NewsBite

Jabbed Australians demand their freedom, YouGov survey finds

A clear majority of Australians want fully vaccinated people to receive preferential treatment over the unvaccinated, to allow them to resume normal life.

People line up outside a Covid-19 vaccination hub at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on Tuesday. Picture: Dan Peled
People line up outside a Covid-19 vaccination hub at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on Tuesday. Picture: Dan Peled

A clear majority of Australians want fully vaccinated people to receive preferential treatment over the unvaccinated, to allow them to resume normal life and travel freely both interstate and overseas.

A landmark survey also finds the biggest incentive for people to get vaccinated would be to exempt all fully vaccinated Australians from future lockdowns.

The survey by YouGov, conducted exclusively for News Corp Australia, publisher of The Australian, from August 20 to 25, sends a clear message that anti-vaxxers should not expect to regain the freedoms they enjoyed before the pandemic.

It comes amid growing frustration in NSW, Victoria and the ACT where extended lockdowns are taking a severe toll on businesses, mental health and children’s education.

The YouGov survey also found that almost half of Australians support the right of employers in any workplace to compel workers to be vaccinated. However, in an ominous finding for the Morrison government, more Australians blame the low vaccination rates on a “flawed” vaccine rollout rather than on vaccine hesitancy.

The survey found strong support for restoring the freedoms of fully vaccinated Australians as soon as everyone has had the opportunity to be fully vaccinated.

Two in three people support a so-called vaccine passport that people must produce to gain entry to sport venues, cinemas, nightclubs and restaurants. Just one in five people, or 21 per cent, oppose such a move.

The survey found strong resistance to allowing unvaccinated people to travel interstate or overseas once everyone has had the chance to get the jab.

Almost two in three people (63 per cent) said borders between states should be reopened only to fully vaccinated people, while just 30 per cent said they should be reopened to both the vaccinated and the unvaccinated.

Vaccination status was also seen as important for overseas travel, with 68 per cent of people supporting the resumption of travel for vaccinated people only.

Just 22 per cent of people ­believe that both vaccinated and unvaccinated people should be allowed to travel overseas once the vaccination rollout is complete.

Critics have warned this would lead to a two-tier society of the vaccinated and the unvaccinated, but the survey findings suggest this is what people want. The survey also showed the Morrison government, which saw its primary vote fall to just 36 per cent in the latest Newspoll, is seen as primarily to blame for the fact more people are not fully vaccinated at this point.

It found almost half (49 per cent) blamed a “flawed” vaccine rollout, while a smaller number (37 per cent) blamed the reluctance of people to get vaccinated.

Despite high daily vaccination rates in recent weeks, only 35 per cent of Australians are fully vaccinated while 58.7 per cent have had one dose – well short of the federal government’s staged reopening targets of having 70 per cent and 80 per cent of the eligible population fully vaccinated.

The YouGov survey found that 45 per cent of Australians believe the most effective incentive to get vaccinated would be to exempt fully vaccinated Australians from lockdowns. Twenty nine per cent believe a cash payment would be the best incentive for vaccinations.

However, people were divided over whether there was a need for further lockdowns to combat outbreaks after everyone has had the chance to get a jab. Forty one per cent said there should not be further lockdowns, while 37 per cent said there should be, if needed.

Some premiers such as Western Australia’s Mark McGowan and Queensland’s Annastacia Palaszczuk have warned they may still restrict travel and order lockdowns to prevent Covid-19 entering their state even after national vaccination targets have been met.

Scott Morrison has said there should be no need for lockdowns after 80 per cent of eligible Australians have been fully vaccinated.

The survey found strong support for the right of employers to compel their workers to get vaccinated as a growing number of employers, including Qantas and Virgin Australia, make it compulsory for their workers to be fully vaccinated. It found that 45 per cent of people support the right of all employers to demand that their workers be vaccinated, while 24 per cent support it only in public-facing jobs. Just 23 per cent of respondents said employers should not compel workers to get vaccinated. The greatest support for requiring compulsory vaccination was for those who worked in aged care, in nursing, as teachers or in public transport.

As The Australian reported on Tuesday, the survey shows the public’s support for lockdowns is waning. They are more worried about job losses and mental health than they are about a large breakout of Covid-19 cases and deaths. The poll also found strong support for keeping schools open.

The findings will increase pressure on premiers to strike a better balance between public health issues and freedoms as the number of vaccinated Australians grows.

Add your comment to this story

To join the conversation, please Don't have an account? Register

Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/jabbed-australians-demand-their-freedom-yougov-survey-finds/news-story/61b23f803760a71d3227eccd884ae3a9