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”

Comments Page 3 of 30
1 2 3 4 … 30

  1. [‘Five months later, Mr. Trump’s financial supremacy has evaporated. Of the $1.1 billon his campaign and the party raised from the beginning of 2019 through July, more than $800 million has already been spent. Now some people inside the campaign are forecasting what was once unthinkable: a cash crunch with less than 60 days until the election, according to Republican officials briefed on the matter.’]

    https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/07/us/politics/trump-election-campaign-fundraising.html?action=click&auth=login-email&login=email&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

  7. Mavis @ #101 Tuesday, September 8th, 2020 – 9:37 am

    [‘Five months later, Mr. Trump’s financial supremacy has evaporated. Of the $1.1 billon his campaign and the party raised from the beginning of 2019 through July, more than $800 million has already been spent. Now some people inside the campaign are forecasting what was once unthinkable: a cash crunch with less than 60 days until the election, according to Republican officials briefed on the matter.’]

    https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/07/us/politics/trump-election-campaign-fundraising.html?action=click&auth=login-email&login=email&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

    Trump has pulled his ad buy in Michigan!

    I wonder if the Russians or Deutsche Bank will funnel some money to him?

  8. The governmetn is floating the idea of an infrastructure surplus that is more than simply announcing funding for the projects already committed to, which is all Josh and Scomo have done so far. But the list is “utopian” in a bad way.

    “Water – Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack wants projects to save and store water. He has named this as a key focus in his infrastructure plans.
    High speed rail – Liberal MP John Alexander says the $130 billion project to build high-speed rail from Melbourne to Sydney should proceed, with a link to Brisbane later. Sceptics doubt the business case will ever stack up.
    Ports – Exporters want big plans to expand port capacity and prepare for the next stage of economic growth, including new port infrastructure in Sydney and Melbourne.
    Energy – The dramatic shift to renewable energy has revealed the stress on the old electricity grid, forcing a debate over how to pay for new transmission lines and more.
    Commuter rail – Big cities are growing fast but train services take as long as they did decades ago, sparking a debate over how to link Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane with the satellite cities that surround them. The idea of a “30-minute city” with low commute times remains a dream for most.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/a-short-term-window-to-build-infrastructure-for-long-term-gain-20200906-p55sc5.html

    Ideas 1 (“Water infrastructure” – what exactly?), 2 (HSR between capitals), and 3 (Port expansion) are pipe dreams. The big ticket items we should invest in are 4 (renewable energy), 5 (urban rail), 6? (pedestrian, cycling and road safety treatments a la Sweden) and 7 (finishing the NBN properly). All would employ people, assist vs climate change, and save money and lives and improve quality of life in the long run. I fear with the incumbents any serious infrastructure spend will be hijacked by vested interests faster than you can say “hydrogen economy”.

  9. [“And simply it is madness and it needs to stop. He needs to take on a second opinion urgently from doctors who know and can convey the story of the harm that is being caused by this approach.”]

    He’s got a CMO to advise him on C.19. Morrison, McCormack, Hunt, et al need to STFU, the infection rate steadily reducing pursuant to stage 4 restrictions.

    https://www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-australia-live-updates-september-8-victoria-cases-roadmap-attacked-queensland-cluster-grows-covid19/111ebb92-7884-4d09-a3e8-c571f19b54a6

  10. Are the 100+ health care workers at concord & Liverpool hospitals expected to quarantine for 14 days eligible for $1500 pandemic leave or are they expected to become

    BREATHARIANS

  11. Victoria @ #95 Tuesday, September 8th, 2020 – 9:22 am

    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?

    When will John Kelly and Jim Mattis speak out and break the omerta they feel is owed Trump as Commander-In-Chief?

  12. Victoria
    Bracks poses a question a journos should have been asking Scrott a long time ago and it would not just be Victorians.
    .
    “How many Victorians is Morrison prepared to let die a lonely, painful death in order to prematurely open borders and the economy?

