Essential Research: leadership ratings and the return of coronavirus

The Melbourne coronavirus takes its toll on the standing of the Andrews government, and a small amount of gloss comes off Scott Morrison’s still-impressive ratings.

The Guardian reports that Essential Research, which a fortnight ago published its first coronavirus-free poll since January, has naturally revived its interest in the subject. The poll finds 36% of respondents rating themselves very concerned about the virus, up from 25% when the question was last asked three weeks ago. The state breakdowns have it at 46% in Victoria, though New South Wales isn’t far behind at 42%.

The poll also finds approval of the federal government’s handling of the matter down from 70% when the question as last asked three weeks ago to 64%, while small sample breakdowns concerning state governments’ responses have the Victorian government’s favourable rating slumping from 65% to 49%. Below are charts recording the progress of these results since the pollster first asked the question in relation to the federal government in March and the state governments in April, although at this stage I only have “good” and not “poor” ratings from the latest poll. Keep in mind that the sample sizes for the Victorian results is only around 275.

The poll also features the pollster’s monthly (actually a bit longer than that on occasion, the previous result having been from May 28-31) leadership ratings, which find Scott Morrison down two on approval to 63% and up one on disapproval to 27%, while Anthony Albanese is up one to 44% and down two to 28%. The latter numbers are rather a lot different from Newspoll, whose poll a fortnight ago had Albanese on 42% for both approval and disapproval. Morrison holds a lead of 50-27 lead as preferred prime minister, narrowing from 53-23 last time.

The BludgerTrack aggregates have been updated with these numbers. Essential Research should publish the full report for the poll later today.

UPDATE: Full report here. The federal government’s poor rating on COVID-19 is up four to 16%, while the Victorian government’s has doubled to 26%.

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.

1,482 comments on “Essential Research: leadership ratings and the return of coronavirus”

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  6. Lars Von Trier @ #1405 Thursday, July 16th, 2020 – 9:06 pm

    Mavis says:
    Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 9:02 pm
    It’s thought that as one ages, one should defer to the young. Dear old BB and dear old GG, for instance. I further note that a number of female posters think it’s best to yield to Alpha males – wrong. But’s that’s a matter for them.
    ________________________________________
    https://www.insider.com/why-men-get-angry-according-to-a-psychologist-2018-9?scrollnoblockerrefresh=1

    So, which are you today?

  7. frednk says:
    Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 8:53 pm

    “I’m really not sure it is smart to highlight tr failure of the Liberal’s energy policy, but go for it.”

    It was the ALP that caused the SA over-reliance on unreliable intermittent power causing some of the highest power prices in the world.

  12. Tasmania isn’t burning coal because of dams – isn’t there a Political Party that was started in opposition to dams?

  13. Poor Buce, such a man out of step with the times:

    More solar on way for Queensland’s remote communities
    The indigenous community of Pormpuraaw will produce less carbon emissions and enjoy more energy savings thanks to a solar energy project funded by the Palaszczuk Government.

    Energy Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said work was about to begin on the installation of solar in the Western Cape indigenous community as part of the Palaszczuk Government’s $3.6 million election commitment to decarbonising remote communities.

    “Queensland, like the rest of the world, is facing tough economic times ahead due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Dr Lynham said.

    “We’re continuing to manage our health response and that means Queensland’s plan for economic recovery is already rolling out.

    “Switching to renewables, such as solar, benefits local communities by creating jobs and power savings, as well as bringing the environmental benefits of reduced emissions.”

    The project will see 210 kilowatts of solar installed on eight buildings owned by the Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire Council and includes upgrades to the local power station, allowing the solar to work together with the diesel generators that power the local grid.

    Member for Cook Cynthia Lui said the project would allow some upskilling for local electricians to ensure they were the first onsite point of call if ever necessary.

    https://www.miragenews.com/more-solar-on-way-for-queensland-s-remote-communities/

  14. Here’s my Urban Dictionary definition:

    Lars

    Girls tend to like Lars.
    Intelligent and smart, and knows how to use his tools.
    Lars is everything a man has ever dreamed about being himself.
    Lars is every girls perfect boyfriend.

