Biggest barrier to the Covid-19 vaccine rollout in Australia
Q. Which of the following do you think is currently the biggest barrier to the Covid-19 vaccine rollout in Australia?
Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | |||||||
Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | TOTAL: Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||
Unwillingness among people who are eligible for a Covid-19 vaccine to get vaccinated | 48% | 50% | 47% | 43% | 44% | 57% | 41% | 60% | 30% | 52% |
A shortage of supply of Covid-19 vaccines for people who are eligible and willing to get vaccinated | 52% | 50% | 53% | 57% | 56% | 43% | 59% | 40% | 70% | 48% |
Base (n) | 1,100 | 539 | 561 | 341 | 374 | 385 | 388 | 405 | 90 | 119 |
- The general population is split on the biggest barrier to the national Covid-19 vaccine rollout; Just over half (52%) think the biggest barrier is a shortage of supply of Covid-19 vaccines for people who are eligible and willing to get vaccinated, while just under half (48%) think it’s an unwillingness among people who are eligible for a Covid-19 vaccine to get vaccinated.
- Those aged over 55 are more likely than younger cohorts to think the biggest barrier is related to an unwillingness to get vaccinated among those who can (57% to 44% of those aged 35-54, and 43% of those aged 18-34).
- Coalition voters are also more likely than other voters to think unwillingness is the main issue (60% to 41% Labor voters, 30% Greens voters and 52% minor/independent party voters).
- There is no difference in views across states.
Time to return to normal
Q. Thinking about the future, how long do you think it will take for the following to occur? / And how long do you think it will take for the following to occur in Australia?
TOTAL: Within one year | This week
19/07 |
Last month
07/06 |
Three months ago
26/04 |
Last July
27/07/20 |
Interstate travel will be allowed without restriction | 48% | – | – | – |
The Covid-19 vaccine rollout will be completed in your state | 42% | – | – | – |
Unemployment will return to pre-pandemic levels | 37% | 22% | 30% | 19% |
The Covid-19 vaccine rollout will be completed in Australia | 31% | 18% | 30% | – |
The housing market will return pre-pandemic levels | 30% | 18% | 33% | 22% |
Quarantine will no longer be required after international travel | 22% | 12% | 23% | 25% |
International travel will be allowed without restriction | 21% | 12% | 20% | 21% |
Australia will pay off its national debt | 16% | 7% | 13% | 11% |
- A similar proportion of people as in April think most of the events above will occur within a year.
TOTAL: Within one year | NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA |
The Covid-19 vaccine rollout will be completed in your state | 48% | 38% | 33% | 43% | 44% |
- Those in NSW are most likely to think the Covid-19 vaccine rollout will be completed in their state within a year (48%), followed by Western Australians (44%) and South Australians (43%). Victorians and Queenslanders are less likely to think this (38% and 33% respectively).
TOTAL: Within one year | Within the next six months | Seven months up to one year | One to two years | More than two years | Never | |
Interstate travel will be allowed without restriction | 48% | 20% | 29% | 30% | 17% | 5% |
The Covid-19 vaccine rollout will be completed in your state | 42% | 13% | 29% | 36% | 17% | 6% |
Unemployment will return to pre-pandemic levels | 37% | 18% | 20% | 30% | 25% | 8% |
The Covid-19 vaccine rollout will be completed in Australia | 31% | 11% | 20% | 35% | 26% | 8% |
The housing market will return pre-pandemic levels | 30% | 14% | 16% | 28% | 24% | 18% |
Quarantine will no longer be required after international travel | 22% | 8% | 14% | 33% | 35% | 10% |
International travel will be allowed without restriction | 21% | 9% | 12% | 31% | 37% | 11% |
Australia will pay off its national debt | 16% | 9% | 8% | 11% | 42% | 31% |
- Out of the events listed, people are most optimistic about interstate travel – just under half (48%) think interstate travel will be allowed without restriction within a year.
- 31% of Australians think the Covid-19 vaccine rollout will be completed nationally within a year. A further 35% think this will take one to two years, and about a quarter (26%) think this will take more than two years.
- 31% think it will take one to two years for international travel to be allowed without restriction, 37% think this will take more than two years.