  14. Barney

    The US needs to make that extradition case in Australian Courts.
    Not British ones because of a failed entrapment attempt resulting in a bail breach.

    That’s the alternate view.
    Remember we see the Bernard K case. Prosecution by hook or by crook.

    These are the behaviours that give rise to credence in groups like Qanon.

    That of course might be the point.

  15. C@tmomma:

    Tuesday, September 8, 2020 at 9:54 am

    [‘Trump has pulled his ad buy in Michigan!

    I wonder if the Russians or Deutsche Bank will funnel some money to him?’]

    Possibly, but he may have to do a Turnbull.

  16. Spray @ #55 Tuesday, September 8th, 2020 – 8:34 am

    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.

    Mundo was talking to Blind Freddie a few weeks ago now who saw this coming.
    Reported to PB at the time.
    Andrews will be a spent force after this. He’ll see it through then take his leave, hopefull after one almighty spray at Scrooter and Ghunt.

  17. Cat

    Yes he has. Xi is now for all practical purposes the equivalent of a cold war dictator.

    And we don’t even know what is happening to the Uighurs except via satellite photos. They are being eliminated as as separate race.

    Have a good day all. Enjoy the plundering while you can, Republicans and Liberals.

  18. poroti @ #107 Tuesday, September 8th, 2020 – 9:57 am

    Victoria
    Bracks poses a question a journos should have been asking Scrott a long time ago and it would not just be Victorians.
    .
    “How many Victorians is Morrison prepared to let die a lonely, painful death in order to prematurely open borders and the economy?

    Bracks poses a question Labor Opposition Leader Mr Anthony Albanese should have been asking Scrooter a long time ago.

  23. GG

    Sorry to bother.
    But is it worth my daughter and partner seeking preapproval for a loan under the following circumstances.

    Daughter has new graduate engineering role commencing in February with govt entity. She has signed contract etc.
    She is currently unable to work in her customer service role due to ongoing shutdown. And as all the staff were stood down at the time, she was ineligible for job keeper and therefore received jobseeker.
    She has still managed to increase her savings during this time.
    Anyhoo, her partner has been working throughout the COVID.

  24. From Target to Twitter, U.S. companies urge workers to vote

    (Reuters) – From Georgia to Wisconsin to Ohio earlier this year, voters in primary elections were stuck for hours in lines from sharply reduced polling locations. And the surge in absentee ballots due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic overwhelmed election officials.

    Heeding the stark warning ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3, U.S. companies are aiming to facilitate what is expected to be a chaotic 2020 U.S. presidential election. Twitter (TWTR.N) and Apple (AAPL.O) are giving workers paid time off to get to ballot boxes. Starbucks (SBUX.O) and The Gap’s (GPS.N) Old Navy are urging staff to volunteer at local polling stations.

    Nearly 800 companies including Nike (NKE.N), healthcare company Abbott Laboratories (ABT.N) and technology company Qualcomm (QCOM.O) are participating in a CEO-led bipartisan activist group called Time to Vote, which encourages companies to give employees at least a few hours off to vote.

    Starbucks Chief Executive Kevin Johnson said last month that people could work out with managers when they can head to polls, adding that the move is partly motivated by concerns about Black voter suppression. Starbucks is also urging its over 200,000 U.S. employees register to vote from its mobile app.

    “We know that barriers exist, notably in Black and Brown communities throughout the nation, that lend to systemic racism and require greater voter access and protections,” Johnson said in an internal memo on Aug. 27. “No (employee) will have to choose between working their shift or voting on or before Election Day.”

    Rules securing time off for workers to vote vary by state. In New York, workers can be paid for up to two hours to vote, but they may be required to give advance notice. In Alabama, workers get one hour of unpaid time.

