Queensland election: Economy, climate ‘more important than Covid’

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Richard Gosling

Annastacia Palaszczuk’s tough border policies are winning support from up to three-quarters of Queenslanders but that might not be enough in itself to clinch the October 31 election, with the economy and climate change rated more than twice as important as vote changers.

A poll of online virtual focus groups by the Australian Institute for Progress shows voters are expecting the COVID-19 crisis to produce lasting changes to Queenslander’s lives, including an exodus to the suburbs and ­regions with the working from home trend continuing, an increase in online shopping and an embrace of telehealth.

In anticipation of COVID-19 playing a potentially decisive part in the Queensland state election, we polled an online virtual focus group of 251 voters, balanced for voting intention, on their attitudes to it.

When prompted, three-­quarters of respondents (including 55 per cent of LNP voters) rated COVID-19 as electorally important. Unprompted, 18 per cent mentioned COVID as the most important issue, with the economy (38 per cent) and climate change (38 per cent) twice as likely to be mentioned.

It is an issue where the Premier has an edge over the opposition; 65 per cent agree with Palasczuk’s border closure, ahead of the 51 per cent approving of Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington’s position.

While respondents supported the border ban, many also suggested improvements. The “border bubble” idea was supported on the basis that you can’t divide communities, but a number wanted to know why it couldn’t extend further south, deeper into NSW, or why it couldn’t be porous to a much wider range of locations so long as they weren’t hotspots.

On wider COVID policy, there is more of a divergence between the public and the state government. We asked respondents to describe the government’s policy, and then to describe their ideal policy.

The difference in emphasis was enlightening.

Their analysis of the government’s policy was that it had borders as first priority and people as second. Respondents would reverse the order.

They accept the government is properly following medical advice, nevertheless they have their own tweaks. They put more emphasis on vulnerable people isolating themselves, and people who have infections quarantining themselves. They also emphasise distancing, testing and masks.

Our respondents see opportunities in the COVID crisis. The left pushes climate change agendas, part of a move away from materialism, as well as a perceived need to boost the economy through capital expenditure.

Protectionists — more the nat­ionalist minor party voters — emphasise localising production and bringing industries home.

There was an awareness of how universities have become beholden to overseas students and a belief this needs to change as well.

The right and the left also seemed to agree we should look at immigration levels and reduce them for varied reasons including protecting the environment, moderating house prices and decreasing congestion.

From the regions, there was a call for a greater emphasis on water conservation projects.

Only slightly more than a third (36 per cent) think things will return to normal while 39 per cent think change is irreversible; 24 per cent are unsure.

Many respondents predict there will be an exodus to the suburbs and the regions, and hope this pause in the spinning of the world will make us more introspective and less materialistic.

Having passed through the eye of the storm, voters seem uniquely awake to possibilities. The winner of this election might well be the one with the best post-COVID recovery plan.

Graham Young is executive director of The Australian Institute for Progress