This report analyses data collected by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet’s COVID-19 Pulse Survey during 2021 and 2022. The data captures changes in vaccine hesitancy across different demographics – looking at the role of gender, age, socioeconomic status, and the stringency of a jurisdiction’s pandemic measures – and examines different kinds of vaccine hesitancy.

This report is an output of a project that is developing best practice guidance for public sector collection, evaluation, and use of Public Opinion Data (POD), for the purpose of developing public policy that integrates, and gives proper weight to, the opinions of those affected by it.

Interviews conducted with senior policymakers involved with the survey reveal it was designed to quickly capture public attitudes during the COVID-19 crisis, with no specific policy purpose in mind. This analysis assesses the evolution of vaccine hesitancy across various demographics over time, demonstrating the inherent value of Public Opinion Data (POD) in informing government responses. It also explores how the insights from the Pulse Survey influenced policymaking by examining the survey's design process and its role in informing decisions or shaping policy responses.

The report concludes that, when using POD, policymakers must balance agility and innovation against deliberate and methodical processes.