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  • Oct, 2012

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    Trust in organisations and institutions

    Q. How much trust do you have in the following institutions and organisations?

     

    Total

    trust

    26 Sep 11

    Total

    trust

    12 Jun 12

    Total trust

    22 Oct 12

    A lot of trust

    Some trust

    A little trust

    No trust

    Don’t know

    % change

    The High Court

    72%

    60%

    63%

    26%

    37%

    21%

    10%

    6%

    +3

    The ABC

    46%

    54%

    59%

    20%

    39%

    26%

    8%

    6%

    +5

    The Reserve Bank

    67%

    49%

    53%

    16%

    37%

    28%

    12%

    8%

    +4

    Charitable organisations

    61%

    50%

    53%

    9%

    44%

    33%

    10%

    5%

    +3

    Environment groups

    45%

    32%

    36%

    8%

    28%

    35%

    24%

    6%

    +4

    The Commonwealth Public Service

      49%*

    30%

    33%

    6%

    27%

    41%

    16%

    10%

    +3

    Your local council

    na

    na

    32%

    4%

    28%

    39%

    22%

    6%

    na

    Religious organisations

    29%

    27%

    31%

    7%

    24%

    28%

    35%

    6%

    +4

    Newspapers

    na

    26%

    31%

    4%

    27%

    45%

    20%

    4%

    +5

    Online news media

    na

    23%

    28%

    4%

    24%

    45%

    20%

    6%

    +5

    TV news media

    na

    21%

    26%

    5%

    21%

    44%

    26%

    4%

    +5

    Federal Parliament

    55%

    22%

    26%

    4%

    22%

    37%

    32%

    5%

    +4

    State Parliament

    na

    na

    25%

    4%

    21%

    37%

    33%

    5%

    na

    Business groups

    38%

    22%

    25%

    3%

    22%

    45%

    21%

    9%

    +3

    Trade unions

    39%

    22%

    23%

    5%

    18%

    32%

    36%

    9%

    +1

    Political parties

    na

    12%

    16%

    2%

    14%

    36%

    42%

    6%

    +4

    Note: ‘Total Trust’ is an aggregate figure achieved by adding ‘A lot of trust’ and ‘Some trust’.
    * This Commonwealth Public Service figure is from a question asked in 6 Feb 12.

    Overall, there have been small increases in trust across all organisations since this question was last asked in June. However, there has been no significant change in the rankings.

    Respondents had most trust in the High Court (63%), the ABC (59%), charitable organisations (53%) and the Reserve Bank (53%). They had least trust in political parties (16%), trade unions (23%), business groups (25%) State Parliaments (25%), Federal Parliament (26%) and TV news media (26%).

    Compared to the average, Labor voters had more trust in Federal Parliament (40%), the High Court (67%), the ABC (68%), the Reserve Bank (61%), the Commonwealth Public Service (42%), trade unions (41%), environment groups (48%) and local councils (39%).

    Liberal/National voters, compared to the average, had more trust in religious organisations (37%) and business groups (32%) but less trust in Federal Parliament (21%), Commonwealth Public Service (28%), trade unions (14%) and environment groups (27%).

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