Essential Report
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.

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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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