The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Oct, 2021

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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 25/10 11/10 27/09 13/09 30/08 16/08 02/08 19/07 05/07 07/06 24/05 12/04 15/03
    NSW 57% 55% 53% 46% 40% 42% 47% 54% 57% 69% 68% 73% 75%
    VIC 43% 46% 44% 50% 44% 56% 54% 49% 50% 48% 63% 58% 62%
    QLD 59% 68% 62% 65% 67% 66% 60% 62% 61% 65% 68% 72% 75%
    SA 66% 67% 55% 67% 76% 68% 73% 68% 67% 67% 71% 75% 85%
    WA 78% 80% 82% 87% 78% 87% 82% 77% 86% 75% 77% 84% 91%
    • Positive rating of the state government’s response to Covid-19 in NSW continues to increase (now 57%, up from 40% in August).
    • Compared to earlier this month, positive rating has remained at a similar level in SA and WA, and decreased in VIC and most notably in QLD (now 59%, from 68%). This is the lowest rating in Queensland this year.
  • Mar, 2021

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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 15/03 01/03 15/02 01/02 30/11 16/11 02/11 05/10 21/09 07/09 24/08 10/08 27/07
    NSW 75% 72% 72% 71% 76% 75% 68% 65% 67% 57% 59% 61% 62%
    VIC 62% 49% 59% 61% 60% 59% 55% 45% 47% 50% 47% 49% 53%
    QLD 75% 73% 76% 78% 72% 71% 69% 69% 68% 66% 73% 68% 67%
    SA 85% 78% 79% 80% 70% 76% 77% 81% 81% 74% 65% 72% 76%
    WA 91% 85% 88% 80% 83% 82% 81% 83% 84% 87% 84% 86% 82%
    • Positive rating of state governments’ response to the Covid-19 outbreak has increased in all states since earlier this month.
    • Notably, the rating of the VIC government has risen to 62% (from 49% earlier in March). This is the highest rating in the last six months.
    • Positive rating of the WA and SA governments have also increased to 91% and 85% respectively (from 85% and 73% mid last month). This rating of the WA government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak is the highest seen for any state government to date.
    • Rating of the NSW and QLD governments remain stable at 75% respectively.
  • Feb, 2021

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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 15/02 01/02 30/11 16/11 02/11 05/10 21/09 07/09 24/08 10/08 27/07 13/07
    NSW 72% 71% 76% 75% 68% 65% 67% 57% 59% 61% 62% 63%
    VIC 59% 61% 60% 59% 55% 45% 47% 50% 47% 49% 53% 49%
    QLD 76% 78% 72% 71% 69% 69% 68% 66% 73% 68% 67% 69%
    SA 79% 80% 70% 76% 77% 81% 81% 74% 65% 72% 76% 79%
    WA 88% 80% 83% 82% 81% 83% 84% 87% 84% 86% 82% 77%
    • As Victoria entered a snap 5-day lockdown, the rating of the VIC government dropped to 59% (from 61% earlier this month).
    • Positive rating of the WA government has increased to 88% (from 80% earlier this month). This is the highest rating in the last six months.
    • Positive rating of the QLD government has fallen slightly to 76% (from 78% earlier this month). Ratings of the NSW and SA government remain virtually unchanged at 72% and 79% respectively.
  • Feb, 2021

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    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.
  • 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 21/09 07/09 24/08 10/08 27/07 13/07 22/06 15/06 08/06 01/06 25/05
    NSW 67% 57% 59% 61% 62% 63% 70% 65% 67% 62% 65%
    VIC 47% 50% 47% 49% 53% 49% 65% 75% 72% 71% 73%
    QLD 68% 66% 73% 68% 67% 69% 64% 67% 68% 69% 74%
    SA 81% 74% 65% 72% 76% 79% 79% 76% 79% 70% 84%
    WA 84% 87% 84% 86% 82% 77% 75% 77% 84% 79% 83%
    • Positive rating of the NSW Government has rebounded this week, with 67% rating the performance as very or quite good, up from 7% earlier in August.
    • Positive rating of the Victorian Government remains steady at 47% over the past two weeks.
  • Sep, 2020

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    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.
  • Sep, 2020

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    Change in Working together

    Q. And, how do you think your State or Territory government and the Federal government are working together now compared to earlier in the pandemic?

      Total   State
      NSW VIC QLD SA WA
    A lot better 13% 14% 10% 14% 16% 14%
    A little better 27% 32% 28% 25% 26% 16%
    No better or worse 30% 30% 26% 31% 33% 33%
    A little worse 15% 14% 20% 14% 12% 19%
    A lot worse 7% 6% 12% 8% 4% 5%
    Unsure 6% 5% 4% 8% 10% 12%
    TOTAL: Better 41% 46% 38% 39% 41% 31%
    TOTAL: Worse 23% 20% 32% 22% 16% 24%
    Base (n) 1,076 352 275 215 88 99
    • Overall, most people believe the working relationship between the Federal and their state government has improved (41%) or stayed the same (30%) during the pandemic. 25% think the relationship between the governments has deteriorated.
    • Victorians are most likely to think the relationship between the Federal and state governments has got worse (32%).
  • Sep, 2020

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    State and Federal governments working together on specific issues

    Q. How well do you think your State or Territory government and the Federal government are working together on the following issues?

