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How lawyers rate government measures to COVID-19
Exclusive research has offered insight into how the legal profession has reacted to the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Emma Musgrave
Since the pandemic was declared, the Australian government has introduced a raft of restrictions. The Australian economy has been significantly impacted, with many expecting the unemployment rate to hit 10 per cent by June.
The COVID-19 Business Confidence Survey encouraged participants across a range of Momentum Media’s professional services brands (accounting, aviation, defence, financial services, law, mortgage and finance broking, and real estate) to take part in an online questionnaire between 2 April and 22 April.
A total of 6,740 responses were received, and the results have been evenly weighted across each industry.
One of the components of the survey asked about the perceptions of business owners/managers and employees towards the Australian government’s response to COVID-19.
When it comes to their level of satisfaction, 73.96 per cent of business owner respondents across the board stated they were satisfied with the response, while 16.10 per cent identified as being neutral and 9.94 per cent said they were dissatisfied.
Similarly, 74.31 per cent of employee respondents across the board said they were satisfied with the government’s response, 17.32 per cent said they were neutral and 8.37 per cent said they were dissatisfied.
Drilling down into the legal profession painted a similar picture, with 72 per cent of employees in this space indicating they were satisfied, while 18 per cent were neutral and 10 per cent were dissatisfied.
Business owners within the business of law are slightly more satisfied with the government’s response than employees, with 73 per cent of respondents selecting this option. Eighteen selected neutral and 9 per cent selected dissatisfied.
The industry recording the highest level of satisfaction with the government’s response to COVID-19 was the defence industry, with 83 per cent of business owners and 79 per cent of employees selecting that they were satisfied.
Utilisation of support packages
The COVID-19 Business Confidence Survey also asked respondents to identify whether they would be applying for government-introduced support mechanisms amid the pandemic.
The majority of respondents said they will take up the measures related to cash flow for employers.
This was followed by the JobKeeper payment, measures related to an increase in the instant asset write-off, measures around accelerated depreciation deductions and measures related to apprentice and trainee wage subsidies.
More about the survey
The dynamic COVID-19 Business Confidence Survey serves as a barometer of how businesses, and working Australians, are adapting to the changed working and social environment throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
This will enable us to map attitudes, confidence and business activities as they evolve by market sectors revealing which industries and professions are adapting most effectively to the “new normal”.
The first instalment of the survey report is expected to be released next week.
Emma Musgrave
Emma Musgrave (née Ryan) is the managing editor, professional services at Momentum Media.
Emma has worked for Momentum Media since 2015, including five years spent as the editor of the company's legal brand - Lawyers Weekly. Throughout her time at Momentum, she has been responsible for breaking some of the biggest stories in corporate Australia. In addition, she has produced exclusive multimedia and event content related to the company's respective brands and audiences.
Prior to joining Momentum Media, Emma worked in breakfast radio, delivering news to the Central West region of NSW, before taking on a radio journalist role at Southern Cross Austereo, based in Townsville, North Queensland.
She holds a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) degree from Charles Sturt University.
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