Newspoll: Majority support strict Qld border lockdowns

Confidence in Annastacia Palaszczuk’s virus management erodes but she retains voter backing for border closure.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Attila Csaszar

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has seen an erosion of confidence in her management of the pandemic ahead of a state election next month but retains majority support for her strict border lockdowns.

 

The state Labor leader, who has moved last week to make partial concessions on border controls by lifting a ban for ACT travellers, has also come under sustained attack over the hard lockdown of the states’ border and refusal to allow medical access for communities on the NSW side.

While 68 per cent of Queenslanders still backed her management of the virus, despite having no active cases in the state, this had fallen sharply since July when the Premier enjoyed the backing of 81 per cent of voters.

 

Ms Palaszczuk’s approval ratings remained relatively stable at 63 per cent despite a four-point jump to 33 per cent in those unhappy with her leadership.

But just 53 per cent of voters nationally believed Queensland had got it right, with more than a third claiming the border closures went too far.

The special Newspoll, conducted for The Australian between September 16 and 19, shows that voters are less supportive of Ms Palaszczuk’s hard border closures, with 53 per cent claiming the level of restrictions were about right and 37 per cent saying they should be relaxed.

The Newspoll of 2068 voters nationally, included 1211 voters in Victoria and Queensland who were asked questions about their own premiers’ performances and management of the virus.