Essential Research and Morgan: more coronavirus polling

Two new polls suggest support for the federal government’s handling of the coronavirus crisis is still on the rise.

I’ll be taking part in the Political Geekfest videocast through Zoom with Peter Lewis of Essential Research and Katharine Murphy of the Guardian Australia at 1pm AEST today, which you can register for here. The subject of discussion will be this:

• The Guardian reports on another Essential Research poll focusing mostly on coronavirus, which would appear to be a weekly thing at least for the time being. The latest poll finds 59% rating the government’s response as about right, up from 46% last week and 39% in the two previous weekly polls; 13% rating it an overreaction, continuing its downward trajectory from 33% to 18% to 17%; and 29% rating it an underreaction, which bounced around over the first three weeks from 28% to 43% to 37%. Respondents were also asked to rate their state governments’ reactions, though with sample sizes too small to be of that much use at the individual level: the combined responses for very good and quite good were at 56% for New South Wales, 76% for Victoria, 52% for Queensland, 79% for Western Australia and 72% for South Australia. The poll also records a surprisingly high level of general morale, producing an average 6.7 rating on a scale of one to ten, unchanged from May last year. The full report should be published later today. UPDATE: Full report here.

• Also apparently a weekly thing is Roy Morgan’s coronavirus polling, which is being conducted online and not by SMS as I previously assumed – indeed, I believe this is the first online polling Morgan has ever published. Last week’s tranche showed a sharp rise in approval of the government’s handling of the matter from a week previous, with 21% strongly agreeing the government was handling the matter well (up twelve), 44% less strongly agreeing (up ten), 23% disagreeing (down ten) and 6% strongly disagreeing (down ten). Respondents had also become more optimistic since the previous week (59% saying the worst was yet to come, down 26 points, 33% saying the situation would remain the same, up 22 points, and 8% expecting things to improve, up four), and, contra Essential, slightly more inclined to consider the threat was being exaggerated (up five points to 20%, with disagreement down six to 75%). The poll was conducted last weekend from a sample of 987.

Author: William Bowe

William Bowe is a Perth-based election analyst and occasional teacher of political science. His blog, The Poll Bludger, has existed in one form or another since 2004, and is one of the most heavily trafficked websites on Australian politics.

1,397 comments on “Essential Research and Morgan: more coronavirus polling”

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  1. Victoria says:
    Tuesday, April 14, 2020 at 9:03 am

    He always has a way with words

    Rick Wilson
    @TheRickWilson
    ·
    2m
    Anyone — and I mean, *anyone* –who tells you this presser is anything other than a complete meltdown shitshow on the top of the dumpster fire that tops burning-tie mountain is a liar.

    guytaur is still out pumping up Trumps tires. Nicholas is still swift-boating. Trouble is after the last federal election it is clear the extreme left and right are an effective anti middle force and should not be dismissed just because what they post is bullshit. What you do about them I don’t know,but they should be feared that is for sure.

  2. lizzie @ #96 Tuesday, April 14th, 2020 – 9:05 am

    Financial writer for the Australian and all round superior git.

    Adam Creighton
    @Adam_Creighton
    ·
    1h
    A damaging over-reaction to an unremarkable virus

    I bet he’d change his tune if someone in his family got it. 😐

    Anyway, someone should suggest to Adam Creighton that he lead the resistance from the front. 🙂

  3. Mavis @ #68 Tuesday, April 14th, 2020 – 8:38 am

    It’s great to see journos (apart from Fox) taking their gloves off with their questioning of the Trump, who’s obviously lost the plot over his mishandling of C-19, using his morning pressers as quasi election campaign speeches.

    Dubya’s press secretary Ari Fleischer identified the problem with Trump’s pressers. He reckons that journos ‘run out of good questions’ so they need to be a lot shorter 🙂

  4. frednk @ #101 Tuesday, April 14th, 2020 – 9:09 am


    Victoria says:
    Tuesday, April 14, 2020 at 9:03 am

    He always has a way with words

    Rick Wilson
    @TheRickWilson
    ·
    2m
    Anyone — and I mean, *anyone* –who tells you this presser is anything other than a complete meltdown shitshow on the top of the dumpster fire that tops burning-tie mountain is a liar.

    guytaur is still out pumping up Trumps tires. Nicholas is still swift-boating. Trouble is after the last federal election it is clear is the extreme left and right are an effective anti middle force and should not be dismissed just because what the post is bullshit. What you do about them I don’t know,but they should be feared that is for sure.

    Don’t forget mundo’s constant campaign of anti-Labor carping. Every day, in every way, he tries to erode support for Labor and grovel to Morrison.