    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-companies/from-target-to-twitter-u-s-companies-urge-workers-to-vote-idUSKBN25Y1MI

  29. This Tour de France is an Entertaining Disaster:
    https://medium.com/@peterflax/this-tour-de-france-is-an-entertaining-disaster-ffc62f9d25a8

    *******************************************************

    Watching the TDF going on has been wonderful, however rumour has it that there are some positive Covid tests among the riders or staff on the rest day. Looking at the numbers in France (approach 10k per day new cases), I can’t believe what I have been watching sometimes…

  30. [‘Bitter division in the Coalition over planning policy related to koalas is threatening to split the government, with Deputy Premier John Barilaro asking the Premier to call an emergency cabinet meeting over the issue.

    Mr Barilaro wrote to his National MPs asking them to sign a letter urging Gladys Berejiklian to hold the cabinet meeting on September 14 as three Nationals MPs threaten to move to the crossbench.’]

    Country Party members threatening to move to the crossbench is nothing new. It means little as they will always support a Tory Government on confidence and supply. That said, Gladys has enough on her plate without having to deal with recalcitrants. I read somewhere that 71% of koalas perished during the bush fires so it goes without saying that their habitat should be protected.

    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/bitter-divisions-exposed-as-nationals-mps-demand-urgent-changes-to-planning-policy-20200907-p55t8o.html

  32. Wee Ghunt on the ABC being helpful

    “This situation [Melbourne’s lockdown] is longer than Wuhan. Melbourne’s lockdown is four weeks longer than Wuhan. “

  35. poroti @ #132 Tuesday, September 8th, 2020 – 8:21 am

    Wee Ghunt on the ABC being helpful

    “This situation [Melbourne’s lockdown] is longer than Wuhan. Melbourne’s lockdown is four weeks longer than Wuhan. “

    Bananas and durian.

    Probably a greater adherence to the measures and stronger conditions.

    People were only allowed to leave their homes once every two days to go food shopping.

  36. Non:

    Tuesday, September 8, 2020 at 10:19 am

    [‘Trump’s chances are waning according to 538’]

    Trump, 28 in 100 (170 electoral votes; Biden 71 in 100 (368 electoral votes) – I like that!

  37. ‘“Water – Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack wants projects to save and store water. He has named this as a key focus in his infrastructure plans.’

    The Nationals are still obsessed by dams.

    Barnaby Joyce went to the 2013 election promising 100 dams. He then commissioned a study, which identified about 30 projects (mostly in Queensland) that at least had some vague justification.

    I don’t know how many, if any, have been built.

    Apparently, the Nationals are either incapable of reading the numerous studies which show that building dams for water storage doesn’t stack up or incapable of telling their voters the truth.

    Any politician who promises you a dam is either lying to you or is woefully ignorant… yet the Nats continue to get away with it, and blame ‘the Greens control of Labor’ when they don’t deliver.

  38. Vic,

    1. None of the Lenders will accept JobSeeker payments.
    2. Most will accept JobKeeper. But. will only use the amount they are actually being paid rather than the normal salary.
    3. Re your daughter’s job offer, there are Lenders that will accept one pay slip and the contract. But, Probation periods can be a problem with some Lenders. LMI could be an issue as well, if required.
    4. If her partner can service the loan on his salary alone, then they could obtain a loan now. The Lenders will be asking questions about the impact of Covid on his ability to meet any on-going financial commitments.
    5. Otherwise, I’d suggest they wait until your daughter commences work.
    6. Obviously, I am assuming your daughter and partner are managing any financial commitments they have properly. When the Lenders assess the loans, good conduct is critical.

    Cheers

  39. GG

    Thanks for the feedback. They have no financial commitments apart from running their vehicles. They have approx 200 k and want to borrow approx 450. They can manage repayments on his pay alone and he has a secure role

  41. zoomster: “Apparently, the Nationals are either incapable of reading the numerous studies which show that building dams for water storage doesn’t stack up or incapable of telling their voters the truth.”

    Don’t you know that the large lakes created by dams cause more moisture to be evaporated into the atmosphere and therefore increase rainfall levels?

