Views towards interstate travel during Covid-19
Q. The federal government recently announced incentives for Australians to travel to tourist destinations in Australia that have been badly affected by the lack of international visitors.
How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
| TOTAL: Agree | TOTAL: Disagree | Strongly agree | Somewhat agree | Neither agree nor disagree | Somewhat disagree | Strongly disagree | |
| As the Brisbane lockdown shows, there’s not much point in the federal government encouraging people to travel to other parts of Australia until the vaccine program has been completed | 57% | 18% | 24% | 33% | 24% | 12% | 6% |
| I would be nervous about booking a trip to another state because it’s impossible to predict if the trip will suddenly be cancelled because of a Covid-19 outbreak | 69% | 14% | 34% | 35% | 17% | 8% | 5% |
| TOTAL: Agree | Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | ||||||||
| Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | TOTAL: Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||||
| As the Brisbane lockdown shows, there’s not much point in the federal government encouraging people to travel to other parts of Australia until the vaccine program has been completed | 57% | 58% | 57% | 51% | 58% | 63% | 60% | 58% | 59% | 56% | ||
| I would be nervous about booking a trip to another state because it’s impossible to predict if the trip will suddenly be cancelled because of a Covid-19 outbreak | 69% | 69% | 69% | 64% | 69% | 75% | 71% | 72% | 72% | 63% | ||
| Base (n) | 1,368 | 669 | 699 | 426 | 460 | 482 | 483 | 471 | 123 | 165 | ||
- The majority (69%) of Australians agree they would be nervous about booking a trip to another state because it’s impossible to predict if the trip will suddenly be cancelled because of a Covid-19 outbreak.
- Most (57%) also agree that as the Brisbane lockdown shows, there’s not much point in the federal government encouraging people to travel to other parts of Australia until the vaccine program has been completed.
- Those over 55 are more likely to agree with these statements than younger cohorts.
Importance of industries
Q. How important are the following industries for providing jobs for Australians into the future?
|
Very important |
Quite important |
Somewhat important |
Not very important |
Don’t know |
|
Very important Feb 2012 |
|
| Construction |
58% |
30% |
9% |
1% |
3% |
|
58% |
| Agriculture |
57% |
27% |
12% |
2% |
3% |
|
– |
| Manufacturing |
55% |
26% |
12% |
4% |
3% |
|
55% |
| Tourism |
53% |
31% |
11% |
3% |
2% |
|
53% |
| Mining |
52% |
29% |
13% |
4% |
2% |
|
64% |
| Retail |
46% |
35% |
14% |
2% |
2% |
|
47% |
| Hospitality |
45% |
37% |
14% |
2% |
2% |
|
46% |
| Finance |
40% |
34% |
19% |
3% |
4% |
|
39% |
| Telecommunications |
37% |
37% |
19% |
4% |
3% |
|
39% |
Respondents regard the construction (58%), agriculture (57%) and manufacturing (55%) industries to be the most important for providing jobs for Australians in the future. These were followed closely by the tourism (53%) and mining (52%) industries.
Since this question was last asked in February 2012, those think mining is very important for future jobs has dropped from 64% to 52%.
Government support for industry
Q. Do you approve or disapprove of governments giving the following types of financial support to these industries?
|
Total approve |
Total disapprove |
|
Strongly approve |
Approve |
Disapprove |
Strongly disapprove |
Don’t know |
|
| Agriculture – drought relief |
83% |
8% |
38% |
45% |
6% |
2% |
8% |
|
| Health care – private health rebate |
72% |
17% |
28% |
44% |
11% |
6% |
11% |
|
| Tourism – development grants |
61% |
22% |
10% |
51% |
16% |
6% |
17% |
|
| Food processing – production subsidies |
55% |
30% |
9% |
46% |
21% |
9% |
16% |
|
| Film – production grants |
46% |
34% |
8% |
38% |
23% |
11% |
20% |
|
| Banks – guaranteeing debt |
36% |
43% |
6% |
30% |
25% |
18% |
20% |
|
| Real estate investment – negative gearing |
35% |
43% |
9% |
26% |
27% |
16% |
22% |
|
| Motor vehicle manufacturing – production subsidies |
36% |
47% |
6% |
30% |
33% |
14% |
17% |
|
| Mining industry – fuel rebate |
26% |
56% |
4% |
22% |
31% |
25% |
17% |
There was majority approval of the Government giving financial support to agriculture (83% approve), health care (72%), tourism (61%) and food processing (55%).
The only issue on which there was majority disapproval was the fuel rebate for the mining industry (56% disapprove).
Labor voters are more likely than Liberal/National voters to approve support for car manufacturing (45% to 32%), food manufacturing (64%/49%), and film production (52%/43%).
Liberal/National voters are more likely than Labor voters to approve support for mining (34% to 24%), health care (81%/71%) and real estate investment (42%/35%).
Trust in industries
Q. How much trust do you have in the following industries to act in the public interest
|
Total a lot/some trust |
A lot of trust |
Some trust |
Not much trust |
No trust at all |
Don’t know |
|
| Agriculture |
72% |
20% |
52% |
18% |
4% |
5% |
| Tourism |
68% |
12% |
56% |
22% |
6% |
5% |
| Manufacturing |
56% |
8% |
48% |
30% |
8% |
7% |
| Construction and development |
48% |
5% |
43% |
33% |
12% |
6% |
| Retail |
47% |
3% |
44% |
38% |
12% |
3% |
| Telecommunications |
37% |
3% |
34% |
41% |
18% |
3% |
| Banking |
33% |
5% |
28% |
36% |
29% |
3% |
| Mining |
32% |
3% |
29% |
35% |
25% |
8% |
| Media |
30% |
2% |
28% |
40% |
27% |
2% |
| Power companies |
18% |
1% |
17% |
37% |
41% |
4% |
The industries most trusted to act in the public interest were agriculture (72% some/a lot of trust), tourism (68%) and manufacturing (56%).
