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COVIDpoll: Lowy Institute Polling on Australian Attitudes to the Coronavirus Pandemic

Core Content

The Lowy Institute conducted the COVIDpoll in April 2020, a nationally representative survey of 3036 Australian adults, to assess public attitudes towards the global response to the coronavirus pandemic and its implications for international relations and global cooperation. The survey highlights strong national confidence in Australia's handling of the crisis, while Australians express skepticism towards the United States and China, particularly regarding their management of the pandemic and global influence.

Main Findings

1. National Confidence in Australia’s Response

• 93% of Australians believe Australia has handled the coronavirus outbreak very or fairly well.
• 79% view Singapore positively, while only 10% think the United States has managed the crisis well.
• China is viewed more positively than the US, with 31% of Australians believing it has handled the outbreak well.

2. Perception of Global Powers Post-Crisis

• 53% of Australians believe the United States will be less powerful after the crisis, a significant increase from 33% in 2009.
• 37% think China will be more powerful, and 36% believe it will remain the same.
• 48% believe Europe will be less powerful, with 46% thinking it will remain the same.

3. Views on China’s System of Government

• 68% of Australians are less favourable towards China’s system of government due to its handling of the pandemic.
• 27% see no change in their views, and 5% are more favourable.

4. Preference for US President

• 73% of Australians prefer Joe Biden as the next US President, equal to the support for Barack Obama in 2008.
• 23% support Donald Trump for re-election, showing an increase from previous levels.

5. Globalisation and Cooperation

• 70% of Australians believe globalisation is mostly good for Australia, a slight decline from 72% in 2019.
• 53% believe more global cooperation is needed during crises, while 31% think the current balance is about right, and 16% prefer less cooperation.

6. Travel Intentions Post-Pandemic

• 59% of Australians say they will be as willing to travel as before once the pandemic is contained.
• 35% say they will be less likely to travel, and 6% say they will be more likely to travel.

7. Trust in Authorities

• Australians have high confidence in their national authorities:
  • 92% trust chief medical officers.
  • 86% trust state and territory governments.
  • 82% trust the federal government.
• Only 59% express confidence in the World Health Organization (WHO).

8. Sources of Information

• 59% prefer the prime minister and government officials.
• 50% rely on government websites and the ABC.
• 31% use newspapers and news websites.
• 20% use social media, and 5% rely on word of mouth.

Key Insights

• Australia’s crisis response is perceived as effective, contrasting sharply with global powers like the US and UK, which are seen as ineffective.
• China is viewed more positively than the US, but its system of government faces increased scrutiny.
• Global cooperation is preferred over national self-interest, especially during international crises.
• Globalisation remains popular in Australia, despite economic disruptions.
• Travel intentions are resilient, with most Australians not reducing their willingness to travel post-pandemic.
• Government trust is high, particularly in health and crisis management.
• Information sources are dominated by official channels, with minimal reliance on social media.

Methodology

• The survey was conducted by the Social Research Centre (SRC) using a mixed-mode approach (online and telephone) to ensure representativeness.
• 3036 Australian adults participated, with a margin of error of 1.8%.
• The design effect is 1.86, indicating some variance due to the survey method.
• The survey is probability-based, allowing for generalisability to the national population.

Conclusion

The COVIDpoll underscores Australians' confidence in their national response to the pandemic and their critical view of global powers, especially the US. It also highlights a preference for global cooperation and continued support for globalisation, while showing a shift in perception of China’s influence and system of governance. The survey provides valuable insights into how the pandemic has affected public opinion on international relations and government performance.