Performance of Scott Morrison
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Scott Morrison is doing as Prime Minister?
Apr’20 | Mar’20 | Feb’20 | Jan’20 | Dec’19 | Nov’19 | Oct’19 | Sep’19 | Aug’19 | Jul’19 | |
NET: Approve | 59% | 41% | 39% | 40% | 45% | 45% | 47% | 49% | 48% | 48% |
NET: Disapprove | 31% | 49% | 52% | 52% | 43% | 41% | 38% | 36% | 37% | 34% |
Don’t know | 10% | 10% | 9% | 8% | 13% | 13% | 15% | 15% | 16% | 18% |
Base (n) | 1,069 | 1,096 | 1,056 | 1,081 | 1,035 | 1,075 | 1,088 | 1,093 | 1,096 | 1,091 |
Total | Federal Voting Intention | ||||
Labor | Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | ||
Strongly approve | 20% | 8% | 45% | 2% | 9% |
Approve | 39% | 37% | 42% | 27% | 39% |
Disapprove | 20% | 27% | 8% | 33% | 27% |
Strongly disapprove | 11% | 18% | 2% | 22% | 15% |
Don’t know | 10% | 10% | 4% | 15% | 10% |
NET: Approve | 59% | 46% | 87% | 30% | 49% |
NET: Disapprove | 31% | 45% | 10% | 56% | 42% |
Base (n) | 1,069 | 333 | 387 | 102 | 122 |
- The Prime Minister’s approval rating has jumped up in the past month from 46% to 59% – the highest approval rating recorded for Scott Morrison.
- The proportion of people strongly approving of the job he’s doing has increased from 11% to 20%, while those strongly disapproving has gone down from 26% to 11%.
- Approval of the Prime Minister among Labor voters is up (from 19% to 46%) and Greens voters (from 16% to 30%). While support has strengthened among his own voter base, with Coalition voters more likely to strongly approve of him (23% to 45%).
Preferred Prime Minister
Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese?
Apr’20 | Mar’20 | Feb’20 | Jan’20 | Nov’19 | Oct’19 | Sep’19 | Aug’19 | Jul’19 | Jun’19 | |
Scott Morrison | 46% | 40% | 36% | 36% | 44% | 43% | 46% | 44% | 44% | 43% |
Anthony Albanese | 27% | 35% | 36% | 39% | 28% | 28% | 25% | 28% | 26% | 25% |
Don’t know | 27% | 25% | 28% | 25% | 29% | 29% | 29% | 28% | 31% | 32% |
Base (n) | 1,069 | 1,096 | 1,056 | 1,081 | 1,075 | 1,088 | 1,093 | 1,096 | 1,091 | 1,099 |
Federal Voting Intention | |||||
Total | Labor | Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | |
Scott Morrison | 46% | 25% | 83% | 16% | 43% |
Anthony Albanese | 27% | 47% | 8% | 50% | 21% |
Don’t know | 27% | 28% | 9% | 34% | 37% |
Base (n) | 1,069 | 333 | 387 | 102 | 122 |
- 46% of participants believe that Scott Morrison would make a better PM than Anthony Albanese (27%). Around a quarter (25%) of participants don’t know who would make the better PM.
- A quarter of Labor voters believe Scott Morrison to make the better PM compared to Albanese (25%), up from 13% in March).
Performance of Scott Morrison
Q Do you approve or disapprove of the job Scott Morrison is doing as Prime Minister?
