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Trust in Institutions

1 Jul 2014

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

12 Jun 12

Total trust

18 Mar 13

The High Court

57%

20%

37%

27%

12%

4%

-17

60%

74%

The ABC

54%

18%

36%

29%

13%

5%

-16

54%

70%

The Reserve Bank

52%

17%

35%

30%

13%

5%

-12

49%

64%

Charitable organisations

45%

6%

39%

36%

14%

4%

-7

50%

52%

Your local council

33%

5%

28%

38%

24%

4%

-1

na

34%

TV news media

32%

2%

26%

47%

23%

3%

+2

21%

30%

Environment groups

31%

5%

26%

38%

25%

5%

-10

32%

41%

The Commonwealth Public Service

31%

5%

26%

40%

19%

10%

-5

30%

36%

Newspapers

30%

3%

27%

46%

21%

3%

26%

30%

Religious organisations

26%

5%

21%

28%

41%

4%

-1

27%

27%

Federal Parliament

25%

4%

21%

33%

39%

3%

-9

22%

34%

Online news media

25%

2%

23%

49%

21%

4%

-2

23%

27%

State Parliament

24%

3%

21%

35%

37%

4%

-6

na

30%

Trade unions

22%

4%

18%

33%

39%

7%

-3

22%

25%

Business groups

22%

1%

21%

44%

27%

6%

-4

22%

26%

Political parties

13%

2%

11%

33%

50%

3%

+1

12%

12%

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

Since this question was last asked in March last year, there has been a significant decline in trust in the High Court (-17%), the ABC (-16%), the Reserve Bank (-12%), environment groups (-10) and the Federal Parliament (-9). Trust in the High Court, ABC and Reserve Bank is back to similar levels to that recorded in 2012.

Respondents had most trust in the High Court (57%), the ABC (54%), the Reserve Bank (52%) and charitable organisations (45%). They had least trust in political parties (13%), trade unions (22%) and business groups (22%).

Compared to the average, Labor voters had more trust in the ABC (62%), environment groups (41%) and trade unions (34%).

Liberal/National voters, compared to the average, had a little more trust in the Reserve Bank (62%), Federal Parliament (43%), State Parliament (36%) and business groups (32%).

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