Australians still set to take the vaccine: but opinion is divided on PM Scott Morrison’s handling of all COVID-19 related issues.

Now 83% of Australians have either already been vaccinated (7%), say they are willing to be vaccinated (69%) or would be willing to be vaccinated once the Pfizer vaccine becomes available (7%) – a total of 83% and an increase of 3% points since February, according to a special Roy Morgan Snap SMS survey conducted on Friday April 9 and Saturday April 10, 2021.

Although the vast majority of Australians – across all ages, genders, States and political party allegiances- are willing to take the vaccine or have already done so, there is a strong political divide. Only 13% of L-NP voters say they will not be vaccinated, while more than 1-in-5 Labor and Green voters and those who vote for Independents and other parties express unwillingness to be vaccinated.

The nation is evenly split on Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s handling of all COVID-19 related issues with 51% disapproving of Morrison’s handling of the pandemic and 49% approving.

Clear majority support for Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s handling of all COVID-19 related issues is recorded among Australians aged 65+, people in country areas, NSW, Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania, as well as L-NP supporters.

In contrast a majority of younger Australians, women, people in capital cities and Victoria as well as supporters of the ALP and the Greens disapprove of Morrison’s handling of the pandemic.

Australians surveyed were each asked the following questions:

• Question 1: “Are you willing to be vaccinated for COVID-19 or not?” Respondents who said “No” were then asked: “If the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19 became available would you be willing to be vaccinated?” Already vaccinated 7%,Yes 69%, Yes (with Pfizer vaccine) 7%, TOTAL Yes 83% cf. No 17%.
  
• Question 2: “Thinking about Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s handling of all COVID-19 related issues. Do you approve or disapprove?” Approve 49% cf. Disapprove 51%.

This special Roy Morgan Snap SMS survey was conducted with an Australia-wide cross-section of 1,423 Australians aged 18+ on Friday April 9 – Saturday April 10, 2021.

Australians aged 65+ are most likely to be getting a vaccine (or already vaccinated)

In mid-April, 16% of Australians aged 65+ have already been vaccinated – three times the rate of any other age group –  a further 68% of this age group say they are willing to be vaccinated for COVID-19 and another 6% would be willing to be vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine -  a total of 90% of the age group most at risk from a potential COVID-19 infection.

Next most likely are Australians aged 50-64 of whom 6% have already been vaccinated, 72% say they are willing to be vaccinated and 8% say they would be willing to be vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine – a total of 85% of this age group. People aged 50-64 have had the biggest positive increase in those expressing a willingness to be vaccinated – up 5% points since mid-February.

In contrast, younger Australians aged under 50 are less likely than either of the older age groups to express a willingness to be vaccinated, 79% of people aged under 50 express a willingness for being vaccinated (5% already vaccinated, 67% willing to be vaccinated and 7% willing to be vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine). 21% of people under 50 are unwilling to be vaccinated – a potential problem.

Men are still more willing to be vaccinated but women have closed the gap since mid-February

Men are again more likely than women to express a willingness to be vaccinated with 84% either already vaccinated (6%), willing to be vaccinated (73%) or willing to be vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine (5%) – a total of 84% up only 1% point since mid-February.

Women are ‘catching up’ to men over their willingness to be vaccinated compared to mid-February with 81% either already vaccinated (9%), willing to be vaccinated (64%) or willing to be vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine (8%) – a total of 81% up 4% points since mid-February.

L-NP supporters most willing to be vaccinated far ahead of ALP or Greens supporters

L-NP supporters are more likely to express a willingness to be vaccinated than two months ago with 87% now saying they are willing to be vaccinated including 6% who are already vaccinated, 72% who say they are willing to be vaccinated and a further 9% who are willing to be vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine – a total of 87% and up 5% points since mid-February.

In contrast the willingness of ALP supporters to be vaccinated is unchanged from mid-February at 78% including 6% who are already vaccinated, 63% who are willing to be vaccinated and a further 9% who are willing to be vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine.

The interesting result is for Greens supporters, 79% of whom are now willing to be vaccinated, down 5% points since mid-February. Only 3% of Greens supporters have already been vaccinated while a further 73% say they are willing to be vaccinated with an additional 3% willing to be vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine.

