Queenslanders not happy with State Government’s COVID response

Queenslanders are less satisfied with their state government’s handling of the coronavirus crisis than their interstate counterparts, including NSW, home of the Ruby Princess cruise ship debacle

QUEENSLANDERS are the least impressed of all Australians with their state government’s response to the coronavirus crisis, an exhaustive new poll has revealed.

Conducted by pollsters Insightfully, the results show satisfaction with the Palaszczuk Government is even trailing New South Wales despite the Ruby Princess cruise ship debacle.

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The comprehensive survey of more than 1000 Australians quizzed people about the COVID-19 response efforts, what steps governments should take next and their views about the ongoing threat to the economy.

Insightfully founder Leanne White, a political polling expert who has worked with international leaders, prime ministers and premiers, said the Queensland Government was a clear outlier compared to other state administrations.

“This will be of concern to the Palaszczuk Labor Government given the state election is now just six months away,” Ms White said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Annette Dew

The results show just 20 per cent of Queenslanders were “very satisfied” with the actions taken by the Palaszczuk Government during the pandemic.

This compared to 43 per cent in West Australia, 36 per cent in Victoria and 26 per cent in NSW, where a Royal Commission has been ordered into the decision to allow Ruby Princess passengers to disembark.

The Palaszczuk Government also significantly trailed its Canberra counterparts with 38 per cent of Queenslanders “very satisfied” with the performance of the Morrison Government.

At 27 per cent, the second-term Labor administration also had the highest number of voters dissatisfied with its performance.

The results come after a string of controversies over the government’s lockdowns and economic rescue efforts and as new issues continue to emerge over schools and tenancy rules.

However, respondents indicated that they were more satisfied with governments generally and their own employers than they were with other people in the community.

While stricter social distancing and lockdown rules were the priority for most Australians, just 34 per cent of Queenslanders believed this should occur.

Residents of the Sunshine State were also more likely to believe that further stimulus and financial support as well as a stronger focus on jobs should be government priorities compared to other states.

More than two thirds of voters were gravely concerned about the state of the economy over the next 12 months.

However, younger people and public servants were less concerned about the economic impacts compared to older voters, business owners and people employed in the private sector.