  17. Grid-connected too!

    Global energy giant Adani Resources might be developing one of the world’s biggest carbon bombs next to Queensland’s critically endangered Great Barrier Reef as the world teeters on the brink of a global warming catastrophe – but don’t worry, it says it totally “gets” climate change.

    That’s what the CEO of Adani Australia, Lucas Dow, assured the Queensland press on Thursday ahead of the official opening of the company’s first grid-connected large-scale solar farm in Australia, the 65MW Rugby Run project near Moranbah.

    The solar farm – situated just a few hundred kilometres east of the massive Carmichael coal mine in Queensland’s Galilee Basin – started generating earlier this year, after enduring a six-month wait for grid connection.

    Not such a long time considering Adani has hung in there for years navigating the environmental approvals process for its huge thermal coal mine; but long enough for the company to reportedly rethink its future solar plans in Australia.

    Nevertheless, Dow said Adani was “very excited” to demonstrate that when his company was “given a clear run” and the opportunity to get on and build and deliver projects, that’s exactly what it did.

    “People are often surprised when we say we’re in the renewables business but the reality is that we recognise the world needs a reliable and affordable energy mix of both coal and renewables in order to meet current and future global energy demand,” he told The Courier-Mail.

    https://reneweconomy.com.au/adani-opens-queensland-solar-farm-and-says-its-proof-it-gets-climate-change-24202/

    Your mates at Adani, Buce!

  21. C@tmomma:

    [‘Pegasus: has departed the blog.’]

    She’ll be back, back me. She’s just having a break from the Alpha males.

  25. C@tmomma says:
    Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 9:24 pm
    Lars Von Trier @ #1422 Thursday, July 16th, 2020 – 9:22 pm

    Everyone remembers Labor was for Adani until it was against it until it was for it.
    You seem to specialise in simplistic, LvT. Thankfully, most here are smarter than your obviously asinine assessment of them.
    _____________________
    Subtlety is overrated c@t

  26. Poor Buce, living in the past:

    Queensland to host $570m solar farm
    Angela Macdonald-Smith

    The country’s biggest solar farm will be built near Chinchilla in Queensland thanks to a major electricity purchasing contract signed by the state government’s renewable energy generator CleanCo.

    The news of a go-ahead for the delayed $570 million Western Downs project by French company Neoen comes as a leading consultancy advised of a major hit to the pace of the renewable energy roll-out due to COVID-19.

    Rystad Energy said up to 3 gigawatts of renewable energy projects had been postponed or cancelled in Australia due to the pandemic, largely because of the weakening in the Australian dollar, which had made projects uneconomic.

    It named Neoen as one of the solar developers most affected by the slowdown, pointing to the delay in the Western Downs project, which got planning approval in 2018 and was then scheduled to reach financial close by 2019.

    Rystad also cited UPC, Wollar Solar and Canadian Solar as solar developers with delayed or cancelled projects, and Tilt Renewables and Goldwind in the wind space.

    Even before COVID-19, the Clean Energy Council was pointing to a steep decline in commitments to new renewable energy projects, as the 2020 target for renewable energy was filled and amid policy uncertainty and under-investment in transmission.

    Neoen’s Western Downs project will have a total capacity of 460 to 480 megawatts, of which CleanCo will buy 352 megawatts. Construction will start in July, with production to start in the first quarter of 2022, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said on Wednesday.

    She said together with earlier investments, CleanCo now had 820 MW of new renewable energy in the pipeline.

    CleanCo has a target of 1 GW of new renewables by 2025.

