Australian government performance

Coalition government report card

The Australian public give high marks to the current Coalition government for its handling of key Australian foreign policy issues, with two exceptions — China and climate change. The highest marks are awarded for the government’s response to Covid-19, for which the government scored 7.6 out of 10. Australians also score the government highly on ‘maintaining Australia’s national security’ and ‘maintaining a strong alliance with the United States’ (6.8 out of 10 for both).

As indicated in other results this year, Australians are positive about the government’s management of Australia’s economy, awarding 6.6 marks out of 10 to the government. The government receives an above-average mark of 6.5 out of 10 for presenting a good image of Australia internationally.

On the question of China, Australians are more divided, awarding 5.1 marks out of 10 for the government’s management of the relationship with China. As other results in the 2021 Poll show, however, more Australians lay the blame for the relationship tensions on China.

Australians mark the government hardest on the issue of climate change, awarding it a below-average 4.6 marks out of 10 for ‘managing Australia’s approach to climate change’. This is reinforced in other Poll findings, in which 60% say Australia is doing ‘too little’ to combat climate change.

Australian government performance
Coalition government report card

Question

What mark out of ten would you personally give the Coalition Government in Canberra for its performance in handling each of the following issues — with 10 meaning it has done an excellent job, 5 an average job and 0 a very poor job?

This question was last asked in 2021.

Managing Australia's response to Covid-19

7.7

Maintaining Australia's national security

6.8

Maintaining a strong alliance with the United States

7.1

6.8

Managing Australia's economy

4.9

6.6

Presenting a good image of Australia internationally

5.4

6.5

Managing Australia's relationship with China

5.1

Managing Australia's approach to climate change

4.0

4.6

In 2015, the question was: ‘In 2015, the Coalition government completed its first year in office. What mark out of ten would you personally give the Coalition Government in Canberra for its performance in handling each of the following issues – with 10 meaning it has done an excellent job and 1 a very poor job.’ Respondents were not able to select 0.
# Note change in mode. See Methodology.