Confidence in Covid-19 vaccine rollout
Q. As vaccinations against Covid-19 are rolled out across Australia, how confident are you in each of the following?
That the rollout of vaccinations against Covid-19 in Australia…
TOTAL: Confident | 05/07 | 07/06 | 26/04 | 01/03 | 01/02 |
… are being done efficiently | 40% | 43% | 43% | 68% | 68% |
… are being done safely | 64% | 67% | 63% | 73% | 72% |
… will be effective at stopping Covid-19 within the country | 56% | 54% | 52% | 64% | 58% |
TOTAL: Confident | State | ||||
NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | |
… are being done efficiently | 41% | 38% | 39% | 45% | 34% |
… are being done safely | 67% | 61% | 59% | 62% | 63% |
… will be effective at stopping Covid-19 within the country | 58% | 52% | 54% | 54% | 54% |
Base (n) | 553 | 275 | 220 | 87 | 106 |
- Less than half of Australians are confident the rollout is being done efficiently (40% from 43% last month). Western Australians are now the least confident in this (34%), followed by Victorians (38%) and Queenslanders (39%).
- 56% of Australians are confident the Covid-19 vaccine rollout will be effective at stopping the virus within the country (54% last month), and 64% are confident that it is being done safely (67% last month).
TOTAL: Confident | 18-34 | |||
05/07 | 07/06 | 26/04 | 01/03 | |
… are being done efficiently | 40% | 42% | 50% | 67% |
… are being done safely | 50% | 58% | 57% | 71% |
… will be effective at stopping Covid-19 within the country | 45% | 53% | 53% | 63% |
Base (n) | 341 | 347 | 359 | 326 |
TOTAL: Confident | NSW | |||
05/07 | 07/06 | 26/04 | 01/03 | |
… are being done efficiently | 41% | 47% | 45% | 66% |
… are being done safely | 67% | 69% | 65% | 72% |
… will be effective at stopping Covid-19 within the country | 58% | 55% | 56% | 65% |
Base (n) | 553 | 349 | 348 | 330 |
- The confidence of those in NSW in the Covid-19 vaccine rollout being done efficiently has fallen since March, from 66% to a low of 41% this month.
- Confidence among those in NSW that the rollout is being done safely and will be effective at stopping Covid-19 within the country has also decreased since March (67% from 72%, and 58% from 65% in March respectively).
- The confidence of those aged 18-34 in the Covid-19 vaccine rollout continues to waver. 45% are now confident the rollout will be effective at stopping Covid-19 within Australia (63% in March). 50% of those aged 18-34 are confident it is being done safely, a notable decrease from last month (58%), as well as the level in March (71%). 40% are now confident the rollout is being done efficiently (from 67% in March).
Uptake of a Covid-19 vaccine
Q. The Covid-19 vaccine rollout is underway in Australia.
Once a vaccine becomes available to you, how long would you wait before taking it?
07/06 | 10/05 | 26/04 | 15/03 | 01/03 | 18/01 | 14/12 | 10/08 | |
I’d get vaccinated as soon as possible / I’ve already been vaccinated | 52% | 44% | 42% | 49% | 50% | 42% | 43% | 56% |
I’d get vaccinated, but wouldn’t do it straight away | 36% | 42% | 42% | 40% | 40% | 47% | 46% | 35% |
I’d never get vaccinated | 13% | 14% | 16% | 12% | 10% | 11% | 10% | 8% |
Base (n) | 1,104 | 1,092 | 1,090 | 1,124 | 1,074 | 1,084 | 1,071 | 1,008 |
- Just over half of Australians now say they would get vaccinated as soon as possible, or already have been vaccinated (52%), an increase from 44% last month.
- Fewer people now say they would get vaccinated but not straight away (36% from 42% last month).
- 13% now say they would never get vaccinated.
VIC | 07/06 | 10/05 |
I’d get vaccinated as soon as possible / I’ve already been vaccinated | 56% | 37% |
I’d get vaccinated, but wouldn’t do it straight away | 32% | 44% |
I’d never get vaccinated | 12% | 19% |
Base (n) | 278 | 275 |
18-34 | 07/06 | 10/05 |
I’d get vaccinated as soon as possible / I’ve already been vaccinated | 45% | 32% |
I’d get vaccinated, but wouldn’t do it straight away | 41% | 48% |
I’d never get vaccinated | 15% | 20% |
Base (n) | 347 | 340 |
- More Victorians now say they would get vaccinated as soon as possible / have already been vaccinated compared to last month (56% from 37%); Fewer Victorians now say they would get vaccinated but not straight away (32% from 44% last month), and fewer now say they would never get vaccinated (12% from 19% last month).
