Essential Research leadership ratings

Yet more strong leadership ratings for Scott Morrison, although most give greater credit for COVID-19 management to their state and territory leaders.

The fortnightly Essential Research poll includes the pollster’s more-or-less monthly reading of the leadership ratings, which record a four point increase in Scott Morrison’s approval rating to 65% and a two point drop in disapproval to 28%. Anthony Albanese is respectively down two to 40% and steady on 33%. Morrison’s lead as preferred prime minister increases slightly, from 51-25 to 52-24.

Also featured are the pollster’s regular questions on federal and state government handling of COVID-19, with the added twist of a question asking who respondents felt had performed better out of the Prime Minister and their Premier or Chief Minister. This found 52% favouring their state or territory leader compared with 30% for Scott Morrison. The poll nonetheless gives the federal government its strongest result for handling of the pandemic in at least six months, with 69% rating it good (up two on a fortnight ago) and 12% as poor (down two).

The state government results are little changed for the three states with passable sample sizes: the New South Wales government’s good rating is up a point to 72%; Victoria’s is down two to 59% (the state’s lockdown was announced on the third day of the six-day polling period); and Queensland’s is down two to 76%. Western Australia’s is at 88%, the highest reading in at least six months, after the conclusion of that state’s lockdown, which is up eight on the previous poll, conducted shortly before the lockdown began. However, here the sample size is below 200 and the margin of error as high as 10%. The same applies to South Australia’s 79%, down one on last time.

The poll also has questions about Craig Kelly’s recent behaviour, although I wonder about a question wording that says Kelly has been “sharing Covid-19 misinformation”, the consistently negative tone of the propositions being put to the respondents, and the lack of clear response options along the lines of “who’s Craig Kelly?”. The results find 41% agreeing that Morrison has showed poor leadership, without offering clarity on how many disagreed and how many had no opinion, and 56% agreeing Kelly was “more interested in sharing Covid-19 misinformation and building his media profile than representing his constituency”.

The full report features still further questions on COVID-19 and one on a 2050 net zero carbon emissions target. The poll was conducted Wednesday to Monday from a sample of 1109.

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.

2,424 comments on “Essential Research leadership ratings”

Comments Page 1 of 49
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  1. [Richard Willingham
    @rwillingham
    ·
    13m
    8am meeting of senior ministers and Premier to make final call on lifting 5-day lockdown, Victorian on track to see it lifted unless there’s a big increase in cases
    @abcmelbourne]

    ABCMelbourne talking of “scheduled end to lockdown” as if it’s inevitable. So if it doesn’t happened they can criticise.

  3. I don’t know if this is typical or not but bad news for Morrison if it is.

    Presenters on FM106.3 in Canberra – normally dealing in froth and bubble – laid into Morrison this morning.

    (wtte) Why didn’t Scomo apologise personally to the lady, rather than just saying sorry in Parliament. Most unhappy at the way she was treated.

  4. Samantha Maiden
    @samanthamaiden
    ·
    1h
    The former director of security operations at Parliament House quit his job in the wake of “tragic” alleged rape of Brittany Higgins after raising concerns over how the matter was handled. He won’t comment but says he’s happy to cooperate with any inquiry

    https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/brittany-higgins-security-guards-unlocked-office-for-alleged-parliament-rapist/news-story/82af353f178c9f6a9b271910aafa35e4

  7. Malcolm Turnbull also says he finds it “incredible” Scott Morrison’s office was not made aware a staffer alleged she had been raped in a parliamentary office:

    “Well, I find it incredible.

    That’s to say very, very, very hard to believe, that the prime minister’s office would not have been aware of that incident as soon as it occurred. And would not have been aware of the complaints that Brittany was making.

    I mean, if they weren’t, it was a complete failure of the system.

    So that’s the first point. As to when Scott Morrison was told – you know, sometimes the staff in a prime minister’s office will use discretion as to what they tell their [boss] and when they tell it to him or her.

    So I’d be … Ultimately, that’s really something only the people involved can answer.

    But an incident like this, you know, major security breach, very distressed young woman found there in awful circumstances then she complains that she’s been raped.

    I mean, I find it inconceivable that that wasn’t well known to at least key members of the prime minister’s staff. And if it wasn’t, there was clearly an absolutely baffling breakdown in communications.”

  9. Charges dropped against Amy Cooper who falsely accused Black man in Central Park

    NEW YORK (Reuters) – A misdemeanor charge was dropped on Tuesday against a white New York City woman who became an internet video sensation last spring when she falsely claimed a Black man threatened her in Manhattan’s Central Park, her lawyer said.

