Bill Browne, Global attitudes to COVID-19 pandemic and response, Australia Institute, 4 May 2020

Key results

The Australia Institute’s International & Security Affairs Program surveyed nationally representative samples of people in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, Italy and South Korea about the COVID-19 pandemic. The government and friends and family are the most trusted sources of advice about the COVID-19 pandemic, and the more trusted a government the higher its response to the pandemic is rated.

• In most countries, government and friends and family are the most trusted sources of advice about the COVID-19 pandemic.
• There is a close relationship between how trusted a government’s advice is and how good their COVID-19 response is rated.
• Trust in government is highest in New Zealand (89%) and Australia (78%).
  – The United States has the lowest trust in government (57%).
• 83% of New Zealanders rate the government’s overall response to the COVID19 pandemic good, the highest of any country.
  – 71% of Australians rate the federal government’s overall response good.
  – The lowest rating is the United States (49% rate good).

Fewer than half of those in work are confident they will keep their job.

• Australians are least confident they will keep their jobs and hours, with only one in three confident (34%).
• Australian and United States residents are equally likely to have already lost their job (both 16%).

People want their governments to take the lead in sustaining the economy.

• Australian and UK residents were most likely to say that the government should take the lead (both 64%), followed by NZ (62%).
• Only in the United States did fewer than half say that the government should take the lead (43%).

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April 2020 – Global attitudes to COVID-19 pandemic and response [WEB].pdf