- Similarly, more of those aged 18-34 now say they would get vaccinated as soon as possible / already have been vaccinated compared to last month (45% from 32%); Fewer 18-34 year old’s now say they would get vaccinated but not straight away (41% from 48% last month), and fewer now say they would never get vaccinated (15% from 20% last month).
Confidence in Covid-19 vaccine rollout
Q. As vaccinations against Covid-19 are rolled out across Australia, how confident are you in each of the following?
That the rollout of vaccinations against Covid-19 in Australia…
TOTAL: Confident | 07/06 | 26/04 | 01/03 | 01/02 |
… are being done efficiently | 43% | 43% | 68% | 68% |
… are being done safely | 67% | 63% | 73% | 72% |
… will be effective at stopping Covid-19 within the country | 54% | 52% | 64% | 58% |
TOTAL: Confident | State | ||||
NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | |
… are being done efficiently | 47% | 37% | 46% | 39% | 46% |
… are being done safely | 69% | 63% | 65% | 72% | 70% |
… will be effective at stopping Covid-19 within the country | 55% | 53% | 52% | 66% | 52% |
Base (n) | 349 | 278 | 225 | 89 | 108 |
- Less than half of Australians are confident the rollout is being done efficiently (43%, unchanged since last month). Victorians are the least confident in this (37%), closely followed by South Australians (39%).
- 54% of Australians are confident the Covid-19 vaccine rollout will be effective at stopping the virus within the country (52% last month), and 67% are confident that it is being done safely (63% last month).
TOTAL: Confident | 18-34 | ||
07/06 | 26/04 | 01/03 | |
… are being done efficiently | 42% | 50% | 67% |
… are being done safely | 58% | 57% | 71% |
… will be effective at stopping Covid-19 within the country | 53% | 53% | 63% |
Base (n) | 347 | 359 | 326 |
TOTAL: Confident | VIC | ||
07/06 | 26/04 | 01/03 | |
… are being done efficiently | 37% | 45% | 67% |
… are being done safely | 63% | 67% | 76% |
… will be effective at stopping Covid-19 within the country | 53% | 54% | 66% |
Base (n) | 278 | 274 | 275 |
- Victorians’ confidence in the Covid-19 vaccine rollout being done efficiently has fallen since March, from 67% to 37% this month.
- Confidence among Victorians that the rollout is being done safely has also decreased since March (63% from 76% in March).
- The confidence of those aged 18-34 in the Covid-19 vaccine rollout being done efficiently has also fallen. 42% are now confident the rollout is being done efficiently (from 50% in April, and 67% in March).
- Confidence among those aged 18-34 that the rollout is being done safely has also decreased since March (58% from 71% in March).
Satisfaction with speed of Covid-19 vaccine rollout
Q. Which of the following best describes your view on how quickly the following groups of people are being vaccinated against Covid-19 in Australia?
They are being vaccinated…
… more quickly than I would like | … at about the right speed | … more slowly than I would like | Unsure | |
Residents and workers at aged care and disability facilities | 11% | 25% | 49% | 14% |
Quarantine, border and frontline healthcare workers | 12% | 33% | 39% | 16% |
Essential workers (e.g. teachers, police, fire, emergency services) | 12% | 34% | 39% | 15% |
Adults with an underlying medical condition | 11% | 31% | 37% | 21% |
Adults aged under 50 | 8% | 36% | 36% | 20% |
People aged over 50 | 10% | 39% | 35% | 16% |
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults | 10% | 27% | 32% | 31% |
- About half (49%) of Australians think residents and workers at aged care and disability facilities are being vaccinated more slowly than they would like.
- Quarantine, border and frontline healthcare workers, and essential workers (e.g. teachers, police, fire, emergency services) are next in line, with 39% of Australians who think these groups are being vaccinated more slowly than they would like, respectively.
TOTAL: … more slowly than I would like | State | ||||
NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | |
Residents and workers at aged care and disability facilities | 45% | 57% | 50% | 49% | 43% |
People aged over 50 | 30% | 42% | 34% | 37% | 40% |
Adults aged under 50 | 32% | 39% | 35% | 37% | 42% |
Adults with an underlying medical condition | 33% | 42% | 39% | 38% | 36% |
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults | 32% | 36% | 31% | 31% | 29% |
Quarantine, border and frontline healthcare workers | 33% | 47% | 42% | 33% | 35% |
Essential workers (e.g. teachers, police, fire, emergency services) | 34% | 45% | 42% | 36% | 35% |
Base (n) | 349 | 278 | 225 | 89 | 108 |
- Victorians are most likely to think residents and workers at aged care and disability facilities, and quarantine, border and frontline healthcare workers are being vaccinated more slowly than they would like (57% and 47% respectively).
