The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Apr, 2021

    ,

    Views towards end of JobKeeper and JobSeeker supplement

    Q. As you may be aware, the last JobKeeper payments will be paid in April 2021. JobKeeper was a fortnightly amount being paid through employers to help with employees’ wages. The supplement to JobSeeker also ends this month. This will mean that people who are unemployed get $50 less per week.

    How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the end of JobKeeper and the supplement to JobSeeker?

      TOTAL: Agree TOTAL: Disagree Strongly agree Somewhat agree Neither agree nor disagree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
    I’m worried about how it will affect me 33% 41% 14% 18% 26% 16% 25%
    I’m worried about how it will affect the economy 58% 15% 23% 36% 27% 10% 5%
    There are a lot of businesses which have been surviving only because of JobKeeper and are unlikely to ever return 65% 9% 25% 40% 27% 5% 3%
    The schemes should have been extended at least until the Covid-19 vaccine program is fully rolled out 48% 25% 22% 26% 26% 15% 11%
    The schemes were far too expensive to continue any longer 53% 22% 22% 31% 26% 12% 9%
    Big companies that have made a profit and paid dividends and bonuses should be forced to repay JobKeeper payments they received 66% 11% 36% 29% 24% 7% 4%
    JobKeeper and the extra JobSeeker payments discouraged a lot of people from taking up jobs that were available 55% 20% 23% 32% 24% 11% 10%
    The real problem the government should be addressing isn’t the cost of JobKeeper and JobSeeker but the fact that there aren’t enough decent jobs available 55% 18% 23% 32% 27% 12% 6%
    Ending the supplement to JobSeeker will mean there is more poverty in the community 55% 16% 25% 30% 29% 11% 6%

     

    TOTAL: Agree Total Gender Age Group Federal Voting Intention
    Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor TOTAL: Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    I’m worried about how it will affect me 33% 37% 28% 48% 40% 13% 35% 31% 45% 26%
    I’m worried about how it will affect the economy 58% 57% 59% 60% 59% 56% 67% 54% 62% 51%
    There are a lot of businesses which have been surviving only because of JobKeeper and are unlikely to ever return 65% 63% 66% 62% 65% 67% 67% 64% 73% 64%
    The schemes should have been extended at least until the Covid-19 vaccine program is fully rolled out 48% 48% 48% 57% 51% 38% 58% 37% 70% 48%
    The schemes were far too expensive to continue any longer 53% 58% 47% 49% 50% 58% 44% 69% 38% 51%
    Big companies that have made a profit and paid dividends and bonuses should be forced to repay JobKeeper payments they received 66% 69% 62% 57% 66% 73% 68% 67% 67% 67%
    JobKeeper and the extra JobSeeker payments discouraged a lot of people from taking up jobs that were available 55% 58% 53% 51% 54% 60% 51% 65% 45% 53%
    The real problem the government should be addressing isn’t the cost of JobKeeper and JobSeeker but the fact that there aren’t enough decent jobs available 55% 55% 55% 58% 59% 49% 65% 46% 63% 59%
    Ending the supplement to JobSeeker will mean there is more poverty in the community 55% 52% 57% 57% 59% 49% 67% 42% 71% 54%
    Base (n) 1,368 669 699 426 460 482 483 471 123 165
    • When thinking about the end of JobKeeper and the end of the supplement to JobKeeper, most agree that big companies that have made a profit and paid dividends and bonuses should be forced to repay JobKeeper payments they received (66%), and there are a lot of businesses which have been surviving only because of JobKeeper and are unlikely to ever return (65%).
    • This is followed by a large proportion of those who agree that they are worried about how these changes will affect the economy (58%).
    • In general, Australians are less likely to agree that they are worried about how the changes to JobKeeper and JobSeeker will affect themselves (33%) and that the schemes should have been extended at least until the Covid-19 vaccine program is fully rolled out (48%).
    • Older people are more likely to agree the schemes were far too expensive to continue any longer than younger cohorts (58% of those over 55 compared to 50% of those 35-54 and 49% those 18-34) and big companies that have made a profit and paid dividends and bonuses should be forced to repay JobKeeper payments they received (73% of those over 55 compared to 66% of those 35-54 and 57% of those 18-34).
    • Younger people are much more likely to agree that they’re worried about how the changes to the schemes will affect them personally than older cohorts (48% of those 18-34 and 40% of those 35-54 compared to 13% of those over 55). They are also more likely to agree that ending the supplement to JobSeeker will mean there is more poverty in the community (57% of those 18-34 and 59% those 35-54 compared to 49% those over 55).
    • Labor voters and Greens voters are the most likely to agree they’re worried about how it will affect the economy (67% and 62% respectively) compared to 54% of Coalition voters. These voters are also most likely to agree that the real problem the government should be addressing isn’t the cost of JobKeeper and JobSeeker but the fact that there aren’t enough decent jobs available (65% Labor voters and 63% Greens voters, compared to 46% Coalition voters).
    • Coalition supporters are the most likely voters to agree the schemes were far too expensive to continue any longer (69% compared to 44% Labor voters, 38% Greens voters and 51% minor and independent party voters), and JobKeeper and the extra JobSeeker payments discouraged a lot of people from taking up jobs that were available (65% compared to 51% Labor voters, 45% Greens voters and 53% minor and independent party voters).
  • Jul, 2020

