Eight in ten Australians (83%) are concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic, including almost half (48%) who are extremely or very concerned and Millennials (aged 18-34 years) are experiencing the most anxiety over COVID-19, recording significantly higher levels of concern across most of the impacts measured.
When asked to name up to three issues that personally interest or concern them the most and that the Australian Government should focus on, more than a third (36%) of Australians describe issues related to the environment and climate change, before health, jobs and the economy.
At the start of the new Parliamentary year, public sentiment about the direction of business and the economy continues to be negative, but Australians are feeling more optimistic about their own personal situation than in the last True Issues poll.
At the end of a challenging summer for Scott Morrison, the electorate rates the Federal Government’s performance unchanged from November (with the bushfire season well under way), and lower than its post-election peak of 49 in last June’s True Issues poll, while the NSW State Government’s performance has improved since the summer.
When asked to name up to three issues that personally interest or concern them the most and that the Australian Government should focus on, around one third of Australians describe issues related to the environment and climate change, representing a substantial increase from five months ago and overtaking hospitals, healthcare and ageing as a key top-of-mind issue.
There has been a general downturn in sentiment about Australia’s direction since the last True Issues survey, five months ago. After a post-May 2019 election bounce, there has also been a pronounced decline in confidence about the future direction of local communities, business and state and national economies.