Roy Morgan Research
April 07, 2020

Nearly two-thirds of Australians (65%) now say Australian Government is handling COVID-19 well – up 22% in a week

Topic: Press Release, Public Opinion, Special Poll
Finding No: 8369

Nearly two-thirds of Australians (65%) now say the Australian Government is handling COVID-19 well, up a large 22% in a week. In addition, now 59% of Australians say the ‘worst is yet to come’ over the next month in regards to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic – down a significant 26% in a week according to a special Roy Morgan web survey of an Australia-wide cross-section of 987 Australians aged 18+ conducted over the weekend of April 4-5, 2020.

While previously only 38% of those in New South Wales agreed the Australian Government was handling COVID-19 well this has now increased substantially and now a majority of 59% (up 21% in a week) say the Government is handling COVID-19 well which is similar to clear majorities in other states: Queensland 70% (up 28%), Victoria 66% (up 21%), Western Australia 75% (up 22%) and South Australia 58% (up 11%).

Australians were asked a series of six questions to determine their views regarding the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic sweeping the world. The first five questions were on a five point scale with strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree and don’t know the available responses.

  • Question 1: “I am afraid that either myself or someone in my family may actually catch the Coronavirus?”
  • Question 2: “I think the Australian Government is handling the Coronavirus well?”
  • Question 3: “I believe the threat from the Coronavirus is exaggerated?”
  • Question 4: “I am willing to sacrifice some of my human rights if it helps prevent the spread of the virus?”
  • Question 5: “If a new Coronavirus vaccine became publicly available, I would be willing to be vaccinated?”

The final question was posed as a choice between three outcomes. People surveyed were asked: “When thinking about the Coronavirus here in Australia which of the following do you think is most likely to happen over the next month. Either the ‘Worst is yet to come’, the ‘Situation will remain the same’ or ‘Things will begin to improve’.”

Australians are now much happier with the Government’s handling of the crisis

A much increased 65% of Australians agree that the Australian Government is handling the Coronavirus well – up a large 22% in a week. Of Australians that agree the Government is handling the Coronavirus well 21% (up 12%) strongly agree while a further 44% (up 10%) agree.

In contrast a much reduced 29% (down 20%) of Australians disagree that the Australian Government is handling the Coronavirus well. Now just 6% (down 10%) strongly disagree the Australian Government is handling Coronavirus well and a further 23% (down 10%) disagree.

Australians are considerably less negative than a week ago about the next month

A reducing majority of 59% of Australians, down 26% on a week ago say that the ‘Worst is yet to come’ over the next month when it comes to Coronavirus compared to a third 33% (up 22%) who say the ‘Situation will remain the same’ while 8% (up 4%), say ‘Things will begin to improve’.

Analysis by Gender reveals 65% (down 23%) of Women say that the ‘Worst is yet to come’ over the next month compared to only 53% (down 29%) of men. In comparison now well over a third of men, 37%, up 25%, say the ‘Situation will remain the same’ over the next month compared to 29% (up 19%) of women.

There are more Australians positive about the next month than a week ago. Now 10% (up 4%) of men say ‘Things will begin to improve’ over the next month compared to 6% (up 4%) of women.

Now a fifth of Australians agree the threat from Coronavirus is exaggerated

A fifth of Australians now agree that the threat from Coronavirus is exaggerated – up 5% from a week ago compared to 75% (down 6%) that disagree.

Far more men 25% (up 5%) agree the threat from Coronavirus is exaggerated than women 16% (up 6%).

Slightly fewer Australians are now afraid they or someone they know will catch the virus

Just fewer three-quarters of Australians 73% (down 2%) are afraid that they or someone in their family may actually catch the Coronavirus.

A quarter of Australians 25% (down 1%) strongly agree they are afraid they or someone in their family may actually catch the Coronavirus and an additional 48% (down 1%) agree. In contrast only 4% (up 2%) strongly disagree and a further 17% (unchanged) disagree.