  5. ‘Totally disrespectful’: police interrupt funeral while enforcing social distancing rules over Easter weekend

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/apr/14/totally-disrespectful-police-interrupt-funeral-while-enforcing-social-distancing-rules-over-easter-weekend

    It comes as state police forces rapidly escalate the number of people fined for breaching public health orders despite falling infection rates, and amid concerns from law and justice experts the laws are being inconsistently and arbitrarily enforced.
    :::
    Since March a string of public health orders issued by health ministers have re-shaped Australian life, giving police unprecedented power to control almost all aspects of everyday movement.

    In most states officers now have the power to fine or arrest people caught gathering in groups of more than two, or for being outside of their homes without a “reasonable excuse”.
    :::
    Sydney lawyer Peter O’Brien, who specialises in civil cases against police, said the broad discretion the orders gave officers meant their enforcement was “arbitrary”.

    “Reasonable minds may differ very significantly on what a ‘reasonable excuse’ is and when you’re leaving it to young police officers on the beat to decide what’s reasonable it is almost going to be arbitrary in the way it’s going to be applied,” he said.

    “These laws are going to manifest in the same way as all police powers tend to: in a concentration of the use of power against the already vulnerable, the mentally ill, the people who are already over-policed.”

  6. FredNK

    Yeah you keep ignoring how vicious and divisive the right is going to be.

    Keep using the same tired Bernie Brothers lines the Clinton campaigns used in 2016.

    Like it or not those insulted voters will repeat what they did in 2016.
    Like it or not Rogan’s audience does count.

    Recognising what the right is sayiing is not “pumping up Trump’s Tires”.


  7. C@tmomma says:
    Tuesday, April 14, 2020 at 9:12 am

    frednk @ #101 Tuesday, April 14th, 2020 – 9:09 am

    …..

    Don’t forget mundo’s constant campaign of anti-Labor carping. Every day, in every way, he tries to erode support for Labor and grovel to Morrison.

    The sock puppet, very effective, but what do you do about it?
    Social media is becoming very important, all forms of deception matter.

  8. Bernie doesn’t cut it no more, the protest group need a new leader.

    You are kind of assuming / dismissing the idea that there are some real issues underlying the protest? I’m not sure that is a valid assumption / conclusion.

  9. lizzie @ #109 Tuesday, April 14th, 2020 – 9:14 am

    C@t

    Not politics, but what did you think of the new version of Masterchef?

    Ah! Thank you, lizzie. Something else to discuss. 🙂

    Yes, my son and I slept on it and we discussed it this morning. The general consensus was that it will take a while for the new judges to settle in to their roles, they have big shoes to fill. We were glad they picked the delicious home style dish as the winner over the technically brilliant creations, and we are glad to see george Colombaris gone. He got his karma for punching someone and underpaying his employees. 😀


  10. guytaur says:
    Tuesday, April 14, 2020 at 9:15 am

    FredNK

    Yeah you keep ignoring how vicious and divisive the right is going to be.


    Yes, and they will always have people like you and Nicholas to help. Clearly pointing this out to people like you is not the solution, you just keep right on going. I am pretty sure you and the Green party in general have not accepted their contribution to the Liberal win in the last federal election.

  11. frednk @ #111 Tuesday, April 14th, 2020 – 9:17 am


    C@tmomma says:
    Tuesday, April 14, 2020 at 9:12 am

    frednk @ #101 Tuesday, April 14th, 2020 – 9:09 am

    …..

    Don’t forget mundo’s constant campaign of anti-Labor carping. Every day, in every way, he tries to erode support for Labor and grovel to Morrison.

    The sock puppet, very effective, but what do you do about it?
    Social media is becoming very important, all forms of deception matter.

    Vigilance is essential and calling it out at every turn. That’s all you can do I guess.

    Oh, and the reason I’m so concerned about transmission vectors is because I’m a pharmacist and that stuff fascinates me. 😀

  12. C@t

    The old version was definitely getting stale anyway and it would have been hard to tolerate George. I enjoyed last night. Very high cheffy standard of cooking (well, most of the contestants have had professional experience since their last appearance). It seemed more relaxed and friendly.

  13. frednk @ #118 Tuesday, April 14th, 2020 – 9:22 am


    guytaur says:
    Tuesday, April 14, 2020 at 9:15 am

    FredNK

    Yeah you keep ignoring how vicious and divisive the right is going to be.


    Yes, and they will always have people like you and Nicholas to help. Clearly pointing this out to people like you is not the solution, you just keep right on going. I am pretty sure you and the Green party in general have not accepted their contribution to the Liberal win in the last federal election.

    Never. Will.

    And the Lunar Left can get pretty vicious too…clem attlee, Nicholas, nath, LvT, bakunin, Pegasus, P1, Firefox, Quoll(at times), guytaur….


  14. WeWantPaul says:
    Tuesday, April 14, 2020 at 9:19 am

    Bernie doesn’t cut it no more, the protest group need a new leader.

