Essential Research: leadership and COVID-19 approval ratings

A narrowing lead for Scott Morrison as preferred prime minister punctuates an otherwise stable picture in Essential Research’s latest set of leadership and COVID-19 performance ratings.

The Guardian reports the latest fortnightly Essential Research poll includes its monthly leadership ratings, which find Scott Morrison’s lead over Anthony Albanese as preferred prime minister is now at 49-26, in from 55-22 last time and the narrowest it has been since early February. However, movements on leaders’ ratings are apparently more modest: Morrison is down two on approval to 64%, with his disapproval rating yet to be disclosed (UPDATE: Up five to 28%, so perhaps not as modest as that), while Albanese is steady on approval at 44% and down one on disapproval to 29%.

Fifty-nine per cent now express approval for the federal government’s handling of the pandemic, down two on a fortnight ago. The poll was conducted before Sunday’s announcement of extended restrictions in Victoria, but the small-sample breakdown for that state finds approval of the state government’s performance up three to 50%, compared with falls of two points in New South Wales to 57% and six points in Queensland to 66%. The WA government is up three to a new high of 87%, although at this point sample sizes get very small indeed: as with much else in this poll, we will have to wait for the publication of the full report this afternoon for numbers from South Australia. The latter figure aside, the following chart shows how the various governments’ favourable ratings on this measure have progressed since March:

Concerning COVID-19 outbreaks in aged care facilities, 41% now blame the providers, down a point on a fortnight ago, with 31% blaming the federal government, up three, and 28% blaming state and territory governments, down two. The poll finds 36% support for increasing the Medicare levy from 2% to 2.65% to fund improvements to aged care, with 32% opposed and 32% uncommitted.

Forty-nine per cent favoured a proposition that Google and Facebook should have to pay for news content, compared with 38% for the alternative that “it is not up to the tech giants to support media companies” (as per the wording in The Guardian’s report). The poll was conducted Thursday to Sunday from a sample of 1076.

UPDATE: Full report here.

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.

1,463 comments on “Essential Research: leadership and COVID-19 approval ratings”

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  2. Surely those in Labor would have to be disappointed in the media appeasing current federal Labor leadership not showing strong support of their Labor state counterparts like in Victoria who are under extreme attack.

    When the QLD election is called no doubt the full on attack will turn on QLD labor

    Will the federal Labor leadership continue to appease the media or will start supporting their state counter parts

  4. Paul Karp
    @Paul_Karp
    ·
    13h
    Big story on aged care – exclusive new figures showing more than 40% of Victorian coronavirus aged-care deaths were residents in just 10 homes. by Mel Davey and Ben Butler
    Revealed: more than 40% of Victorian coronavirus aged-care deaths were residents in just 10 homes
    Exclusive: State and federal departments of health refuse to confirm figures as doctor condemns ‘outrageous’ secrecy around the data
    theguardian.com

    https://amp.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/sep/07/revealed-more-than-40-of-victorian-coronavirus-aged-care-deaths-were-residents-in-just-10-homes?__twitter_impression=true

  5. The theme on Channel 9 (sorry) this morning is that it’s inevitable that Dan Andrews will have to step aside, because every medical expert and businessman has lost confidence in him. And (get this), even the Prime Minister is unimpressed!

    Cue a rant from Jim Penman and that, viewers, is the current state of play.

  6. Hmmm, got me curious SK. Let me ask a coded message in the interests of privacy. Do words like Jungle, Disco and Orca mean anything to you, cricket-wise?

    Yes. But you are probably thinking of someone else who lives nearby.

  8. WTF?! Which moron started this ridiculous fad?

    California fire sparked by device to reveal baby’s gender

    A couple’s plan to reveal their baby’s gender went up not in blue or pink smoke but in flames when the device they used sparked a wildfire that burned thousands of acres and forced people to flee from a city east of Los Angeles.

    https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/california-fire-sparked-by-device-to-reveal-baby-s-gender-20200908-p55tef.html

  9. Simon Katich @ #56 Tuesday, September 8th, 2020 – 8:34 am

    Hmmm, got me curious SK. Let me ask a coded message in the interests of privacy. Do words like Jungle, Disco and Orca mean anything to you, cricket-wise?

    Yes. But you are probably thinking of someone else who lives nearby.

    No, wasn’t trying to actually identify you (I mean you’re Simon Katich aren’t you?), just confirming a mutual connection to that great club.

  11. Says it all really. The hopelessly brainwashed establishment flock would rather support war criminals and run a protection racket for the corporate elite than be confronted with the truth.

  12. Sorry, here’s Ann Telnaes:

    Trump’s November surprise
    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sends letters to governors notifying them to be prepared to distribute the coronavirus vaccine by Nov. 1 :

  17. Virginia Trioli – Coronavirus Victoria: 55 new cases, eight deaths

    Daily coronavirus infections in Victoria have increased again after falling for four straight days with 55 new cases and eight deaths recorded overnight.

  18. Firefox @ #61 Tuesday, September 8th, 2020 – 6:38 am

    ” rel=”nofollow”>

    Says it all really. The establishment flock would rather support war criminals and run a protection racket for the corporate elite than be confronted with the truth.

    The latest charge seems the most serious one.