    Amy Cooper was arraigned in New York in October on a charge of falsely reporting an incident in the third degree, a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail. Prosecutors said she also falsely accused the man of trying to assault her.

    The now famous incident erupted when Cooper took her dog to New York’s Central Park last May, and a birdwatcher, Christian Cooper (no relation) asked her to follow park rules and put the dog on a leash.

    “I’m going to call the cops,” Amy Cooper tells Christian Cooper on a video. “I’m going to tell them there’s an African-American man threatening my life.”

    The New York Post reported that Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Joan Illuzzi-Orbon said a judge granted prosecutors’ request to dismiss the case against Cooper after she completed five therapy sessions “designed for introspection and progress.”

    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-race-usa-new-york/charges-dropped-against-amy-cooper-who-falsely-accused-black-man-in-central-park-idUSKBN2AG1Y7

  10. Jacqui Maley says it shouldn’t take a rape to change a political culture that women have endured for years.

    Worse than that Jacqui, it was not the rape. it was only when the rape was brought to public attention there was any move for change. Without that all those Coalition big wigs and lackeys who knew of the rape would have happily left it under the carpet they had swept it.

  13. @superscriber
    Dear lovelies,
    I’m gonna ‘cease & desist’ before I’m made do so. Have seen fab offers from IT peeps Folded hands & noted all feedback Folded hands During this lull, I’ll get well & get moving. BTW, posted this a v long time ago to a tiny blip. Those who did blip, I’ll get back to you
    ___________________________________________
    Oh FFS, forget the teasers, just publish already!

    Or are you just crying wolf…
    Extraordinary claims require Extraordinary evidence. I won’t believe until I see them…

  14. “And only after Morrison was advised how to feel about it by his wife.” – exactly says a lot about the guys character but no doubt lost to most people.

  16. On the subject of original denial access to the APH security footage to Ms Higgins the Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS) accessed and used security footage a few years ago in a disciplinary case against a DPS employee suspected of feeding information to then Senator Faulkner. No problems there unlike the rape case.

  18. Doug Cameron
    @DougCameron51
    ·
    15h
    Does anyone believe that Scott Morrison was unaware of allegations that a young female staff member was raped in a govt ministers office?
    This beggars belief!
    There are so many issues that must be addressed including the safety of parliamentary staff.

  21. Just by the way…

    Silenus@WSILENUS
    ·
    1h
    Replying to
    @_Oliver_Yates
    When Dan Andrew was quizzed about hotel quarantine earlier last year the Murdoch media was keen for him to release phone records including whats-app. Dan said OK but added he hadn’t heard/used whats-app until instructed by Morrison as preferred for National Cabinet communications

    It provides great cover as we saw yesterday. Asked if he knew about the rape and the phone calls he said no phone records have been given to him. That’s because there aren’t any. Brittany said all calls go through WhatsApp. His office has zero records of the conversation.

  24. So this rape thing.
    Depressingly, I don’t see scotty getting wounded by this.

    the ALP is failing to create this link.

    Your Chief of Staff knew, why didn’t you?
    Why did you create a culture where your senior advisors withheld the most important things from you?
    If they are holding back this, what else don’t you know about that’s happening in this government?
    Do you think you’re fit to be PM when you showed such bad judgement in bringing senior advisors that have such glaring character and moral flaws.

    Etc etc.

    Lots of Dad’s have daughters out there. There’s outrage to be had.

  27. The Times of London nicely skewers the PM with this headline.
    .
    Scott Morrison changes view on rape after talking to wife
    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/scott-morrison-changes-view-on-rape-after-talking-to-wife-6b0p3vdcf
    FMD ‘clarification’ on rape !!!!

    “Jenny and I spoke last night,” he said. “And she said to me, ‘You have to think about this as a father first. What would you want to happen if it were our girls?’ Jenny has a way of clarifying things. She always has.”

  29. south says:
    Wednesday, February 17, 2021 at 9:07 am
    So this rape thing.
    Depressingly, I don’t see scotty getting wounded by this.

    the ALP is failing to create this link.

    Labor don’t need to do anything.

    There are plenty of influential people out there, including many Liberals like Turnbull, who are angry.

    See references in PB last night and today.

  30. It is not clear what the conversation was, if any, as to how Ms Higgins wanted the allegations/complaint dealt with separately from the police, is it?