Party most responsible for slow vaccine rollout
Q. Which do you think is MOST responsible for Australians being vaccinated more slowly than you would like?
[Asked only to those who think any one of the groups listed above are being vaccinated against Covid-19 more slowly than they would like]
Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | |||||||
Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | TOTAL: Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||
The federal government | 50% | 52% | 48% | 48% | 49% | 52% | 61% | 36% | 63% | 59% |
State and territory governments | 23% | 28% | 17% | 22% | 23% | 23% | 14% | 34% | 15% | 18% |
International supply chains | 8% | 7% | 8% | 6% | 7% | 9% | 9% | 7% | 5% | 9% |
Unavoidable delays in the production of vaccines | 11% | 8% | 13% | 14% | 11% | 8% | 9% | 15% | 8% | 9% |
Unsure | 9% | 5% | 13% | 10% | 10% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 5% |
Base (n) | 755 | 374 | 381 | 225 | 222 | 308 | 250 | 284 | 78 | 95 |
State | |||||
NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | |
The federal government | 48% | 58% | 41% | 39% | 53% |
State and territory governments | 22% | 21% | 29% | 34% | 15% |
International supply chains | 8% | 7% | 6% | 5% | 14% |
Unavoidable delays in the production of vaccines | 12% | 7% | 12% | 13% | 14% |
Unsure | 10% | 8% | 12% | 9% | 4% |
Base (n) | 225 | 203 | 158 | 61 | 74 |
- Half (50%) of those who said any one of the groups listed in the previous question are being vaccinated more slowly than they would like think the federal government is most responsible for the slow rollout of vaccinations.
- Compared to other Australians, Victorians are most likely to think the federal government is most responsible (58% of Victorians, followed by 53% of Western Australians, 48% of those in NSW, 41% Queenslanders and 39% South Australians).
- 23% think state and territory governments are most responsible; Men and Coalition voters are most likely to think this.
Uptake of a Covid-19 vaccine
Q. The Covid-19 vaccine rollout is underway in Australia.
Once a vaccine becomes available to you, how long would you wait before taking it?
26/04 | 15/03 | 01/03 | 18/01 | 14/12 | 10/08 | |
I’d get vaccinated as soon as possible / I’ve already been vaccinated | 42% | 47% | 50% | 42% | 43% | 56% |
I’d get vaccinated, but wouldn’t do it straight away | 42% | 40% | 40% | 47% | 46% | 35% |
I’d never get vaccinated | 16% | 12% | 10% | 11% | 10% | 8% |
Base (n) | 1,090 | 1,124 | 1,074 | 1,084 | 1,071 | 1,010 |
- With the rocky start to the nationwide Covid-19 vaccine rollout, 42% of Australians now say they would get vaccinated as soon as possible or they’ve already been vaccinated. This is a drop from last month (47%) and a return to levels at the start of this year / end of last year.
- About the same proportion of people as last month say that would get vaccinated but not straight away (42%).
- 16% now say they would never get vaccinated, the highest proportion since first recording data in August last year.
Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | ||||||||
Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | TOTAL: Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | |||
I’d get vaccinated as soon as possible / I’ve already been vaccinated | 42% | 49% | 36% | 33% | 39% | 53% | 43% | 52% | 33% | 35% | |
I’d get vaccinated, but wouldn’t do it straight away | 42% | 40% | 44% | 44% | 44% | 38% | 45% | 39% | 50% | 33% | |
I’d never get vaccinated | 16% | 12% | 20% | 23% | 17% | 9% | 13% | 10% | 17% | 33% | |
Base (n) | 1,090 | 539 | 551 | 359 | 289 | 442 | 362 | 414 | 95 | 114 | |
- Those most likely to get the vaccine immediately or already be vaccinated include men (49%) and those aged over 55 (53%) – however for the latter group this is a notable drop from last month (was 60%).
- Those voting for independent or minor parties are the most likely to say they would never get vaccinated (33%) – another significant increase since last month (20%).

COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
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- 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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