    Well, at least that’s what some people used to believe a century back when the dam-building craze really got going in Australia. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if some Nats, along with the likes of Bob Katter and Alan Jones, still think there’s something in that idea.

  42. Saint Scotty of the Dog Kennel…er, Cubby House…and Marketing is really starting to get pissed off that Dan Andrews is, in his pinhead mind, wilfully disobeying him. Him. Scotty. The leader (snort, snigger) of the country who now has started reverting to being the bilious, nasty, spiteful and petulant bully he really is.

    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/scott-morrison-walks-a-fine-line-while-kicking-heads-20200907-p55t9x.html

    The pressure from the big rich kids is building.

  43. Re the departure of the two journos from China.

    Is PB going to be graced this morning by some of the posters who consider that any criticism of the Xi regime is motivated by racism?

  44. Vic,

    HELP, credit card limits and personal loans.

    If they want to buy immediately, I’d suggest your daughter’s partner do it on his own (if he can service the loan). Otherwise the Lender will include living expenses for your daughter but not allow her to include her jobseeker payments as income.

    Are they building or buying an established property.

  45. Mundo

    Editorial editorial editorial

    That’s why the left needs independent non profit voices.

    The neo liberal agenda is the default of all media.

    Thus public housing is demonised. Same with the unemployed.

    Crikey is an independent outlet set up with noted Jeff Kennett media adviser Stephen Mayne. People mistake it for a left wing outlet because accountability is its core mission.

    That’s how dominant the narrative is.

    At this point however independent journalism pushing for accountability is a fast diminishing resource. That’s why the unions should set one up. Being unions they can make it a non profit cooperative.

    Voila!!! Increased media diversity.

  46. mund0
    They probably do but given the employment situation in teh media “these days’ they soon learn what to do in order to earn the big bucks. Toe the Rupert,Stokes or the Hammock Dweller’s crew party line or it’s the DCM for you.

  47. GG

    They are set on an established home.

    They were wanting pre approval of a loan so when a suitable ppty presented, they could put in offer.

    Appreciate your advices. I will pass it on.

  49. The Nine strategy is pretty transparent: declare that Andrews’ political demise is inevitable, in order to get the viewers used to the idea, in the hope it becomes first a meme, then a self-fulfilling prophecy.

    We also see this approach when journalists declare, based solely on their own hunches, that “Victorians” are “fed up” with restrictions and are deserting Andrews. When polls come out showing no such thing, they lick their wounds for a few days, invent another phony benchmark or deadline, and pile on again when the benchmark is not met or the deadline passes.

    The constant negative reporting on small businesses is another device they use to depress the public. Night after night after night we hear from businesses, travellers, psychologists etc. how miserable we all are due to lockdowns.

    Little mention is made of made of how miserable we’d be with lockdowns PLUS kilodeaths.

    Although it’s probably unworthy of me, I find myself thinking, “So what’s your bloody point?” when I see these items.

    If contagion this was an aerosol version of ebola, lockdown would be unquestioned. But in a novel situation where the virus is not deadly enough to kill everyone it infects, and takes 10 days or so to show symptoms (if at all), but which WILL kill millions if it’s given free rein, you have to err on the side of caution in countering it. We can always check afterwards to see what actually worked. Then we’ll be better prepared next time.

    This means wearing masks, avoiding crowded public spaces (especially air-conditioned indoor ones) and crowds themselves (eg. demonstrations, footy matches) rather than argue about the precise definition of what’s a “droplet” and what’s an “aerosol”.

    It means be respectful of others’ choices in methods of self-isolation without aiming knee-jerk accusations of racism, mental illness or paranoia at them.

    Finally, it means quitting political knife-jobs and dealing with the health issue first. Coronavirus might just be a rehearsal for the Big One.

    And then what would we do?

  50. The MEAA should be running a Youtube channel.

    Job creation and a model of how journalism can work. Run on it’s journalist code of ethics.

Comments Page 3 of 30
1 2 3 4 … 30

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *