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  • Oct, 2021

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    Trust in institutions

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

    TOTAL: Trust Oct’21 Change since Mar’21 Mar’21   Aug’20
    Scientific bodies (e.g. CSRIO) 68%   n/a   n/a
    State & federal health authorities 64% -4% 70%   69%
    Police, courts and the justice system 61% -3% 64%   64%
    Universities 59%   n/a   n/a
    State or territory government 55% -11% 66%   60%
    The Commonwealth public service 52% -5% 57%   56%
    Federal government 48% -6% 54%   55%

     

      TOTAL:

    Trust

    		 TOTAL:

    Don’t trust

    		 Have a lot of trust Have some trust Have little trust Have no trust at all Unsure
    Scientific bodies (e.g. CSRIO) 68% 25% 30% 38% 18% 7% 7%
    State & federal health authorities 64% 31% 21% 43% 21% 11% 5%
    Police, courts and the justice system 61% 35% 18% 43% 23% 12% 4%
    Universities 59% 34% 19% 41% 26% 9% 7%
    State or territory government 55% 41% 16% 39% 25% 16% 4%
    The Commonwealth public service 52% 41% 12% 40% 29% 12% 7%
    Federal government 48% 47% 13% 35% 29% 18% 5%
    • Trust in the state/territory government and federal government has decreased since Mar’21. Trust in state/territory government has dropped from 66% to 55%, and trust in the federal government from 54% to 48%.
    • People have the most trust in scientific bodies (68%) and health authorities (64%).
  • Mar, 2021

    Trust in institutions

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

    TOTAL: Trust Mar’21 Change since Aug’20 Aug’20
    Australia’s border security agencies 72% 5% 67%
    State & federal health authorities 70% 1% 69%
    State or territory government 66% 6% 60%
    Police, courts and the justice system 64% No change 64%
    The ABC 59% 1% 58%
    The Commonwealth public service 57% 1% 56%
    Federal parliament 54% -1% 55%
    News on commercial TV & radio 45% No change 45%
    Print media 35% -4% 39%

     

      TOTAL:

    Trust

    		 TOTAL:

    Don’t trust

    		 Have a lot of trust Have some trust Have little trust Have no trust at all Unsure
    Australia’s border security agencies 72% 24% 28% 44% 18% 6% 3%
    State & federal health authorities 70% 27% 25% 45% 20% 7% 3%
    State or territory government 66% 31% 22% 45% 21% 10% 2%
    Police, courts and the justice system 64% 34% 21% 43% 24% 10% 2%
    The ABC 59% 36% 21% 38% 24% 13% 5%
    The Commonwealth public service 57% 38% 12% 45% 29% 8% 5%
    Federal parliament 54% 43% 15% 39% 28% 15% 3%
    News on commercial TV & radio 45% 52% 8% 36% 36% 16% 3%
    Print media 35% 60% 6% 30% 40% 19% 5%
    • People currently have the most trust in Australia’s border security agencies (72%) and state and federal health authorities (70%). Trust in border security agencies has seen a 5% point increase since August last year and trust in health authorities is unchanged.
    • Trust in state or territory governments comes in as the third most trusted institution (66%), having increased by 6% points since last August. Trust in police, courts and the justice system follows closely behind (64%).
    • 57% of people trust the Commonwealth public service, and just over half (54%) trust the federal parliament, both are consistent with levels seen last August.
    • 59% trust the ABC, more than the proportion who trust commercial TV and radio news (54%). Print media is the least trusted institution with only just over a third (35%) of people trusting it.
  • Mar, 2021

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    Trust in institutions to ensure work is a safe place for women

    Q.  How much would you trust the following institutions to ensure work is a safe place for women?

      TOTAL:

    Trust

    		 TOTAL:

    Don’t trust

    		 Have a lot of trust Have some trust Have little trust Have no trust at all Unsure
    Public service 50% 42% 14% 37% 30% 11% 8%
    Private companies 48% 42% 11% 37% 31% 12% 9%
    Political offices 34% 59% 10% 24% 33% 26% 7%
    Sporting clubs 40% 51% 10% 29% 35% 17% 9%
    Entertainment industry 36% 55% 11% 25% 36% 20% 8%
    • Overall, trust in institutions to ensure work is a safe place for women is lacking. However, there is the least trust in political offices – 59% don’t trust political offices to ensure this, and of this, nearly a third (26%) have no trust at all.
    • The entertainment industry tracks only slightly ahead of political offices with 55% not trusting it to ensure work is a safe place for women.
    • About half trust the public service and private companies (50% and 48% respectively) to ensure this, however of this the majority only have some trust – only 14% and 11% have a lot of trust in public service and private companies respectively.
  • Mar, 2021

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    Trust in institutions to ensure work is a safe place for women