Mar’20 | Feb’20 | Jan’20 | Dec’19 | Nov’19 | Oct’19 | Sep’19 | Aug’19 | Jul’19 | |
NET: Approve | 41% | 39% | 40% | 45% | 45% | 47% | 49% | 48% | 48% |
NET: Disapprove | 49% | 52% | 52% | 43% | 41% | 38% | 36% | 37% | 34% |
Don’t know | 10% | 9% | 8% | 13% | 13% | 15% | 15% | 16% | 18% |
Base (n) | 1,096 | 1,056 | 1,081 | 1,035 | 1,075 | 1,088 | 1,093 | 1,096 | 1,091 |
Total | Federal Voting Intention | ||||
Labor | Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | ||
Strongly approve | 11% | 4% | 23% | 1% | 9% |
Approve | 31% | 15% | 54% | 14% | 29% |
Disapprove | 23% | 31% | 16% | 23% | 26% |
Strongly disapprove | 26% | 44% | 3% | 56% | 30% |
Don’t know | 10% | 7% | 4% | 5% | 7% |
NET: Approve | 41% | 19% | 77% | 16% | 38% |
NET: Disapprove | 49% | 75% | 19% | 79% | 55% |
Base (n) | 1,096 | 347 | 359 | 92 | 171 |
- The Prime Minister’s approval rating is now at 41% and still has not recovered following the fall from 45% at the end of last year.
- Now 49% disapprove of his performance, which shows no change from January (52%).
- However, the PM’s approval rating among Coalition voters remains high, 77% approval (78% in Feb’20).
Preferred Prime Minister
Q Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese?
Mar’20 | Feb’20 | Jan’20 | Nov’19 | Oct’19 | Sep’19 | Aug’19 | Jul’19 | Jun’19 | |
Scott Morrison | 40% | 36% | 36% | 44% | 43% | 46% | 44% | 44% | 43% |
Anthony Albanese | 35% | 36% | 39% | 28% | 28% | 25% | 28% | 26% | 25% |
Don’t know | 25% | 28% | 25% | 29% | 29% | 29% | 28% | 31% | 32% |
Base (n) | 1,096 | 1,056 | 1,081 | 1,075 | 1,088 | 1,093 | 1,096 | 1,091 | 1,099 |
Federal Voting Intention | |||||
Total | Labor | Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | |
Scott Morrison | 40% | 13% | 78% | 15% | 38% |
Anthony Albanese | 35% | 66% | 11% | 58% | 23% |
Don’t know | 25% | 21% | 12% | 27% | 39% |
Base (n) | 1,096 | 347 | 359 | 92 | 171 |
- 40% of participants believe that Scott Morrison would make a better PM than Anthony Albanese (35%).
- Three-quarters (78%) of Coalition voters prefer Morrison whereas 66% of Labor voters prefer Albanese.
- A quarter (25%) of participants don’t know who would make the better PM.
Performance of Scott Morrison
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Scott Morrison is doing as Prime Minister?
Feb’20 | Jan’20 | Dec’19 | Nov’19 | Oct’19 | Sep’19 | Aug’19 | Jul’19 | |
NET: Approve | 39% | 40% | 45% | 45% | 47% | 49% | 48% | 48% |
NET: Disapprove | 52% | 52% | 43% | 41% | 38% | 36% | 37% | 34% |
Don’t know | 9% | 8% | 13% | 13% | 15% | 15% | 16% | 18% |
Base (n) | 1,056 | 1,081 | 1,035 | 1,075 | 1,088 | 1,093 | 1,096 | 1,091 |
Total | Federal Voting Intention | ||||
Labor | Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | ||
Strongly approve | 10% | 3% | 24% | 1% | 8% |
Approve | 28% | 16% | 54% | 9% | 17% |
Disapprove | 24% | 33% | 12% | 25% | 28% |
Strongly disapprove | 28% | 40% | 5% | 60% | 36% |
Don’t know | 9% | 8% | 5% | 5% | 11% |
NET: Approve | 39% | 19% | 78% | 10% | 25% |
NET: Disapprove | 52% | 74% | 17% | 84% | 64% |
Base (n) | 1,056 | 354 | 320 | 113 | 155 |
- The Prime Minister’s approval rating is at 39%. It has not recovered following the fall from 45% at the end of last year to 40% in January.
- Still 52% disapprove of his performance, which shows no change from January (52%).
- However, the PM’s approval rating among Coalition voters remains high, 78% approval (79% in Jan’20).
