Essential Report
Attitudes towards the tracing app
Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with these statements about the suggested COVIDSafe app?
TOTAL: Agree | TOTAL: Disagree | Strongly agree | Somewhat agree | Neither agree, nor disagree | Somewhat disagree | Strongly disagree | |
This app would help limit the spread of Covid-19 | 55% | 20% | 20% | 34% | 25% | 11% | 9% |
This app would speed up the removal of physical distancing restrictions | 48% | 21% | 15% | 33% | 31% | 14% | 7% |
I would be concerned with the security of my personal data if this app was on my phone | 47% | 29% | 23% | 24% | 24% | 17% | 12% |
I’m confident the government will adequately protect any data it collects about me via the app | 45% | 31% | 18% | 27% | 24% | 17% | 13% |
I’m confident the government will not misuse any data it collects about me via the app | 44% | 29% | 18% | 27% | 26% | 16% | 13% |
I would be comfortable being in close contact with others who didn’t have the app | 39% | 25% | 13% | 26% | 37% | 16% | 9% |
TOTAL: Agree | Gender | Age Group | ||||
Total | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | |
This app would help limit the spread of Covid-19 | 55% | 55% | 54% | 49% | 51% | 63% |
This app would speed up the removal of physical distancing restrictions | 48% | 50% | 47% | 45% | 48% | 51% |
I would be concerned with the security of my personal data if this app was on my phone | 47% | 47% | 47% | 49% | 54% | 39% |
I’m confident the government will adequately protect any data it collects about me via the app | 45% | 47% | 44% | 42% | 44% | 49% |
I’m confident the government will not misuse any data it collects about me via the app | 44% | 45% | 43% | 39% | 42% | 51% |
I would be comfortable being in close contact with others who didn’t have the app | 39% | 42% | 36% | 40% | 41% | 35% |
Base (n) | 1,067 | 532 | 535 | 341 | 341 | 385 |
TOTAL: Agree | Federal Voting Intention | |||
Labor | Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | |
This app would help limit the spread of Covid-19 | 55% | 64% | 44% | 44% |
This app would speed up the removal of physical distancing restrictions | 47% | 57% | 40% | 37% |
I would be concerned with the security of my personal data if this app was on my phone | 54% | 38% | 53% | 57% |
I’m confident the government will adequately protect any data it collects about me via the app | 43% | 58% | 25% | 35% |
I’m confident the government will not misuse any data it collects about me via the app | 40% | 56% | 33% | 33% |
I would be comfortable being in close contact with others who didn’t have the app | 43% | 40% | 31% | 44% |
Base (n) | 306 | 418 | 86 | 143 |
- Less than half agree that they are confident the government will adequately protect any data it collects (45%) and not misuse that data (44%).
- 55% agree the app would help limit the spread of Covid-19, 48% agree it would speed up the removal of physical distancing restrictions and 39% would be comfortable being in close contact with others who don’t have the app.
- 47% are concerned with the security of their personal data if this app was on their phone.
Attitudes towards the tracing app
Q. The Federal Government is developing an app to trace people who test positive for Covid-19 have been in contact with. The app wouldn’t track your location, but it would use Bluetooth to record any other phones around you who also had had this app. If you then tested positive for Covid-19, an identifier would allow government officials to find anyone else who may have been exposed Covid-19.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with these statements about the suggested Covid-19 tracing app?
NET: Agree | NET: Disagree | Strongly agree | Somewhat agree | Neither agree nor disagree | Somewhat disagree | Strongly disagree | |
I would be concerned with the security of my personal data if this app was on my phone | 57% | 22% | 28% | 28% | 21% | 14% | 8% |
This app would help limit the spread of Covid-19 | 53% | 18% | 20% | 33% | 29% | 10% | 8% |
This app would speed up the removal of physical distancing restrictions | 46% | 20% | 14% | 32% | 34% | 11% | 9% |
I’m confident the government will adequately protect any data it collects about me via the app | 41% | 30% | 12% | 29% | 29% | 14% | 16% |
I would download this app onto my mobile phone | 40% | 32% | 17% | 23% | 28% | 12% | 20% |
NET: Agree | Voting Intention | ||||
Total | Labor | NET: Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | |
I would be concerned with the security of my personal data if this app was on my phone | 57% | 64% | 48% | 60% | 66% |
This app would help limit the spread of Covid-19 | 53% | 49% | 63% | 52% | 45% |
This app would speed up the removal of physical distancing restrictions | 46% | 44% | 54% | 43% | 33% |
I’m confident the government will adequately protect any data it collects about me via the app | 41% | 35% | 53% | 31% | 33% |
I would download this app onto my mobile phone | 40% | 36% | 47% | 45% | 29% |
Base (n) | 1,054 | 327 | 402 | 93 | 129 |
- 57% of participants agree that they would be concerned with the security of their personal data if this app was on my phone and 40% agree that they would download the app.
- 53% agree that the app would help limit the spread of Covid-19 and another 46% agree that the app would speed up the removal of physical distancing restrictions.
- Only 41% agree that they are confident that the government will adequately protect any data it collects about via the app.
- Broadly, Coalition voters are more likely to agree with positive statements about the app and its data security.

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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