Four-fifths of Australians would sacrifice their human rights to help prevent the spread of the virus – unchanged on a week ago

An unchanged 80% of Australians agree they are willing to sacrifice some of their human rights if it helps prevent the spread of the Coronavirus compared to only 14% who disagree.

An increasing 84% (up 3%) of women agree they would willingly sacrifice their human rights if it helps prevent the spread of the Coronavirus compared to 75% (down 4%) of men.

A largely unchanged majority of Australians say they are willing to be vaccinated if a new Coronavirus vaccine became publicly available

A virtually unchanged majority of 87% (up 1%) of Australians say they are willing to be vaccinated for Coronavirus (COVID-19) if a new vaccine became publicly available compared to only 7% (unchanged) who disagree.

Analysis by Gender reveals slightly more men 89% (up 4%) than women 85% (down 1%) say they are willing to be vaccinated if a new Coronavirus vaccine became publicly available.

Question 2: Do you think the Australian Government is handling the Coronavirus well – By States

Source: Roy Morgan web survey of Australians conducted on the weekends of March 28-29, 2020, n=988 and April 4-5, 2020 in Australia, n=987. Base: Australians aged 18+.

Question 6: When thinking about the Coronavirus here in the Australia which of the following do you think is most likely to happen over the next month – ‘The Worst is yet to come’ - By States

Source: Roy Morgan web survey of Australians conducted on the weekend s of March 28-29, 2020, n=988 and April 4-5, 2020 in Australia, n=987. Base: Australians aged 18+.

Question 1:

I am afraid that either myself or someone in my family may actually catch the Coronavirus

UK 18+ Australians 18+
Mar 18-20,
2020
Mar 28-29,
2020
Apr 4-5,
2020
% % %
NET: Agree 78 75 73
Strongly agree 34 26 25
Agree 44 49 48
Disagree 12 17 17
Strongly disagree 4 2 4
NET: Disagree 16 19 21
Don’t know 6 6 6
TOTAL 100 100 100

I am afraid that either myself or someone in my family may actually catch the Coronavirus – By Gender & Age

Gender Age
Australians
18+
Men Women Under 25 25-34 35-49 50-64 65+
% % % % % % % %
NET: Agree 73 71 74 74 77 74 73 66
Strongly agree 25 22 28 15 37 27 26 20
Agree 48 49 46 59 40 47 47 46
Disagree 17 18 16 17 17 14 18 20
Strongly disagree 4 5 3 5 3 5 3 2
NET: Disagree 21 23 19 22 20 19 21 22
Don’t know 6 6 7 4 3 7 6 12
TOTAL 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

I am afraid that either myself or someone in my family may actually catch the Coronavirus – By State

States
Australians
18+
NSW VIC QLD WA SA TAS#
% % % % % % %
NET: Agree 73 71 73 74 72 73 66
Strongly agree 25 24 27 22 24 32 25
Agree 48 47 46 52 48 41 41
Disagree 17 20 14 16 17 14 29
Strongly disagree 4 4 5 4 1 4 0
NET: Disagree 21 24 19 20 18 18 29
Don’t know 6 5 8 6 10 9 5
TOTAL 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

#Sample sizes with fewer than 50 respondents should be treated with caution.

Question 2:

I think the UK/Australian Government is handling the Coronavirus well

UK 18+ Australians 18+
Mar 18-20,
2020
Mar 28-29,
2020
Apr 4-5,
2020
% % %
NET: Agree 49 43 65
Strongly agree 11 9 21
Agree 38 34 44
Disagree 22 33 23
Strongly disagree 16 16 6
NET: Disagree 37 49 29
Don’t know 14 8 6
TOTAL 100 100 100

I think the UK/Australian Government is handling the Coronavirus well – By Gender & Age

Gender Age
Australians
18+
Men Women Under 25 25-34 35-49 50-64 65+
% % % % % % % %
NET: Agree 65 64 65 63 53 58 68 83
Strongly agree 21 23 20 23 15 14 23 33
Agree 44 41 45 40 38 44 45 50
Disagree 23 23 23 25 27 27 21 13
Strongly disagree 6 7 5 4 10 9 5 2
NET: Disagree 29 30 28 29 37 36 26 15
Don’t know 6 6 7 8 10 6 6 2
TOTAL 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