Preferred Prime Minister
Q. Who do you think would make the better Prime Minister out of Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese?
Feb’20 | Jan’20 | Nov’19 | Oct’19 | Sep’19 | Aug’19 | Jul’19 | Jun’19 | |
Scott Morrison | 36% | 36% | 44% | 43% | 46% | 44% | 44% | 43% |
Anthony Albanese | 36% | 39% | 28% | 28% | 25% | 28% | 26% | 25% |
Don’t know | 28% | 25% | 29% | 29% | 29% | 28% | 31% | 32% |
Base (n) | 1,056 | 1,081 | 1,075 | 1,088 | 1,093 | 1,096 | 1,091 | 1,099 |
Federal Voting Intention | |||||
Total | Labor | Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | |
Scott Morrison | 36% | 14% | 77% | 5% | 31% |
Anthony Albanese | 36% | 64% | 12% | 58% | 24% |
Don’t know | 28% | 23% | 11% | 37% | 45% |
Base (n) | 1,056 | 354 | 320 | 113 | 155 |
- Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese are considered equally capable of being Prime Minister (both 36%).
- 28% are unsure who would make the better PM.
Performance of Scott Morrison
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the job Scott Morrison is doing as Prime Minister?
Jan’20 | Dec’19 | Nov’19 | Oct’19 | Sep’19 | Aug’19 | Jul’19 | |
NET: Approve | 40% | 45% | 45% | 47% | 49% | 48% | 48% |
NET: Disapprove | 52% | 43% | 41% | 38% | 36% | 37% | 34% |
Don’t know | 8% | 13% | 13% | 15% | 15% | 16% | 18% |
Base (n) | 1,081 | 1,035 | 1,075 | 1,088 | 1,093 | 1,096 | 1,091 |
Total | Federal Voting Intention | ||||
Labor | Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | ||
Strongly approve | 11% | 4% | 25% | 4% | 5% |
Approve | 28% | 12% | 54% | 16% | 23% |
Disapprove | 20% | 26% | 11% | 22% | 25% |
Strongly disapprove | 32% | 52% | 6% | 51% | 38% |
Don’t know | 8% | 7% | 4% | 7% | 10% |
NET: Approve | 40% | 16% | 79% | 20% | 28% |
NET: Disapprove | 52% | 77% | 17% | 73% | 63% |
Base (n) | 1,081 | 349 | 372 | 106 | 148 |
- The Prime Minister’s approval rating has decreased from 45% last year to 40% this year.
- 52% disapprove of his performance in January, up from 43%. This has been driven by an increase those who strongly disapprove – up from 22% in December to 32%.
- The PM’s approval rating among Coalition voters remains consistent with 79% approval (on par with 82% approval last month).
- He has lost approval among Labor voters, among whom strongly disapprove has increased from 36% in December to 52%.
Preferred Prime Minister
Q. Who do you think would makes the better Prime Minister out of Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese?
Jan’20 | Nov’19 | Oct’19 | Sep’19 | Aug’19 | Jul’19 | Jun’19 | |
Scott Morrison | 36% | 44% | 43% | 46% | 44% | 44% | 43% |
Anthony Albanese | 39% | 28% | 28% | 25% | 28% | 26% | 25% |
Don’t know | 25% | 29% | 29% | 29% | 28% | 31% | 32% |
Base (n) | 1,081 | 1,075 | 1,088 | 1,093 | 1,096 | 1,091 | 1,099 |
- For the first time since becoming leader of the Labor party, more people consider Anthony Albanese more capable of being PM than Scott Morrison. 39% think Albanese would be the better PM, compared to 36% for Morrison.
- A 6pt drop from November for Morrison has coincided with an 11pt increase for Albanese.
- A quarter (25%) don’t know who would make the better PM between the two.

COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Essential Report
In this week's report:
- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Views towards re-electing the federal Coalition government
- Party trust to handle issues
- Importance of Australia’s international reputation
- Scott Morrison’s impact on Australia’s international reputation
- Views towards Australia’s international reputation
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