Australians continue to feel optimistic about the future, despite ongoing disruption to their lives due to COVID-19. They remain most positive about their own personal situation: 43% feel they are heading in the right direction (up from 39% in November), almost three times those who feel they are heading in the wrong direction (15%).
True Issues is a research tool to assist Australian businesses to understand where their issues truly sit within the contemporary issues landscape. This poll was conducted as an online survey between 18th – 22nd February among a representative national sample of 1,000 Australians aged 18+ years.
Public confidence in the national economy continues its upward trend. More Australians see the economy heading in the right direction (33%, up from 28% in November) and fewer see it heading in the wrong direction (23%, similar to 26% in November but lower than 33% in July).
Despite COVID-19 lockdowns over the summer months, the re-opening of businesses and return of workers to their workplaces has seen the increased optimism around business and industry maintained (31% right direction, similar to 29% in November but higher than 25% in July). Few adults now feel it is heading in the wrong direction (17%, unchanged from November but lower than 23% in July).
Confidence in state and territory economies remains stronger by comparison. Least disrupted by COVID-19, a majority of WA residents (63%) continue to see their state economy as heading in the right direction.
Residents of most other mainland states also continue to be optimistic. In NSW, Queensland and SA, more residents continue to feel their state economy is heading in the right direction than feel it is heading in the wrong direction.
However, fresh from another lockdown, opinion is mixed in Australia’s most COVID-19 impacted state. Opinion has shifted in 2021, with 32% feeling their economy is heading in the right direction (compared to 38% in November) and a similar proportion (31%) see it heading in the wrong direction (compared to 25% in November).
This was an excerpt from our latest True Issues report, to read the full report, click the link below.
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