I think the Australian Government is handling the Coronavirus well – By State

States
Australians
18+
NSW VIC QLD WA SA TAS#
% % % % % % %
NET: Agree 65 59 66 70 75 58 58
Strongly agree 21 20 18 27 25 23 20
Agree 44 39 48 43 50 35 38
Disagree 23 27 17 19 19 27 36
Strongly disagree 6 7 9 6 5 1 6
NET: Disagree 29 34 26 25 24 28 42
Don’t know 6 7 8 5 1 14 0
TOTAL 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

#Sample sizes with fewer than 50 respondents should be treated with caution.

Question 3:

I believe the threat from the Coronavirus is exaggerated

UK 18+ Australians 18+
Mar 18-20,
2020
Mar 28-29,
2020
Apr 4-5,
2020
% % %
NET: Agree 26 15 20
Strongly agree 8 5 4
Agree 18 10 16
Disagree 28 34 34
Strongly disagree 33 47 41
NET: Disagree 62 81 75
Don’t know 12 4 5
TOTAL 100 100 100

I believe the threat from the Coronavirus is exaggerated – By Gender & Age

Gender Age
Australians
18+
Men Women Under 25 25-34 35-49 50-64 65+
% % % % % % % %
NET: Agree 20 25 16 36 23 23 13 10
Strongly agree 4 4 4 4 5 8 3 1
Agree 16 21 12 32 18 15 10 9
Disagree 34 33 34 35 34 32 35 33
Strongly disagree 41 38 44 21 41 40 46 55
NET: Disagree 75 71 78 56 75 72 81 88
Don’t know 5 4 6 8 2 5 6 2
TOTAL 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

I believe the threat from the Coronavirus is exaggerated – By State

States
Australians
18+
NSW VIC QLD WA SA TAS#
% % % % % % %
NET: Agree 20 25 20 20 11 13 27
Strongly agree 4 5 3 6 3 2 3
Agree 16 20 17 14 8 11 24
Disagree 34 35 31 34 33 42 29
Strongly disagree 41 36 41 44 50 41 44
NET: Disagree 75 71 72 78 83 83 73
Don’t know 5 4 8 2 6 4 0
TOTAL 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

#Sample sizes with fewer than 50 respondents should be treated with caution.

Question 4: 

I am willing to sacrifice some of my human rights if it helps prevent the spread of the virus

UK 18+ Australians 18+
Mar 18-20,
2020
Mar 28-29,
2020
Apr 4-5,
2020
% % %
NET: Agree 72 80 80
Strongly agree 27 33 35
Agree 45 47 45
Disagree 9 8 8
Strongly disagree 4 6 6
NET: Disagree 13 14 14
Don’t know 15 6 6
TOTAL 100 100 100

I am willing to sacrifice some of my human rights if it helps prevent the spread of the virus – By Gender & Age

Gender Age
Australians
18+
Men Women Under 25 25-34 35-49 50-64 65+
% % % % % % % %
NET: Agree 80 75 84 65 80 78 84 88
Strongly agree 35 29 39 26 34 36 36 38
Agree 45 46 44 39 46 42 48 50
Disagree 8 10 6 7 10 11 6 5
Strongly disagree 6 9 3 16 4 5 4 4
NET: Disagree 14 19 9 23 14 16 10 9
Don’t know 6 6 7 12 6 6 6 3
TOTAL 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

I am willing to sacrifice some of my human rights if it helps prevent spread of the virus – By State

States
Australians
18+
NSW VIC QLD WA SA TAS#
% % % % % % %
NET: Agree 80 75 76 84 88 83 84
Strongly agree 35 32 33 37 45 35 31
Agree 45 43 43 47 43 48 53
Disagree 8 9 7 10 5 11 4
Strongly disagree 6 9 8 3 5 2 5
NET: Disagree 14 18 15 13 10 13 9
Don’t know 6 7 9 3 2 4 7
TOTAL 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

#Sample sizes with fewer than 50 respondents should be treated with caution.

