Confidence in government drops
There has been “a very large decline in confidence in Federal Government among Australian voters”, new analysis from the Australian National University (ANU) shows, with those declines linked closely to views on sexual assault and harassment in the workplace.
The longitudinal survey of 3200 adults also found there has been a large drop in the number of Australians who say they would vote for the Coalition.
Collected in April 2021 but linked to responses from the same individuals all the way back to prior to the pandemic, the survey forms part of the COVID-19 monitoring program led by the ANU Centre for Social Research Methods (CSRM), and is the largest study of its kind in Australia.
Co-author Professor Nicholas Biddle said less than half of Australian adults were confident in the Federal Government.
“This is a milestone,” he said.
“Confidence in government is a key indicator of people’s view on institutions in Australia, and for the first time since the pandemic commenced, the majority of Australians no longer have confidence in the Government.
“There was a very large decline in confidence in the Federal Government in Canberra between January 2021 and April 2021, from 54.3 per cent who said they had a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in January 2021 to 45.4 per cent in April 2021.
“This is much lower than the peak value of 60.6 per cent in May 2020.
“However, it is still well above the 27.3 per cent who reported confidence in the Federal Government in January 2020, during the height of the Black Summer bushfires."
The study also examined voting intentions and Australians’ satisfaction with the direction of the country.
“There has been a large decline in the number of Australians who said they would vote for the Coalition. In January, this sat at 40.3 per cent. In April this was 37.3 per cent,” Prof. Biddle said.
Between January and April satisfaction with the direction of the country also declined – dropping from 78.9 per cent of Australians saying they were satisfied to 75.7 per cent.
“While still far higher than pre-COVID, satisfaction with the direction of the country is lower than the peaks observed in May and November 2020,” Prof. Biddle said.
“Females, those born overseas, those who speak a language other than English, and those who live in the most disadvantaged of neighbourhoods are more likely to be satisfied with the direction of the country.
“Indigenous Australians, on the other hand, are far less likely to be satisfied.”
Another key issue in the spotlight was sexual assault and sexual harassment in the workplace.
The survey found a significant majority of Australians think sexual harassment and assault are major issues in today’s workplaces.
More than three-quarters of Australians, 76.8 per cent, think “men getting away with committing sexual harassment or assault” was a major problem.
Almost three-quarters of Australians, 71.6 per cent, said “women not being believed when they claim that they have experienced sexual harassment or assault” was also a major problem.
In contrast, a minority of Australians, 40.9 per cent, say “employers firing men who have been accused of sexual harassment or assault before finding out all the facts” was a major problem.
A slightly larger number, 41.9 per cent, think “women claiming they have experienced sexual harassment or assault when it hasn’t actually occurred” was a major problem.
One of the key findings from the analysis was the relationship between views on sexual assault and harassment and the confidence/voting measures in the paper.
“A person’s own gender appears to affect views on sexual assault and harassment in the workplace,” Prof. Biddle said
“However, it is these views rather than gender itself that have had the greatest impact on confidence in government and voting intentions.”
Starting in April 2020, the ANU COVID monitoring program has been tracking the impact of the pandemic on Australians across a range of issues.
Has your confidence in the government dropped after the succession of scandals involving the Coalition?
I agree, and just heard there is worse on the horizon.
You have no doubt heard of an old film called "The Fuller Brush Girl/Man" either starring Lucille Ball 1950 or Red Skelton 1948?
Well there's a new one out called "The Fuller Sh!t Albanese" starring Anthony Albanese 2021.
Which major political party has the guts and vision required to take on the climate crisis and protect country?
Today, neither.
Labor and the Coalition voted together yesterday to weaken the rules for the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) — clearing the way for a multi-billion dollar slush fund for fossil fuel corporations to frack and burn climate-wrecking gas.1
Morrison and Labor's Anthony Albanese have cosigned a blank cheque for the oil and gas fracking industry — in the hopes that no one would notice amongst the noise of the Budget. ???? ????
These politicians are relying on the fact that no one is watching and no one can stop them.
Well they're wrong! Together, we've beaten a NAIF loan before. It's up to us now to do it again.
Both major political parties are in the pockets of fossil fuel donors and too scared of the Murdoch Press to look the climate crisis in the eye and do something. It's time for us all to stand side by side with Traditional Owners who have fought against disastrous gas plans for over a decade.
It will take all of us — with our hearts, our hands, and our voices — to show Morrison and Albanese that they have no social licence to hand public money to polluters. In his budget reply speech last night, the Opposition Leader also announced a $100 million policy to support 10,000 apprenticeships in new, clean energy industries. This is a great plan and we welcome it.2 But, let's be clear that moving into this bright, new future is incompatible with signing off billions for fossil fuels.
Today, we must build our people power to protect country and our climate. We'll do it by creating a movement of everyday people from the cities to the bush, and from all walks of life — and amplify the voices of staunch Traditional Owners and communities on the frontlines of this fight.