    Neoen Australia managing director Louis de Sambucy said the project would be valuable for the local and regional economy in the aftermath of the COVID-19 impact and would also help the state towards its ambitious target of 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030.

    https://www.afr.com/companies/energy/qld-to-host-570-million-solar-farm-20200506-p54qbb

  27. Lars Von Trier @ #1428 Thursday, July 16th, 2020 – 9:27 pm

    C@tmomma says:
    Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 9:24 pm
    Lars Von Trier @ #1422 Thursday, July 16th, 2020 – 9:22 pm

    Everyone remembers Labor was for Adani until it was against it until it was for it.
    You seem to specialise in simplistic, LvT. Thankfully, most here are smarter than your obviously asinine assessment of them.
    _____________________
    Subtlety is overrated c@t

    Sorry, I didn’t think that was your thing.

  28. Bucephalus says:
    Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 9:12 pm

    frednk says:
    Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 8:53 pm

    “I’m really not sure it is smart to highlight tr failure of the Liberal’s energy policy, but go for it.”

    It was the ALP that caused the SA over-reliance on unreliable intermittent power causing some of the highest power prices in the world.

    Dependence on ageing assets is not something i would highlighting if I was promoting the Liberal party.

  29. C@tmomma:

    Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 9:22 pm

    Lars Von Trier @ #1419 Thursday, July 16th, 2020 – 9:19 pm

    [‘Didn’t you get the message from Mr Bowe about your poor attempts at wit?’]

    Haven’t you, on numerous occasions, received a similar message?

  30. guytaur @ #1203 Thursday, July 16th, 2020 – 1:01 pm

    @CSIRO tweets

    #CapeGrimCO2update
    Monthly averaged carbon dioxide levels measured at Cape Grim, Tasmania.

    Jun 2020: 409.51 ppm
    Jun 2019: 407.23 ppm
    Jun 2010: 385.78 ppm
    Jun 2000: 366.77 ppm
    Jun 1980: 336.53 ppm

    Learn more and access the data: https://www.csiro.au/greenhousegases https://twitter.com/CSIRO/status/1283627075291820032/photo/1

    That’s an amazing result.

    This measurement would have a significant lag as it takes a while for air in more heavily polluted regions of the globe to mix and hence effect the CO2 levels in this region.

    I would not be surprised if we see a declining figure in the near future.

  34. Mavis @ #1432 Thursday, July 16th, 2020 – 9:31 pm

    C@tmomma:

    Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 9:22 pm

    Lars Von Trier @ #1419 Thursday, July 16th, 2020 – 9:19 pm

    [‘Didn’t you get the message from Mr Bowe about your poor attempts at wit?’]

    Haven’t you, on numerous occasions, received a similar message?

    As have you.

    I’ve tried to moderate my blog behaviour as a result. Not being perfect, sometimes I slip up. On the other hand, you and LvT seem intent on ignoring Mr Bowe’s blandishments. THAT’S the difference.

  35. frednk :

    Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 9:36 pm

    [‘The Liberal energy policy is stuck in the past.’]

    Make no mistake about it, the Tory party’s stuck in the past.

  37. Thank goodness you’re here, Barney in TB! I was just reading about the floods in Sulawesi and was hoping that was nowhere near where you are!

  38. C@tmomma says:
    Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 9:41 pm
    Mavis @ #1432 Thursday, July 16th, 2020 – 9:31 pm

    C@tmomma:

    Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 9:22 pm

    Lars Von Trier @ #1419 Thursday, July 16th, 2020 – 9:19 pm

    [‘Didn’t you get the message from Mr Bowe about your poor attempts at wit?’]

    Haven’t you, on numerous occasions, received a similar message?
    As have you.

    I’ve tried to moderate my blog behaviour as a result. Not being perfect, sometimes I slip up. On the other hand, you and LvT seem intent on ignoring Mr Bowe’s blandishments. THAT’S the difference.
    ________________________________________________
    You have improved your posts c@t. You deserve that recognition. You didn’t get past your animosity to Pegasus but I think its fair to recognise you’ve lifted your contribution.