    You are kind of assuming / dismissing the idea that there are some real issues underlying the protest? I’m not sure that is a valid assumption / conclusion.

    In my view the protect group is about protect and will always place a protest vote.

  15. BK @ #117 Tuesday, April 14th, 2020 – 9:22 am

    While you are around KayJay, can you point me to a way of getting behind the Adelaide Advertiser’s paywall?

    I’ll have a look at a little later. I’m half way through watering my pot plants. I have had a chat with a lady walking her little scottie dog and reminded said scottie dog to “always vote Labor.”

    Thanks for the ✔ Dawn Patrol. ✔

  16. COVID Policing

    Have you been stopped by police or had any interaction with police since the new public health rules were introduced in your area? Do you feel you have been treated unfairly? Do you know of an incident that concerns you?

    Submit a report

    https://covidpolicing.org.au/

  17. FredNK

    To win you need to convince voters to vote for you.
    Telling people with different opinions to just shut up is insulting and ensures they will not vote for you.

    Keep it up. You will ensure an increased LNP and Green vote in Queensland.

  18. C@tmomma @ #105 Tuesday, April 14th, 2020 – 9:12 am

    Don’t forget mundo’s constant campaign of anti-Labor carping. Every day, in every way, he tries to erode support for Labor and grovel to Morrison.

    Mundo highlights the missteps and inadequacies of Labor. It is fair comment, and is not the same as “grovelling to Morrison”.

  19. I guess it can look that way if you are in the centre, spinning …

    The centre in Australia, to the extent such a thing exists and it isn’t just a projection of the establishment that doesn’t want anything to change, is very happy to torture refugees in concentration camps and refoul them home for torture and execution, it is also very content with unlawful robodebt targetting and killing some of Australia’s most vulnerable people.

    So forgive me if I struggle to see the ‘centre’ as a good thing.

  20. lizzie @ #121 Tuesday, April 14th, 2020 – 9:25 am

    C@t

    The old version was definitely getting stale anyway and it would have been hard to tolerate George. I enjoyed last night. Very high cheffy standard of cooking (well, most of the contestants have had professional experience since their last appearance). It seemed more relaxed and friendly.

    Yes, that’s what I took away from it as well. Lots of honesty from the contestants as well. Poh admitting she left out a vital ingredient instead of trying to wing it was appreciated. I like Jock and Andy, and my son said that he thought Melissa was wearing too much jewellery for a cooking show. 🙂


  21. C@tmomma says:
    Tuesday, April 14, 2020 at 9:23 am

    Oh, and the reason I’m so concerned about transmission vectors is because I’m a pharmacist and that stuff fascinates me.

    I’m an engineer that worries about the risk of an event happening, that is why I try and look for the forest.

  22. C@tmomma @ #115 Tuesday, April 14th, 2020 – 9:21 am

    lizzie @ #109 Tuesday, April 14th, 2020 – 9:14 am

    C@t

    Not politics, but what did you think of the new version of Masterchef?

    Ah! Thank you, lizzie. Something else to discuss. 🙂

    Yes, my son and I slept on it and we discussed it this morning. The general consensus was that it will take a while for the new judges to settle in to their roles, they have big shoes to fill. We were glad they picked the delicious home style dish as the winner over the technically brilliant creations, and we are glad to see george Colombaris gone. He got his karma for punching someone and underpaying his employees. 😀

    I really enjoyed the first episode. Great idea to use the former non-winning contestants this year as it gives a level of familiarity. I also think the new judges will need some time to settle in. It came out last night that two of them have connections to a contestant that would be a conflict of interest in other circumstances. Still given food is a small world here it would be hard to avoid that.

  23. Police training does not seem to include common sense or social sensitivity. Dutton’s “everyone is a potential criminal” attitude comes to mind.

  24. It will be interesting to see what the collection rate on the fines will be.

    I assume that among those who challenge, some will go to court to find there is no one there to prosecute and the fine will get punted.

  25. C@t:

    I listened to that podcast last night that you posted yesterday. Very interesting as always even though I don’t always see eye to eye with Charlie Sykes.

    One thing he did say that you can see playing out already is that with Biden as the Dem nominee he’s unlikely to be a cult type figure in the way Bernie is or others would’ve been. Such a relief.

  26. Controlling the rate of new Corona virus infections is being misinterpreted as the endgame a near certainty.
    The multitude of pre-existing conditions in its many guises, together with the convoluted economic response, the emotional and social ramifications, the predisposition for business to embrace corruption and the global village suggest a post- Corona scenario riddle with controversy and a long, long tail.
    The side-effects will be horrendous.
    Morrison, Frydenberg, Hunt and their support team have badly misjudged the length of the straight with another circuit or two still to be completed.
    The fireworks having been put in place and talked about with the sewerage and garbage already at capacity with no place to go. The long hidden stuttering will begin soon enough.
    Australia is not a tin-regime, borne of luck and pissed up against the wall.
    Morrison will fall even faster than his nefarious rise. Corona will be long read with the ink in many a chapter hardly dry.
    I’d hold those reins tightly!