    Q. How much would you trust the following institutions to ensure work is a safe place for women?

    TOTAL: Trust Total Gender Age Group Federal Voting Intention
    Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor TOTAL: Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
    Public service 50% 56% 45% 52% 55% 44% 51% 57% 53% 40%
    Private companies 48% 56% 41% 48% 48% 49% 46% 56% 49% 49%
    Political offices 34% 41% 27% 34% 38% 30% 30% 45% 21% 31%
    Sporting clubs 40% 49% 30% 39% 42% 37% 40% 44% 26% 45%
    Entertainment industry 36% 42% 31% 32% 43% 33% 37% 41% 25% 41%
    Base (n) 1,074 527 547 326 363 385 335 396 106 138
    • While trust in political offices is low overall, just 27% of women trust political offices to ensure work is a safe place for them.
    • Compared to other voters, Greens voters are the least likely to trust political offices to ensure a safe working environment for women (21% to 30% Labor voters, 45% Coalition and 31% minor and independent party voters).
  • Aug, 2020

    Trust in institutions

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

      TOTAL: Trust TOTAL: Low trust Have a lot of trust Have some trust Have little trust Have no trust at all Unsure
    State & federal health authorities 69% 25% 28% 41% 18% 7% 6%
    Australia’s border security agencies 67% 26% 21% 46% 17% 8% 7%
    Police, courts and the justice system 64% 30% 22% 42% 20% 9% 6%
    State or territory government 60% 34% 23% 37% 23% 11% 6%
    The ABC 58% 34% 24% 34% 23% 11% 8%
    The Commonwealth public service 56% 36% 14% 41% 29% 7% 8%
    Federal parliament 55% 37% 17% 38% 26% 11% 8%
    News on commercial TV & radio 45% 49% 10% 35% 35% 14% 6%
    Print media 39% 55% 7% 31% 36% 18% 7%

     

    • Participants have most trust in state & federal health authorities (69%) and Australia’s border security agencies (67%).
    • News on commercial TV & radio (45%) and print media (39%) are trusted by less than half of participants.
  • Apr, 2020

    Trust in Institutions

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

      NET: Total Trust A lot of trust Some trust A little trust No trust Unsure Mar

    2019

    		 Sep 2018 Oct 2017 Sep 2016
    Federal police 68% 24% 45% 18% 9% 5% 66% 70% 71% 63%
    State police 68% 23% 45% 20% 8% 4% 66% 67% 67% 63%
    The High Court 61% 21% 40% 23% 10% 6% 58% 61% 61% 57%
    The Reserve Bank 60% 16% 44% 23% 10% 7% 49% 50% 49% 47%
    The ABC 58% 19% 39% 22% 12% 8% 51% 54% 52% 53%
    Courts and the legal system 57% 16% 41% 27% 12% 4% – – – –
    Charitable organisations 54% 12% 42% 27% 13% 6% 50% 47% 46% 43%
    Federal Parliament 53% 13% 40% 29% 13% 5% 35% 28% 30% 26%
    Your local council 53% 10% 43% 29% 14% 5% 43% 42% 38% 36%
    The Commonwealth public service 52% 11% 40% 31% 10% 8% 42% 39% 38% 36%
    State Parliament 51% 12% 40% 29% 14% 6% 36% 31% 31% 26%
    Environment groups 46% 12% 33% 30% 18% 7% 43% 42% 42% 39%
    Trade unions 42% 8% 34% 29% 21% 9% 31% 25% 25% 25%
    Business groups 40% 6% 34% 37% 15% 9% 31% 29% 28% 27%
    Religious organisations 35% 8% 27% 28% 31% 6% 27% 28% 26% 26%
    Political parties 33% 5% 28% 38% 22% 7% 22% 15% 18% 14%
    • There have been large increases in the trust in institutions and organisations from last year.
    • Trust in the following all significantly increased from last year: federal parliament (35% to 53%), state parliament (36% to 51%), local councils (43% to 53%), the Commonwealth public service (42% to 52%), the Reserve bank (49% to 60%), business groups (31% to 40%), trade unions (31% to 42%), religious organisations (27% to 35%) and political parties (22% to 33%).
    • Federal and state police (68% trust) remain the most trusted institutions in the list.
  • Jun, 2015

    Trust in Institutions

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

    Total trust

    A lot of trust

    Some trust

    A little trust

    No trust

    Don’t know

    % change

    Total

    trust Jun 12

    Total

    trust Mar 13

    Total trust Jul 14

    Total

    trust Jan 15

    Federal police

    68%

    27%

    41%

    19%

    7%

    6%

    na

    –

    –

    –

    –

    State police

    66%

    27%

    39%

    22%

    6%

    6%

    na

    –

    –

    –

    –

    The High Court

    61%

    23%

    38%

    23%

    9%

    7%

    +8

    60%

    74%

    57%

    53%

    The ABC

    56%

    18%

    38%

    23%

    12%

    9%

    +3

    54%

    70%

    54%

    53%

    The Reserve Bank

    56%

    16%

    40%

    25%

    10%

    9%

    +7

    49%

    64%

    52%

    49%

    Charitable organisations

    46%

    9%

    37%

    36%

    10%

    7%

    +2

    50%

    52%

    45%

    44%

    Environment groups

    40%

    9%

    31%

    35%

    17%

    8%

    +7

    32%

    41%

    31%

    33%

    Your local council

    39%

    6%

    33%

    34%

    21%

    6%

    +7

    na

    34%

    33%

    32%

    The Commonwealth Public Service

    35%

    5%

    30%

    39%

    13%

    12%

    +3

    30%

    36%

    31%

    32%

    State Parliament

    32%

    5%

    27%

    32%

    28%

    7%

    +8

    na

    30%

    24%

    24%

    Federal Parliament

    31%

    6%

    25%

    33%

    30%

    7%

    +6

    22%

    34%

    25%

    25%

    Business groups

    28%

    2%

    26%

    42%

    19%

    10%

    +5

    22%

    26%

    22%

    23%

    Trade unions

    26%

    3%

    23%

    32%

    32%

    11%

    +3

    22%

    25%

    22%

    23%

    Religious organisations

    25%

    6%

    19%

    27%

    40%

    8%

    +3

    27%

    27%

    26%

    22%

    Political parties

    16%

    1%

    15%

    37%

    40%

    7%

    +2

    12%

    12%

    13%

    14%

    Note: ‘Total Trust’ is an aggregate figure achieved by adding ‘A lot of trust’ and ‘Some trust’

  • Jan, 2015

    Trust in Institutions

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

     

    Total

    trust

     

    A lot of trust

    Some trust

    A little trust

    No trust

    Don’t know

    % change

     

    Total trust

    Jun 12

    Total trust

    Mar 13

    Total trust

    Jul 14
    The ABC

    53%

    20%

    33%

    28%

    12%

    8%

    -1

    54%

    70%

    54%
    The High Court

    53%

    17%

    36%

    27%

    12%

    8%

    -4

    60%

    74%

    57%
    The Reserve Bank

    49%

    14%

    35%

    30%

    12%

    9%

    -3

    49%

    64%

    52%
    Charitable organisations

    44%

    7%

    37%

    36%

    13%

    7%

    -1

    50%

    52%

    45%
    Environment groups

    33%

    5%

    28%

    39%

    20%

    8%

    +2

    32%

    41%

    31%
    Your local council

    32%

    4%

    28%

    41%

    21%

    6%

    -1

    na

    34%

    33%
    The Commonwealth Public Service

    32%

    4%

    28%

    39%

    17%

    11%

    +1

    30%

    36%

    31%
    Newspapers

    30%

    3%

    27%

    43%

    20%

    6%

    –

    26%

    30%

    30%
    Online news media

    27%

    3%

    24%

    43%

    22%

    8%

    +2

    23%

    27%

    25%
    Federal Parliament

    25%

    3%

    22%

    36%

    32%

    7%

    –

    22%

    34%

    25%
    TV news media

    25%

    2%

    23%

    44%

    24%

    6%

    -7

    21%

    30%

    32%
    State Parliament

    24%

    3%

    21%

    37%

    32%

    7%

    –

    na

    30%

    24%
    Trade unions

    23%

    4%

    19%

    34%

    35%

    9%

    +1

    22%

    25%

    22%
    Business groups

    23%

    2%

    21%

    43%

    23%

    10%

    +1

    22%

    26%

    22%
    Religious organisations

    22%

    4%

    18%

    30%

    40%

    7%

    -4

    27%

    27%

    26%
    Political parties

    14%

    1%

    13%

    35%

    45%

    6%

    +1

    12%

    12%

    13%

     Note: ‘Total Trust’ is an aggregate figure achieved by adding ‘A lot of trust’ and ‘Some trust’

    There have been few significant changes since this question was asked in July last year.

    Respondents had most trust in the ABC (53%), the High Court (53%), the Reserve Bank (49%) and charitable organisations (44%). They had least trust in political parties (14%) and religious organisations (22%).

    The main changes since the last poll were for TV news media (down 7% to 25%) and religious organisations (down 4% to 22%).

    Compared to the average, Labor voters had more trust in the ABC (61%), environment groups (42%) and trade unions (33%).

    Liberal/National voters, compared to the average, had a little more trust in the Reserve Bank (59%), religious organisations (29%), newspapers (38%), TV news (33%), Federal Parliament (39%), State Parliament (35%) and business groups (33%).

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