  31. Trump blasts McConnell as ‘dour unsmiling political hack’— then demands his ouster as Senate GOP leader

    President Donald Trump slammed Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on Tuesday in a hard-hitting statement issued through his Save America PAC.

    “The Republican Party can never again be respected or strong with political ‘leaders’ like Sen. Mitch McConnell at its helm,” Trump argued.” McConnell’s dedication to business as usual, status quo policies, together with his lack of political insight, wisdom, skill, and personality, has rapidly driven him from Majority Leader to Minority Leader, and it will only get worse.

    “Mitch is a dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack, and if Republican Senators are going to stay with him, they will not win again. He will never do what needs to be done, or what is right for our Country.

    “This is a big moment for our country, and we cannot let it pass by using third rate ‘leaders’ to dictate our future!” Trump added.

    https://www.rawstory.com/donald-trump-mitch-mcconnell/

  35. Interesting to read Ms Higgins call Finkelstein the Prime Minister’s “fixer”

    (Rowe, SMH, from BK’s big reading list)

    Ms Higgins, who left the government last month, said the Prime Minister’s “fixer” Mr Finkelstein had been “broadly in proximity” to the matter in the days after the alleged rape.

  36. Steve777

    In this picture, the PM is unaware that Tanya Plibersek is speaking because no one has advised him.

    Or maybe he’s just pig-ignorant…

    I think that is a dead cert. What sort of prick needs ‘help from Jen’ to clarify for him that the rape was a matter to take seriously ?

  37. Josh Bornstein
    @JoshBBornstein
    ·
    2m
    Bearing in mind that the Morrison government furiously tried to stop 4Corners broadcasting The Canberra Bubble, it beggars belief that Morrison wasn’t aware of the rape allegation. There’s a whole lot of lying going on.

  38. grace pettigrew
    @broomstick33
    ·
    1m
    yes, last year the Morrison Govt sent everyone a cheque and he became Mr 66% .. this year the Morrison Govt will deliver vaccination to everyone .. that is the formula for re-election, the timing is obvious

    On AstraZenica: the head of AZ in Aus, interviewed at least twice on ABC, is so patently a promotional/sales type that I found her irritating.

  40. lizzie @ #37 Wednesday, February 17th, 2021 – 9:25 am

    Josh Bornstein
    @JoshBBornstein
    ·
    2m
    Bearing in mind that the Morrison government furiously tried to stop 4Corners broadcasting The Canberra Bubble, it beggars belief that Morrison wasn’t aware of the rape allegation. There’s a whole lot of lying going on.

    This is what Louise Milligan, who was the 4 Corners reporter who did that story, had to say:

    Louise Milligan
    @Milliganreports
    ·
    1h
    In context of
    @ScottMorrisonMP
    saying he wasn’t told about #BrittanyHiggins, bear in mind preceding our
    @4corners
    Canberra Bubble story, ABC news management, MD & board repeatedly contacted by ministerial reps during same period Brittany says she was contacted by PM’s “fixer”.

    ABC MD grilled by govt in Senate about public interest of story on toxic culture for women in parliament. Blanket coverage by every news outlet in the country. At same time, Defence Minister & PM’s staff knew of alleged rape of female staffer at parliament & PM didn’t know?
    Wouldn’t
    @ScottMorrisonMP
    be asking his staff “is there anything else I need to know about problems with women in parliament? Are any other scandals brewing?” Wouldn’t his staff also think alleged rape in parliament moved beyond “inform on a need to know” basis? If not, why not?

  42. Citizen,
    It’s an issue labor should be angry about. It falls into that workplace stuff they always talk about.

    C@T,
    Starting your bullying early today eh?

  45. Jim Chalmers MP
    @JEChalmers

    Anyone else notice the government says the economy is going so well there’s no need to extend supports to millions of underemployed workers and struggling small businesses, but it’s too weak to unwind “temporary” suspension of business obligations? #auspol

  47. Peter van Onselen
    @vanOnselenP
    · 31m
    Welcome to how the PMO operates – they didn’t like this tweet so they rang one of my team to complain about it and said we don’t need to tell you things. Great culture in there…
    ***
    Peter van Onselen
    @vanOnselenP
    · 1h
    No media appearances by the PM today we’re told…I am guessing he’s checking the temperature of various issues with Jenny before popping his head back up tomorrow

  48. C@tmomma says:
    Wednesday, February 17, 2021 at 9:20 am
    Depressingly, south made another entirely predictable, piss on Labor, comment.
    ——————
    Depressingly, C@tmomma made the same comment for the 5000th time.

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