Secret polling guides Annastacia Palaszczuk’s pandemic decisions

Annastacia Palaszczuk has relied on secretive monthly polling of Queenslanders to help her decide on the scope and duration of Covid-19 restrictions

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk began receiving the polling in May last year to help her make decisions. Picture: Sarah Marshall

Annastacia Palaszczuk has relied on secretive monthly polling of Queenslanders to help her decide on the scope and duration of Covid-19 restrictions since just after the pandemic began.

Despite insisting border closures and lockdowns are based solely on health advice, Ms Palaszczuk’s office is receiving “waves” of focus group and polling research intended “to shape the government’s approach” and messaging for its strategy.

Under the ongoing polling, Queenslanders have been asked about their views on the economic impacts of lockdowns versus health risks, the triggers that should ease restrictions and the merit of border closures.

It has even asked “what advice would you give” to leaders on how to manage the virus and whether the state government should try lifting restrictions on a “region-by-region, or sector-by-sector vs all-of-Queensland basis”.

The market research was initially commissioned in April last year amid a heated debate over the closed state border and just before Ms Palaszczuk announced the first easing of restrictions.

The Australian reported last September, just weeks after the Premier flatly denied her government was polling on Covid-19 restrictions, that Ms Palaszczuk’s office had hired market research and polling company Ipsos Public Affairs to run a “COVID-19 Key Insights Project”. Ms Palaszczuk has since repeatedly refused to ­release the research.

The polling initially cost taxpayers $528,000, likely one of the most expensive market research projects commissioned in years. The year-long contract was ­extended last month.

Obtained under a right-to-­information request, the initial contract documents show that Ms Palaszczuk began receiving the polling in May last year to help her make decisions.

Documents reveal only the questions and scope of research proposed to Ipsos in the contract by Ms Palaszczuk’s advisers.

“The final report should detail the overall findings from the ­research, including executive summary, conclusion and recommendations,’’ the initial contract said. “As the number of daily cases falls and the curve flattens, the Queensland government is considering the approach to the lifting of restrictions.

“This research will help guide the decision making and communication approach around the lifting of restrictions.

“This research should capture Queenslanders’ views on the ­impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as their expectations and preferences around the road out of the response phase and, in particular, the easing of restrictions.”

The market research was progressively changed with the circumstances of the pandemic and restrictions for each new poll or focus group. According to the documents, there has been 17 “waves of ­research” – initially delivered every two weeks, and then monthly – on the government, its restrictions and economic measures related to the pandemic.

“The research waves will be used to shape the government’s approach and ongoing communication for COVID-19 recovery,’’ the contract said about the ongoing work. “All research materials are to be designed in conjunction with Department of Premier and Cabinet.” The contract required pollsters to ask Queenslanders to even “rate the performance” of ­individuals in the government, police and the Health Department.

On June 27 last year – after she had received her polling report – Ms Palaszczuk stressed she was acting only on health advice when asked about lifting restrictions and border closures.

“It’s not about feelings here, it’s about listening to the health ­advice and making sure we take on board that health advice,’’ she said after announcing the opening of the borders.

A right-to-information request for the research before the October 31 state election was rejected on the basis it was prepared for consideration by cabinet, and was therefore confidential. But a ­revised RTI request, restricting ­access to just the contract scope, has now enabled the release of some documents.

Last September a spokeswoman for the Department of Premier and Cabinet declined to say whether voters were being asked about the border shutdown.

Documents reveal that also on May 7 last year Ms Palaszczuk’s department hired Ipsos to run a $138,077 “COVID-19 Key Insights Project”, followed by an ­“additional waves” top-up contract of $390,380 on June 19.

According to the documents, “field work” gauging voters views on the government’s Covid-19 strategy began on May 7 last year.

The following day, Ms Palaszczuk released the state’s proposed road map for easing restrictions, including that border closures would be reviewed at the end of every month, and borders could possibly reopen on July 10.

Queensland shut its borders on March 26. Ms Palaszczuk’s office received four formal reports from Ipsos – on May 12 and 14, June 22 and July 4 – before reopening to all but Victoria on July 10. The contract was extended after Ipsos ­delivered its final report under the initial contract in late June.

A spokesman for Ms Palaszczuk on Monday said Queensland was not only the government that had polled residents about their Covid-19 strategy.

“Consistent with other states and territories, and the commonwealth, the government sought to ensure Queenslanders understood the importance of the health response, not only to keep our community safe but also to keep our economy open,’’ he said.

“Consistent with previous statements, the company was engaged to conduct market research and sentiment testing to ensure the government’s COVID-19 public information and behaviour change campaigns were effective, achieved value for money and were evaluated, as is required under government advertising guidelines.”

Additional reporting: Mackenzie Scott