    If they have evidence of him approaching and actually trying induce people to give him documents then he’s in real trouble.

  19. Spray, do I have this right…. doesn’t Jungles son now play for the enemy?

    If you know those chaps well you definitely will know the chap that lives round the corner. A stalwart. I only played for a half season as a lad. But yes. Great club. Was a great green.

  20. PhoenixRed

    Imagine if restrictions are lifted too early like Morrison and co are basically demanding
    We would be having a worse third wave.

  21. Mick F! Now that would be a colourful addition to this blog!

    That was going to be my handle. But no way could I pull it off. My first two games there were under him and it left a lasting impression.

  22. Simon Katich @ #69 Tuesday, September 8th, 2020 – 8:47 am

    Spray, do I have this right…. doesn’t Jungles son now play for the enemy?

    If you know those chaps well you definitely will know the chap that lives round the corner. A stalwart. I only played for a half season as a lad. But yes. Great club. Was a great green.

    He did SK. A short Test career, but has a century under his belt.

    Hmmm, the stalwart around the corner. You’re not in the Adelaide hills are you?

  23. What us particular disgusting is that those media types on Sky etc who are demanding that Andrews step aside, are fully supportive of Trump and spend so much energy bashing Biden.
    Trump who has overseen a catastrophe in managing the pandemic.

    They should hang their heads in shame.

  28. Sorry I can’t help with links to articles as well. This is the last day of packing before the Removalists come tomorrow morning!

    You do have my sympathy though, lizzie. Hopefully things are up and running again asap.

  36. Good Morning

    We have confirmation Daniel Andrews is doing the right thing. We have confirmation Morrison is taking hits. That’s before yesterday’s effort hits the polls.

    Aged Care did hit Morrison. It would have hit him more if the media had covered it more.

    This is why Labor and the unions needs it’s own independent news channel.
    Fund Public tv or 3CR or 2SER to go national on YouTube.

    Here is another example of how you do it.

    https://davidpakman.com/

    Even up the political narrative playing field.

  38. 55 cases in Vic, 8 deaths, 70 cases Same time last week.

    The trend is still good. Virus statistics reward patience. Something that certain people lack. It’s obvious who fails the Marshmallow test.

  41. fess, what a weird pollster. They regularly come out with Trump ahead in approval rating (the outlier of choice) yet seem to fall in with the average with state polling and, apart from one poll, never too far off with the national head to head.

  43. Danana

    It says Assange approached them, not the other way round.

    Where does it say that ? Overton worked with Assange on the Iraq war crimes revelations. He says “he came to me with the largest cache…” . If by he he means Assange then Assange already had the info.

  44. Although Assange’s extradition hearing appears likely to proceed, subject to appeal, he will take it to the Supreme Court, with the result that the final determination of his matter will take some and given the maximum punishment for his alleged crimes is 175 years (only in America), the court may deem this tantamount to the death penalty. And although he’d be deemed a strong flight risk, he could nevertheless be admitted to bail under strict conditions. It will also be interesting to see if Biden will be less gung-ho than Trump.

    https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/julian-assange-suffers-setback-during-first-day-of-extradition-hearing-20200908-p55td2.html

  45. Some spot on musings.

    Andrea Junker ®
    @Strandjunker
    ·
    4h
    Can we all agree that this experiment of having a dumb TV host and shady real estate developer with no government knowledge, 5 children from 3 marriages, 6 bankruptcies, 46 charges of sexual assault, and 3,800 lawsuits as president is not going well at all? #TrumpPressConference
    Rick Wilson Retweeted
    Fred Wellman
    @FPWellman
    ·
    25m
    At what point is enough…enough? Will it take him literally telling soldiers to disobey orders? He’s already pardoned war criminals and tried to use our troops to attack citizens. When will you say..”oh wow…that is too far?” Our nation can’t survive 4 more years of Trump.
    Show this thread
    Rick Wilson Retweeted
    Fred Wellman
    @FPWellman
    ·
    25m
    What kind of a sick President thinks that trying to turn the troops against their own leaders to save himself is okay? But more importantly what kind of servicemember, veteran or supporter really thinks its OK? What is wrong with you? When do you see his hate for our service?

  46. Rafael Epstein
    @Raf_Epstein
    ·
    34m
    The good news behind the daily number. Right here
    Quote Tweet

    Nath
    @Nath0784
    · 38m
    55 Cases.

    14 Day average now at 83.5 (This is the trigger to drop restrictions on 28th September – needs to be between 30-50)

    Below is the drop per day over last week of the 14 day average.

    127.1
    118.2
    111.9
    103.9
    93.6
    89.1
    83.5

  47. Regarding Assange

    Think about how the US has treated Snowden.

    See the court case affirming that yes the NSA was doing illegal surveillance of US citizens.

    Don’t buy the government case on face value.

  49. The gaslighting by the media and Morrison is shitting me to no end. Jobkeeper and jobseeker are going to be cut on 28th September. Why wont they extend it for Victorians to at least the end of October. So we can get out on top of the virus.
    After all didnt the Morrison govt actually stuff up the budgetary figures and happened to find an extra 60 billion dollars.
    Morrison is playing politics with Victorians and he should be held to account.
    What a creep.

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