A special Roy Morgan survey into Victoria’s COVID-19 restrictions shows two-thirds of Victorians (66%) say office workers should be able to return to work in a COVID-safe office now like those people working in restaurants, cafes and other retail outlets compared to only 34% who say no.

Support for returning to the office is highest amongst L-NP supporters (72%) and supporters of Independents/ Others (71%) but there are also large majorities of ALP supporters (68%) and Greens supporters (55%) who say office workers should be allowed to return to working in the office.

In addition, a majority of 65% of Victorians still say they want mask wearing to remain compulsory now – although this is down from 87% two months ago during the middle of Victoria’s Stage 4 lockdown.

Victorians are strongly in approval of the Government’s proposed changes to in-house visitors due to be enforced from Monday November 23 with 75% of respondents saying Melbourne residents should be ‘limited to ten’ visitors to their household from that point forward compared to 18% who say residents should be allowed ‘unlimited’ visitors and only 9% who say Melburnians should be allowed ‘fewer than ten visitors’.

Victorians surveyed were each asked the following questions to determine their attitudes towards the current Victorian Government COVID-19 directives:

• Question 1: “Should wearing masks be compulsory or not?”Yes 65% (down 22% from two months ago) cf. No 35% (up 22%).
  
  
• Question 2: “In two weeks Melbourne residents will be allowed up to ten visitors to their household. Should the number allowed be fewer than ten people, limited to ten people or be unlimited?” Fewer than ten (8%), Limited to ten (75%), Unlimited (17%).
  
  
• Question 3: “Do you believe office workers should be able to return to work in a COVID-safe office now like those people working in restaurants, cafes and other retail outlets?” Yes 66% cf. No 34%.

This special Roy Morgan Snap SMS survey was conducted with a Victoria-wide cross-section of 1,253 Victorians aged 18+ on Monday November 9 – Tuesday November 10, 2020.

Michele Levine CEO Roy Morgan, says Victorians have overwhelmingly indicated office workers should be able to return to working in a COVID-safe office environment:

“A clear majority of 66% of Victorians – including 64% of Melburnians – have said they believe office workers should be able to return to working in a COVID-safe office environment – and this a bipartisan ‘consensus’ which includes clear majorities of L-NP supporters (72%) and ALP supporters (68%).

“Just as importantly 65% of Victorians have also endorsed the continuation of the mandatory mask-wearing policy currently in place although there are political divergences between the large majorities of ALP supporters (73%) and Greens supporters (73%) in favour of mandatory mask wearing compared to the slim majority of L-NP supporters (55%).

“The key policy change set to be introduced on Monday November 23 allowing up to ten visitors to people’s homes has received clear majority support backed in across the political spectrum with 73% of Victorians agreeing to limit in-home visitors to ten in two weeks including 76% of ALP supporters, 70% of L-NP supporters and 78% of Greens supporters.”