  27. Steve Schmidt‏Verified account @SteveSchmidtSES

    This performance by Trump will be viewed with breathtaking fascination by Presidential scholars someday. The self pity, dishonesty and finger pointing represent a profound failure of leadership capacity in a moment of deep crisis. His unfitness is extraordinary and deadly


  28. WeWantPaul says:
    Tuesday, April 14, 2020 at 9:29 am

    I guess it can look that way if you are in the centre, spinning …

    The centre in Australia, to the extent such a thing exists and it isn’t just a projection of the establishment that doesn’t want anything to change, is very happy to torture refugees in concentration camps and refoul them home for torture and execution, it is also very content with unlawful robodebt targetting and killing some of Australia’s most vulnerable people.

    So forgive me if I struggle to see the ‘centre’ as a good thing.

    As a classic example, the center does not support robodept, that is a creature of the extreme right, the group you support by claiming it is generally supported by the center.

    But pointing this out is not going to stop your support for the extreme right with this type of miss information.

  29. Shellbell @ #136 Tuesday, April 14th, 2020 – 7:32 am

    It will be interesting to see what the collection rate on the fines will be.

    I assume that among those who challenge, some will go to court to find there is no one there to prosecute and the fine will get punted.

    Andrew Earlwood has said previously that he doesn’t expect the fines would hold up in court if challenged. For what that’s worth.

  30. Jackol
    “ And if Trump loses the election in November his 2 month long tantrum with executive power is going to be terrifying.”

    I was thinking it more likely that it will be pardons all round for all those in team Trump who stay loyal and help him to stash the loot. As Keating would say his only motivation is self interest. But if the Republicans still hold the Senate then sure there might be a lot of revenge going on too.

    Most of his staffers though will be desperately looking around for new jobs, so he may not get that much help.

  31. WeWantPaul @ #130 Tuesday, April 14th, 2020 – 9:29 am

    I guess it can look that way if you are in the centre, spinning …

    The centre in Australia, to the extent such a thing exists and it isn’t just a projection of the establishment that doesn’t want anything to change, is very happy to torture refugees in concentration camps and refoul them home for torture and execution, it is also very content with unlawful robodebt targetting and killing some of Australia’s most vulnerable people.

    So forgive me if I struggle to see the ‘centre’ as a good thing.

    🙄

    Just continue to ignore the fact that Labor pursued Robodebt until it was no more, that Labor have continually suggested ways to deal favourably with the remaining refugees on the islands. Plus, most importantly, don’t forget that Melissa Parke, former Labor MP for Fremantle still continues her refugee and Human Rights advocacy and Labor for Refugees is a vital part of the party. Oh, and it’s the Coalition that have the numbers in parliament and it’s them that is doing the refouling.

    WWP, go get a room with Ian Rintoul, eh?

  32. WeWantPaul @ #130 Tuesday, April 14th, 2020 – 9:29 am

    I guess it can look that way if you are in the centre, spinning …

    The centre in Australia, to the extent such a thing exists and it isn’t just a projection of the establishment that doesn’t want anything to change, is very happy to torture refugees in concentration camps and refoul them home for torture and execution, it is also very content with unlawful robodebt targetting and killing some of Australia’s most vulnerable people.

    So forgive me if I struggle to see the ‘centre’ as a good thing.

    Agreed. It should probably be called the ‘conservative centre’ except that so many adherents are in the Labor party 🙁

  33. C@t

    Melissa has probably taken over the big man’s role of wearing something different each episode for decoration. On another matter, I have become extremely irritated by cooking shows in which hair almost dangles in the food. There is a reason for a chef’s cap.

  34. I might have underestimated just how angry they are, they seem to be abandoning Bernie (and his endorsement of Biden) at a high rate, which is ironic given how they were dismissed as a cult of a single personality.

    Bernie’s voters are committed to Bernie’s policies, not to Bernie personally. They will not simply transfer their support to someone whose policy platform is neoliberal and pro-status quo just because Bernie asks them to.

    Joe Biden would have to substantially improve his policy platform to win over a sufficient share of progressive voters to win the general election. But he is too committed to his corporate donors and too stubborn to do that. So he won’t do well among progressives and among young voters. This will be a major weakness for him. And it will be entirely his fault.

  35. lizzie @ #146 Tuesday, April 14th, 2020 – 9:37 am

    C@t

    Melissa has probably taken over the big man’s role of wearing something different each episode for decoration. On another matter, I have become extremely irritated by cooking shows in which hair almost dangles in the food. There is a reason for a chef’s cap.

    Yeah, they do the steel cap boots and tight pants but not the hair!

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