  40. bill:
    The swamp wallaby is known as the “stinker”. Now that’s interesting!

    I really hope they are not being shot in Florida like the poor old Boomers.
    Outrageous.

  41. Lars Von Trier @ #1441 Thursday, July 16th, 2020 – 9:44 pm

    C@tmomma says:
    Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 9:41 pm
    Mavis @ #1432 Thursday, July 16th, 2020 – 9:31 pm

    C@tmomma:

    Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 9:22 pm

    Lars Von Trier @ #1419 Thursday, July 16th, 2020 – 9:19 pm

    [‘Didn’t you get the message from Mr Bowe about your poor attempts at wit?’]

    Haven’t you, on numerous occasions, received a similar message?
    As have you.

    I’ve tried to moderate my blog behaviour as a result. Not being perfect, sometimes I slip up. On the other hand, you and LvT seem intent on ignoring Mr Bowe’s blandishments. THAT’S the difference.
    ________________________________________________
    You have improved your posts c@t. You deserve that recognition. You didn’t get past your animosity to Pegasus but I think its fair to recognise you’ve lifted your contribution.

    Neither did Pegasus ever get past her antipathy to me.

  42. Buce, I bet you’re really tickling your fancy over your latest contribution, however, what you are too ignorant to realise is that we know the context of these numbers and it’s not a good reflection at all on the private, monopolistic electricity suppliers in SA who know that they can get away with charging a lot for electricity in that state.

  43. C@tmomma @ #1436 Thursday, July 16th, 2020 – 7:42 pm

    Thank goodness you’re here, Barney in TB! I was just reading about the floods in Sulawesi and was hoping that was nowhere near where you are!

    Floods!!!

    You need rain for that. Must be north of the Equator.
    …
    WOW! Not that far away. We’ve been dry for a while. They might get a different monsoon to us.

    https://www.google.com/maps/@-2.4513034,119.7628703,7z/data=!4m3!15m2!1m1!1s%2Fg%2F11jj3t33lh

  46. Buce,

    Two points:

    1. Gas stepping in to fill the breach when the wind is not blowing in SA is exactly the high renewables penetration everyone has been targeting for a decade or more. SA’s power balance is operating precisely how it should – solar during the day, wind most evenings and nights and gas when neither are available, for as long as large scale storage is in the red (not much longer fwiw).

    2. $85/MWh is 8.5c/kWh. Hardly a disaster for anyone.


  47. Bucephalus says:
    Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 9:44 pm

    frednk says:
    Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 9:36 pm

    SA $85

    QLD $45

    Yes it a real issue. QLD generating using assets that are past their use by date. The lack of investment because of the Liberals failed energy policy is gong to seriously bite us in the bum. The reliability of the old assets is a real issue and it is going to get worse.

    I would not be highlighting the Liberals complete failure in this area if I was trying to support their efforts.

  48. Buce’It was the ALP that caused the SA over-reliance on unreliable intermittent power causing some of the highest power prices in the world.’

    Buce is trolling.

    SA is lucky it has a over reliance renewable electricity. If it was reliant on any other energy source for electricity generation, the power prices would be even higher than they are now.

  49. Lars Von Trier @ #1417 Thursday, July 16th, 2020 – 9:18 pm

    Here’s my Urban Dictionary definition:

    Lars

    Girls tend to like Lars.
    Intelligent and smart, and knows how to use his tools.
    Lars is everything a man has ever dreamed about being himself.
    Lars is every girls perfect boyfriend.

    Are they over age or do you need to consult with Mavis?

  50. C@tmomma:

    [‘On the other hand, you and LvT seem intent on ignoring Mr Bowe’s blandishments.’]

    That’s BS. All I’ve been accused of is being “pompous”, which is subjective. I post in accordance with my training, age, former profession until, that is, I was struck off for accidentally (?) comingling trust with general. My Gawd, how much penance?

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