Question 5: If a new Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine became publicly available, I would be willing to be vaccinated

UK 18+ Australians 18+
Mar 18-20,
2020
Mar 28-29,
2020
Apr 4-5,
2020
% % %
NET: Agree 77 86 87
Strongly agree 44 56 56
Agree 33 30 31
Disagree 4 4 3
Strongly disagree 3 3 4
NET: Disagree 7 7 7
Don’t know 16 7 6
TOTAL 100 100 100

#Sample sizes with fewer than 50 respondents should be treated with caution.

If a new Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine became publicly available, I would be willing to be vaccinated – By Gender & Age

Gender Age
Australians
18+
Men Women Under 25 25-34 35-49 50-64 65+
% % % % % % % %
NET: Agree 87 89 85 92 88 82 84 93
Strongly agree 56 57 54 53 63 57 48 58
Agree 31 32 31 39 25 25 36 35
Disagree 3 3 4 2 3 4 4 3
Strongly disagree 4 3 3 3 4 4 3 2
NET: Disagree 7 6 7 5 7 8 7 5
Don’t know 6 5 8 3 5 10 9 2
TOTAL 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

If a new Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine became publicly available, I would be willing to be vaccinated – By State

States
Australians
18+
NSW VIC QLD WA SA TAS#
% % % % % % %
NET: Agree 87 87 89 87 88 79 89
Strongly agree 56 55 53 59 55 52 75
Agree 31 32 36 28 33 27 14
Disagree 3 3 2 4 4 6 4
Strongly disagree 4 3 3 3 3 6 7
NET: Disagree 7 6 5 7 7 12 11
Don’t know 6 7 6 6 5 9 0
TOTAL 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

#Sample sizes with fewer than 50 respondents should be treated with caution.

Question 6:

When thinking about the Coronavirus here in UK/Australia which of the following do you think is most likely to happen over the next month – By Gender & Age

 

UK 18+ Australians 18+
Mar 18-20,
2020
Mar 28-29,
2020
Apr 4-5,
2020
% % %
Worst is yet to come 82 85 59
Situation will remain the same 15 11 33
Things will begin to improve 3 4 8
TOTAL 100 100 100

When thinking about the Coronavirus here in UK/Australia which of the following do you think is most likely to happen over the next month – By Gender & Age

Gender Age
Australians
18+
Men Women Under 25 25-34 35-49 50-64 65+
% % % % % % % %
Worst is yet to come 59 53 65 52 54 61 66 61
Situation will remain the same 33 37 29 36 44 29 28 29
Things will begin to improve 8 10 6 12 2 10 6 10
TOTAL 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

When thinking about the Coronavirus here in UK/Australia which of the following do you think is most likely to happen over the next month – By State

States
Australians
18+
NSW VIC QLD WA SA TAS#
% % % % % % %
Worst is yet to come 59 52 60 65 31 58 66
Situation will remain the same 33 39 30 28 32 38 20
Things will begin to improve 8 9 10 7 7 4 14
TOTAL 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

#Sample sizes with fewer than 50 respondents should be treated with caution.

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Margin of Error

The margin of error to be allowed for in any estimate depends mainly on the number of interviews on which it is based. Margin of error gives indications of the likely range within which estimates would be 95% likely to fall, expressed as the number of percentage points above or below the actual estimate. Allowance for design effects (such as stratification and weighting) should be made as appropriate.

Sample Size Percentage Estimate
40% – 60% 25% or 75% 10% or 90% 5% or 95%
1,000 ±3.0 ±2.7 ±1.9 ±1.3
5,000 ±1.4 ±1.2 ±0.8 ±0.6
7,500 ±1.1 ±1.0 ±0.7 ±0.5
10,000 ±1.0 ±0.9 ±0.6 ±0.4
20,000 ±0.7 ±0.6 ±0.4 ±0.3
50,000 ±0.4 ±0.4 ±0.3 ±0.2

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