Victorians’ attitudes to lockdown, mandatory vaccinations revealed

Victorians have had their on say on whether the economic impact of lockdowns is greater than the risk of the virus.

Less than a third of Victorians believe the risk of Covid is worse than the economic impact of lockdowns.

A new Bastion Insights survey revealed that Victorians were most likely to agree that the economic costs of lockdowns outweighed the risks of coronavirus, with 49 per cent supporting the proposition.

Just 30 per cent disagreed and 21 per cent were undecided.

Victorians are also more dissatisfied with government responses to Covid-19 than residents of any other state, with the survey revealing only 41 per cent of Victorians have a favourable perception of the state government’s Covid response and just 27 per cent approve of federal efforts — a figure that has slumped amid issues with the vaccine rollout.

The report also shows that while only 6 per cent of Australians do not intend to be vaccinated, support for mandating the jab varies depending on where and how such rules are implemented.

Bastion Insights has been tracking public attitudes throughout the pandemic, and its latest survey found 51 per cent of Victorians are satisfied with their lives, below the national average of 58 per cent. Overall, 70 per cent of those surveyed nationwide said lockdowns were necessary to protect our health.

The report said 73 per cent of Australians agreed it was everyone’s responsibility to be vaccinated to protect others, while 54 per cent agreed that it was also everyone’s right to choose to be vaccinated.

Anti-lockdown and anti-vaccination protest near the Botanic Gardens in Melbourne. Picture: Alex Coppel

Workplace vaccination mandates were backed by 58 per cent of those surveyed, although support was far higher for areas such as aged care and hospitals.

Asked where proof of vaccination should be required, 77 per cent said when travelling overseas, 68 per cent said for large sporting and entertainment events, and at least 50 per cent agreed it should be necessary at gyms, pubs, cinemas, schools and on public transport.

But there was no majority support for vaccination certificates to be checked at supermarkets, post offices, bottle shops, banks and fast food restaurants.

After the Victorian government last week mandated the vaccine for about 1.2 million workers, Bastion Insights executive director Dianne Gardiner said the issue was “likely to force confrontation” in the coming weeks and months.

The survey also found that residents of Victoria and NSW were more keen to travel out of their home states than those in other parts of the country.

In the next year, 38 per cent of Victorians are planning a long interstate holiday and 35 per cent are planning a short interstate trip.