People in Capital Cities more willing to be vaccinated than those in Country Areas

A large majority of 85% of Australians in Capital Cities say they are willing to be vaccinated (8% already vaccinated, 71% willing to be vaccinated and 6% willing to be vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine) compared to 79% of people in Country Areas (6% already vaccinated, 66% willing to be vaccinated and 7% willing to be vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine). These totals represent small increases of 2% points for people in Capital Cities and 4% for people in Country Areas willing to be vaccinated since mid-February.

At a State level people in Tasmania are most willing to be vaccinated (88%, up 13% points since mid-February)– and have also increased the most in their willingness to be vaccinated since mid-February.

Next most willing to be vaccinated are people in Victoria (85%, up 3% points since mid-February), New South Wales (84%, down 2% points) and Western Australia (82%, up 6% points).

Least willing to be vaccinated – although still a clear majority – are people in South Australia (78%, up 2% points since mid-February) and Queensland (79%, up 8% points).

Approval of Scott Morrison’s handling of COVID-19 is highest among older Australians aged 65+

Older Australians are easily the most likely to approve of Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s handling of all COVID-19 related issues with 62% approving compared to only 38% disapproving.

Their views are almost directly reversed by younger Australians aged under 35 of whom 61% disapprove of Morrison’s handling of all COVID-19 related issues compared to only 39% that approve.

People aged both 35-49 (49% approve cf. 51% disapprove) and 50-64 (50% approve cf. 50% disapprove) are almost equally split on the question.

There is little difference by gender with 50% of men approving and 50% disapproving of Morrison’s handling of all COVID-19 related issues while a small majority of 52% of women disapprove compared to 48% who approve.

Victoria is the weakest state for Morrison with 62% disapproving of his handling of COVID-19 related issues

The results at a State level reveal where the lack of support lies for Morrison with 62% of Victorians disapproving of his handling of all COVID-19 related issues compared to only 38% who approve.

Interestingly small majorities of people in four States including NSW (54%), Queensland (55%), WA (51%) and Tasmania (52%) approve of the way Morrison has handled all COVID-19 related issues.

South Australians are evenly split with 50% approving and 50% disapproving.

On a regional level Morrison enjoys the approval of a slim majority of 51% of people in Country Areas compared to 49% that disapprove while this result is reversed for those in Capital Cities with 52% disapproving of his handling of all COVID-19 related issues and 48% approving.

L-NP supporters approve of Morrison’s handling of COVID-19 related issues while ALP & Greens supporters don’t

Unsurprisingly a clear majority of 60% of L-NP supporters approve of Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s handling of all COVID-19 related issues compared to 40% that disapprove.

In contrast nearly two-thirds of ALP supporters (64%) and Greens supporters (65%) disapprove of Morrison’s handling of all COVID-19 related issues compared to only 36% of ALP supporters and 35% of Greens supporters that approve.

Michele Levine CEO Roy Morgan, says as the COVID-19 vaccine progresses slowly around Australia – certainly slower than we were led to expect would be the case – an increasing majority of Australians say they are willing to be vaccinated:

Question 1:

Are you willing to be vaccinated for COVID-19 or not? Respondents who said “No” were then asked: If the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19 became available would you be willing to be vaccinated?

By Gender & Age

Are you willing to be vaccinated for COVID-19 or not? Respondents who said “No” were then asked: If the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19 became available would you be willing to be vaccinated?

By States & City/Country

Are you willing to be vaccinated for COVID-19 or not? Respondents who said “No” were then asked: If the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19 became available would you be willing to be vaccinated?

By Party Vote (Federal)

Before Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines became publicly available in Australia in late February the following question was asked of Australians as part of this survey.

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

By Gender & Age

This question was previously asked as part of an international survey in conjunction with Gallup International using a five-point scale in March 2020, April 2020 and again in November 2020: Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, Strongly Disagree, Don’t know.

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

For more details on this survey please view the release here: https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/8604-gallup-international-survey-covid-19-opinion-questions-november-2020-202012211153

Question 2:

Thinking about Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s handling of all COVID-19 related issues. Do you approve or disapprove?

By Gender & Age

Thinking about Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s handling of all COVID-19 related issues. Do you approve or disapprove?

By States & City/Country

Thinking about Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s handling of all COVID-19 related issues. Do you approve or disapprove?

By Party Vote (Federal)