    , ,

    Support for extension of JobKeeper and JobSeeker schemes

    Q. On Tuesday July 21st, the government announced that JobKeeper payments and the increase to JobSeeker will be extended to March 2021 but that the rates for each will be reduced in October, and again in January. Eligibility for JobKeeper will remain the same, meaning that casual workers will not receive support.

    To what extent do you support or oppose the changes to these schemes?

      TOTAL: Support TOTAL: Oppose Strongly support Somewhat support Neither support nor oppose Somewhat oppose Strongly oppose
    Businesses having to be re-tested for JobKeeper to ensure they are still eligible 69% 9% 37% 33% 22% 6% 2%
    The continuation of payments to March 2021 66% 12% 31% 35% 22% 8% 5%
    The reduction in the amount of payments 54% 21% 22% 33% 25% 12% 9%

     

        Voting intention
    NET: Support Total Labor NET: Coalition Greens NET: Other
    Businesses having to be re-tested for JobKeeper to ensure they are still eligible 69% 70% 76% 58% 72%
    The continuation of payments to March 2021 66% 72% 65% 78% 60%
    The reduction in the amount of payments 54% 49% 67% 33% 62%
    Base (n) 1,058 334 428 81 107

     

    • Extension of the JobKeeper and JobSeeker schemes receives support from a two-thirds majority (66%). While the reduction of payments is supported by just over half (54%), 21% oppose this decision.
  • May, 2020

    , , ,

    Raising Newstart

    Q. The government has doubled the Newstart allowance to support people out of work for the next six months. When that time expires, which of the following would you prefer to see happen the Newstart allowance?

        Gender Age Group Location
      Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    Maintain the current rate ($560 per week) 24% 24% 24% 32% 27% 15% 26% 21%
    Increase the former rate to equal the single pension amount ($472 per week) 33% 35% 31% 28% 31% 40% 31% 37%
    Return to the former rate ($285 per week) 28% 27% 29% 23% 27% 33% 28% 28%
    Unsure 15% 13% 16% 17% 15% 12% 15% 14%
    Base (n) 1,093 539 554 341 372 380 734 359

     

        Federal Voting Intention
    Total Labor Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    Maintain the current rate ($560 per week) 24% 28% 20% 34% 18%
    Increase the former rate to equal the single pension amount ($472 per week) 33% 38% 31% 38% 36%
    Return to the former rate ($285 per week) 28% 22% 38% 16% 30%
    Unsure 15% 12% 11% 12% 15%
    Base (n) 1,093 325 435 108 114

     

  • Mar, 2020

    , , , ,

    Support for non-permanent residents accessing Australian government support

    Q. You may be aware that non-permanent residents in Australia (such as skilled migrants, New Zealand citizens, people on temporary visas and refugees) are not currently eligible for most government benefits, such as Jobseeker Allowance. Non-permanent residents can’t return to their home countries as Australia has closed its international borders.

    To what extent do you support or oppose, non-permanent residents being able to access Australian government support if they lose their jobs as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak?

        Gender Age Group Location
    Total Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Capital Non-Capital
    Strongly support 25% 26% 24% 29% 27% 20% 27% 22%
    Somewhat support 29% 29% 29% 29% 27% 31% 30% 26%
    Neither support, nor oppose 24% 22% 25% 22% 23% 26% 21% 28%
    Somewhat oppose 12% 12% 12% 12% 10% 13% 12% 12%
    Strongly oppose 10% 11% 10% 8% 13% 10% 10% 11%
    NET: Support 54% 55% 53% 58% 54% 51% 57% 48%
    NET: Oppose 22% 23% 22% 20% 23% 23% 22% 24%
    Base (n) 1,086 539 547 341 362 383 727 359
    • 54% of participants support non-permanent residents accessing Australian government support if they lose their jobs as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.
    • Capital residents are more likely to support this measure than non-capital residents (57% compared to 48%).
Error: