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%).
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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’
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%).
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Essential Report
In this week's report:
- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Views towards re-electing the federal Coalition government
- Party trust to handle issues
- Importance of Australia’s international reputation
- Scott Morrison’s impact on Australia’s international reputation
- Views towards Australia’s international reputation
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