Essential Report
State government response to Covid-19
Q. How would you rate your state government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| TOTAL: Good | 02/11 | 05/10 | 21/09 | 07/09 | 24/08 | 10/08 | 27/07 | 13/07 | 22/06 | 15/06 | 08/06 | 01/06 |
| NSW | 68% | 65% | 67% | 57% | 59% | 61% | 62% | 63% | 70% | 65% | 67% | 62% |
| VIC | 55% | 45% | 47% | 50% | 47% | 49% | 53% | 49% | 65% | 75% | 72% | 71% |
| QLD | 69% | 69% | 68% | 66% | 73% | 68% | 67% | 69% | 64% | 67% | 68% | 69% |
| SA | 77% | 81% | 81% | 74% | 65% | 72% | 76% | 79% | 79% | 76% | 79% | 70% |
| WA | 81% | 83% | 84% | 87% | 84% | 86% | 82% | 77% | 75% | 77% | 84% | 79% |
- Positive rating of the NSW Government has increased again this week, now at 68%, up from 57% in September and to high ratings seen in June.
- Following the easing of lockdown restrictions and low numbers of new community transmissions, positive ratings in Victoria have increased 10%pts from 45% last month to 55%. This is the highest ratings have been in Victoria since June.
State government response to Covid-19
Q. How would you rate your state government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| TOTAL: Good | 05/10 | 21/09 | 07/09 | 24/08 | 10/08 | 27/07 | 13/07 | 22/06 | 15/06 | 08/06 | 01/06 |
| NSW | 65% | 67% | 57% | 59% | 61% | 62% | 63% | 70% | 65% | 67% | 62% |
| VIC | 45% | 47% | 50% | 47% | 49% | 53% | 49% | 65% | 75% | 72% | 71% |
| QLD | 69% | 68% | 66% | 73% | 68% | 67% | 69% | 64% | 67% | 68% | 69% |
| SA | 81% | 81% | 74% | 65% | 72% | 76% | 79% | 79% | 76% | 79% | 70% |
| WA | 83% | 84% | 87% | 84% | 86% | 82% | 77% | 75% | 77% | 84% | 79% |
- Positive rating of the NSW Government was steady this week (65% rating the performance as good, compared to 67% last month).
- Rating of state government performance was also steady in Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.
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.
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.
State Government response to Covid-19
Q. How would you rate your state government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| TOTAL: Good | 24/08 | 10/08 | 27/07 | 13/07 | 22/06 | 15/06 | 08/06 | 01/06 | 25/05 | 18/05 | 11/05 |
| NSW | 59% | 61% | 62% | 63% | 70% | 65% | 67% | 62% | 65% | 70% | 70% |
| VIC | 47% | 49% | 53% | 49% | 65% | 75% | 72% | 71% | 73% | 71% | 71% |
| QLD | 73% | 68% | 67% | 69% | 64% | 67% | 68% | 69% | 74% | 66% | 70% |
| SA | 65% | 72% | 76% | 79% | 79% | 76% | 79% | 70% | 84% | 80% | 78% |
| WA | 84% | 86% | 82% | 77% | 75% | 77% | 84% | 79% | 83% | 86% | 83% |
- Positive rating of the NSW Government’s handling of the crisis moved -2%pts this week to 59%, this is down from a peak of 70% in June.
- Positive rating of the Victorian Government also moved -2%pts this week (to 47%). This is consistent with ratings since the outbreak in Victoria in July.
- Western Australia (84%) have the highest state government ratings for handling the crisis.
| VICTORIA ONLY | 24/08 | 10/08 | 27/07 | 13/07 | 22/06 | 15/06 | 08/06 | 01/06 | 25/05 | 18/05 | 11/05 |
| Very poor | 15% | 16% | 13% | 14% | 8% | 6% | 6% | 4% | 3% | 3% | 4% |
| Quite poor | 20% | 14% | 17% | 12% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 7% | 9% | 10% | 11% |
| Neither good, nor poor | 17% | 21% | 17% | 25% | 22% | 13% | 16% | 17% | 16% | 15% | 15% |
| Quite good | 29% | 28% | 34% | 32% | 38% | 39% | 38% | 39% | 37% | 38% | 34% |
| Very good | 18% | 21% | 19% | 17% | 26% | 36% | 34% | 33% | 36% | 33% | 37% |
| TOTAL: Poor | 36% | 30% | 30% | 26% | 13% | 11% | 12% | 11% | 11% | 14% | 14% |
| TOTAL: Good | 47% | 49% | 53% | 49% | 65% | 75% | 72% | 71% | 73% | 71% | 71% |
| Base (n) | 275 | 499 | 239 | 281 | 261 | 275 | 275 | 275 | 275 | 267 | 275 |
State Government response to Covid-19
Q. How would you rate your state government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| TOTAL: Very/Quite good | 10/08 | 27/07 | 13/07 | 22/06 | 15/06 | 08/06 | 01/06 | 25/05 | 18/05 | 11/05 | 04/05 |
| New South Wales | 61% | 62% | 63% | 70% | 65% | 67% | 62% | 65% | 70% | 70% | 68% |
| Victoria | 49% | 53% | 49% | 67% | 75% | 72% | 71% | 73% | 71% | 71% | 72% |
| Queensland | 68% | 67% | 69% | 64% | 67% | 68% | 69% | 74% | 66% | 70% | 65% |
- Since the start of the outbreak in Victoria last month, the Victorian state government rating has been the lowest of the three most populous states with around half (49% this week) saying the Victorian Government is doing a Very good, or quite good job responding to Covid-19.
- New South Wales has also seen a decrease in rating, moving from 70% in June to 61% this week.
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.
State Government response to Covid-19
Q. How would you rate your state government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak?
| 08/06 | 01/06 | 25/05 | 18/05 | 11/05 | 04/05 | 27/04 | 20/04 | |
| Very poor | 4% | 6% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 5% |
| Quite poor | 7% | 6% | 7% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 9% | 9% |
| Neither good, nor poor | 17% | 20% | 17% | 17% | 16% | 18% | 17% | 20% |
| Quite good | 39% | 38% | 38% | 39% | 39% | 38% | 41% | 39% |
| Very good | 32% | 30% | 35% | 33% | 34% | 31% | 30% | 26% |
| TOTAL: Poor | 11% | 12% | 11% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 14% |
| TOTAL: Good | 71% | 68% | 73% | 72% | 73% | 70% | 70% | 66% |
| Base (n) | 1,073 | 1,059 | 1,087 | 1,073 | 1,067 | 1,093 | 1,054 | 1,051 |
| State | |||||||
| Total | NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | ||
| Very poor | 4% | 2% | 6% | 3% | 3% | 4% | |
| Quite poor | 7% | 10% | 6% | 9% | 6% | 2% | |
| Neither good, nor poor | 17% | 21% | 16% | 20% | 12% | 9% | |
| Quite good | 39% | 44% | 38% | 38% | 39% | 32% | |
| Very good | 32% | 23% | 34% | 29% | 40% | 52% | |
| TOTAL: Poor | 11% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 8% | 6% | |
| TOTAL: Good | 71% | 67% | 72% | 68% | 79% | 84% | |
| Base (n) | 1,073 | 336 | 275 | 214 | 85 | 108 | |
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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