      Total   State
    TOTAL: Working well together NSW VIC QLD SA WA
    To minimise the spread of Covid-19 within aged care facilities 51% 49% 42% 58% 58% 50%
    To maintain interstate trade and ensure shops and supermarkets are fully stocked 68% 64% 66% 65% 77% 75%
    The promotion of tourism and travel within states 52% 54% 37% 57% 67% 59%
    To manage a safe environment in schools and childcare facilities for children and staff 67% 65% 61% 71% 73% 74%
    To control the spread of Covid-19 across state borders 68% 67% 65% 67% 81% 68%
    Base (n) 1,076 352 275 215 88 99
    • Around two-thirds think their state and Federal governments are working well together to address the issues of inter-state infections (68%), Trade and supply (68%) and education (67%). While half think they are working well together to minimise the spread in aged-care facilities (51%) and promoting inter-state travel (52%).
    • Victorians have the lowest rating of the relationship – particularly for issues of aged care facilities (42% say Federal and state governments are working well together) and interstate travel (37%).
    NSW TOTAL: Well TOTAL: Poorly Very well Quite well Quite poorly Very poorly Unsure
    To minimise the spread of Covid-19 within aged care facilities 49% 42% 18% 31% 25% 17% 9%
    To maintain interstate trade and ensure shops and supermarkets are fully stocked 64% 27% 19% 45% 18% 9% 9%
    The promotion of tourism and travel within states 54% 33% 18% 36% 21% 12% 13%
    To manage a safe environment in schools and childcare facilities for children and staff 65% 26% 19% 45% 17% 9% 10%
    To control the spread of Covid-19 across state borders 67% 29% 22% 45% 18% 10% 4%

     

    VIC TOTAL: Well TOTAL: Poorly Very well Quite well Quite poorly Very poorly Unsure
    To minimise the spread of Covid-19 within aged care facilities 42% 51% 10% 32% 31% 20% 7%
    To maintain interstate trade and ensure shops and supermarkets are fully stocked 66% 29% 18% 48% 19% 9% 6%
    The promotion of tourism and travel within states 37% 42% 11% 26% 27% 15% 21%
    To manage a safe environment in schools and childcare facilities for children and staff 61% 30% 14% 47% 22% 8% 9%
    To control the spread of Covid-19 across state borders 65% 29% 20% 45% 19% 10% 6%

     

    QLD TOTAL: Well TOTAL: Poorly Very well Quite well Quite poorly Very poorly Unsure
    To minimise the spread of Covid-19 within aged care facilities 58% 33% 17% 41% 20% 13% 9%
    To maintain interstate trade and ensure shops and supermarkets are fully stocked 65% 25% 19% 45% 17% 8% 10%
    The promotion of tourism and travel within states 57% 28% 18% 39% 21% 8% 15%
    To manage a safe environment in schools and childcare facilities for children and staff 71% 20% 15% 56% 12% 8% 9%
    To control the spread of Covid-19 across state borders 67% 29% 23% 44% 19% 10% 4%

     

    SA TOTAL: Well TOTAL: Poorly Very well Quite well Quite poorly Very poorly Unsure
    To minimise the spread of Covid-19 within aged care facilities 58% 32% 17% 41% 14% 18% 10%
    To maintain interstate trade and ensure shops and supermarkets are fully stocked 77% 11% 16% 61% 7% 3% 12%
    The promotion of tourism and travel within states 67% 16% 16% 51% 9% 7% 18%
    To manage a safe environment in schools and childcare facilities for children and staff 73% 16% 21% 52% 10% 6% 11%
    To control the spread of Covid-19 across state borders 81% 14% 33% 48% 8% 6% 5%

     

    WA TOTAL: Well TOTAL: Poorly Very well Quite well Quite poorly Very poorly Unsure
    To minimise the spread of Covid-19 within aged care facilities 50% 35% 19% 30% 22% 13% 16%
    To maintain interstate trade and ensure shops and supermarkets are fully stocked 75% 17% 24% 51% 13% 4% 8%
    The promotion of tourism and travel within states 59% 28% 22% 36% 22% 6% 13%
    To manage a safe environment in schools and childcare facilities for children and staff 74% 17% 18% 56% 14% 4% 9%
    To control the spread of Covid-19 across state borders 68% 24% 28% 40% 16% 8% 8%
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