The industries least trusted to act in the public interest were power companies (18%), the media (30%), mining (32%) and banking (33%).
The only industry on which there were major differences was mining where 43% of Liberal/National voters had a lot/some trust compared to only 25% of Labor voters and 17% of Greens voters.
Australian Industries
Q. How much do average Australians benefit from having strong industries in each of the following sectors?
|
Benefit a lot |
Some benefit |
A little benefit |
No benefit |
Don’t know |
|
| Tourism |
45% |
30% |
11% |
4% |
10% |
| Agriculture |
45% |
29% |
12% |
4% |
11% |
| Construction |
44% |
32% |
11% |
3% |
10% |
| Mining |
44% |
31% |
10% |
4% |
11% |
| Manufacturing |
44% |
30% |
11% |
4% |
10% |
| Retail |
40% |
34% |
11% |
5% |
10% |
| Hospitality |
36% |
36% |
13% |
4% |
10% |
| Finance |
34% |
34% |
15% |
5% |
11% |
| Telecommunications |
31% |
36% |
17% |
5% |
11% |
Over 40% of respondents think the average Australian benefits a lot from having strong industries in tourism (45%), agriculture (45%), construction (44%), mining (44%) and manufacturing (44%).
Major demographic differences were –
60% of aged 55+ think there is a lot of benefit from manufacturing
62% of aged 55+ and 50% of Labor voters think there is a lot of benefit from construction
53% of aged 45-64 think there is a lot of benefit from retail
60% of aged 55+ and 52% of Labor voters think there is a lot of benefit from tourism
58% of aged 55+ and 48% of Coalition voters think there is a lot of benefit from mining
57% of aged 55+ think there is a lot of benefit from agriculture
Impact of Dollar on Industry
Q. The Australian dollar is now at $1.05 US and has been historically higher than the normal range of 60c-80c US. Is the high Australian dollar good or bad for the following industries?
|
Total good |
Total bad |
Very good |
Good |
Neither good nor bad |
Bad |
Very bad |
Don’t know |
|
| Mining industry |
29% |
29% |
10% |
19% |
20% |
24% |
5% |
22% |
| Farming & Grazing Industry |
16% |
49% |
4% |
12% |
16% |
36% |
13% |
19% |
| Finance Industry |
38% |
15% |
9% |
29% |
25% |
12% |
3% |
21% |
| Construction Industry |
24% |
26% |
4% |
20% |
28% |
22% |
4% |
23% |
| Manufacturing industry |
15% |
50% |
3% |
12% |
14% |
29% |
21% |
20% |
| Retail Industry |
23% |
47% |
6% |
17% |
14% |
30% |
17% |
16% |
| Australian Tourism Industry |
20% |
56% |
8% |
12% |
10% |
31% |
25% |
14% |
Overall, respondents think that the high Australian dollar has only been good for the finance industry (38% good/15% bad).
They believe that it has been particularly bad for the tourism industry (20% good/56% bad), the manufacturing industry (15%/50%), the farming and grazing industry (16%/49%) and the retail industry (23%/47%)
On the mining industry, they were split 29% good/29% bad.
Importance of Industries for Providing Jobs
Q. How important are the following industries for providing jobs for Australians into the future?
| Very important | Quite important | Somewhat important | Not very important | Don’t know | |
| Mining | 64% | 24% | 7% | 2% | 3% |
| Construction | 58% | 30% | 9% | 0% | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 55% | 29% | 12% | 2% | 2% |
| Tourism | 53% | 33% | 11% | 1% | 2% |
| Retail | 47% | 35% | 13% | 2% | 2% |
| Hospitality | 46% | 38% | 12% | 1% | 3% |
| Finance | 39% | 38% | 18% | 3% | 3% |
| Telecommunications | 39% | 37% | 18% | 3% | 3% |
Respondents regard the mining (64%), construction (58%) and manufacturing (55%) industries to be the most important for providing jobs for Australians in the future.
This was followed closely by the tourism (53%), retail (47%) and hospitality (46%) industries.
The finance (39%) and telecommunications (39%) industries are the most likely to be seen as only ‘somewhat important’ (18%) for providing jobs.
Australian Industries
Q. Thinking about Australian industries, how would you rate the current state of the following industries?
| Total good | Total poor | Very good | Good | Poor | Very poor | |
| Mining | 85% | 15% | 76% | 9% | 2% | 13% |
| Construction | 77% | 23% | 47% | 30% | 7% | 16% |
| Hospitality | 81% | 19% | 46% | 35% | 7% | 12% |
| Tourism | 81% | 19% | 45% | 36% | 7% | 12% |
| Finance | 76% | 24% | 44% | 32% | 8% | 16% |
| Telecommunications | 78% | 22% | 43% | 35% | 11% | 11% |
| Media | 72% | 28% | 38% | 34% | 12% | 16% |
| Agriculture | 75% | 25% | 36% | 39% | 9% | 16% |
| Retail | 75% | 25% | 26% | 49% | 16% | 9% |
| Manufacturing | 62% | 38% | 19% | 43% | 22% | 16% |
76% rate the state of the mining industry as very good – the only industry to score above 50%. However at least 75% think all other industries except manufacturing are in a very good or good state.
Only 19% rate manufacturing as very good – and 38% rate it poor or very poor.
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
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Two Party Preferred:
In this week's report:
- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Federal Budget expectations
- Most important areas for increased funding
- Economy: Direct investment vs trickle-down approach
- Priority for the upcoming budget
- Indicators of whether the Australian economy is in a good or poor state
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