTAL: Not closely 44% 35% 52% 40% 44% 46% 40% 39% 43% 45%
    Base (n) 1,034 528 506 329 320 385 322 430 88 107

     

  • Dec, 2020

    , ,

    Interest in news stories

    Q. How closely have you been following these news stories in the last fortnight?

    The trial results of Covid-19 vaccines

      Total Gender Age Group Federal Voting Intention
      Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor TOTAL: Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    Very closely 23% 28% 18% 16% 27% 25% 21% 27% 25% 22%
    Fairly closely 43% 42% 44% 47% 37% 46% 51% 44% 35% 33%
    Not that closely 25% 23% 26% 28% 25% 22% 21% 23% 31% 29%
    Not closely at all 9% 7% 11% 9% 11% 7% 7% 5% 10% 15%
    TOTAL: Closely 66% 70% 63% 63% 63% 72% 72% 71% 59% 55%
    TOTAL: Not closely 34% 30% 37% 37% 37% 28% 28% 29% 41% 45%
    Base (n) 1,034 528 506 329 320 385 322 430 88 107
  • Nov, 2020

    Interest in news stories

    Q. How closely have you been following these news stories in the last fortnight?

      TOTAL:

    CLOSELY

    		 TOTAL:

    NOT CLOSELY
     
    The 2020 US election 68% 32%
    The easing of Covid-19 restrictions in Victoria 73% 27%
    Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon’s resignation from the Shadow Cabinet 29% 71%
    The allegations of sexual misconduct in the Federal Parliament, as outlined in an ABC Four Corners documentary 36% 64%
    • The easing of restrictions in Victoria was the news item most closely followed over the past two weeks (73%), followed closely by the events following the US election (68%).
    • The fall-out following the Four Corners documentary exposing allegations of sexual misconduct in the Federal Parliament was followed by 36% of people and Joel Fitzgibbon’s resignation from the Shadow Cabinet by 29%.
  • Nov, 2020

    ,

    Interest in news stories

    Q. How closely have you been following these news stories in the last fortnight?

    The 2020 US election

      Total Gender Age Group Federal Voting Intention
      Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor TOTAL: Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    Very closely 28% 31% 24% 28% 27% 28% 30% 32% 28% 26%
    Fairly closely 41% 44% 37% 39% 43% 40% 40% 45% 40% 32%
    Not that closely 22% 18% 26% 24% 21% 21% 20% 18% 24% 29%
    Not closely at all 10% 7% 12% 9% 9% 11% 9% 5% 7% 13%
    TOTAL: CLOSELY 68% 75% 62% 67% 70% 68% 70% 77% 69% 58%
    TOTAL: NOT CLOSELY 32% 25% 38% 33% 30% 32% 30% 23% 31% 42%
    Base (n) 1,010 479 531 250 383 377 323 404 80 122
  • Nov, 2020

    Interest in news stories

    Q. How closely have you been following these news stories in the last fortnight?

    The easing of Covid-19 restrictions in Victoria

      Total Gender Age Group Federal Voting Intention
      Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor TOTAL: Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    Very closely 29% 28% 29% 20% 32% 33% 31% 32% 25% 23%
    Fairly closely 44% 46% 42% 42% 43% 47% 48% 46% 35% 46%
    Not that closely 20% 20% 20% 26% 19% 16% 17% 17% 30% 22%
    Not closely at all 7% 5% 9% 12% 6% 4% 4% 4% 9% 10%
    TOTAL: CLOSELY 73% 75% 71% 62% 75% 80% 79% 79% 61% 69%
    TOTAL: NOT CLOSELY 27% 25% 29% 38% 25% 20% 21% 21% 39% 31%
    Base (n) 1,010 479 531 250 383 377 323 404 80 122
  • Nov, 2020

    Interest in news stories

    Q. How closely have you been following these news stories in the last fortnight?

    Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon’s resignation from the Shadow Cabinet

      Total Gender Age Group Federal Voting Intention
      Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor TOTAL: Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    Very closely 10% 14% 5% 7% 12% 10% 8% 13% 10% 7%
    Fairly closely 20% 25% 15% 19% 18% 21% 21% 22% 13% 24%
    Not that closely 36% 36% 35% 37% 35% 35% 42% 34% 34% 29%
    Not closely at all 35% 26% 44% 37% 35% 34% 29% 31% 43% 40%
    TOTAL: CLOSELY 29% 38% 20% 26% 30% 31% 29% 36% 23% 30%
    TOTAL: NOT CLOSELY 71% 62% 80% 74% 70% 69% 71% 64% 77% 70%
    Base (n) 1,010 479 531 250 383 377 323 404 80 122
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