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?

6 comments

 

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.

 

 

A climate crisis is an impossibilty because the climate cannot be manipulated and if we still lived in caves the world's climate would be changing hourly.
Mankind cannot put a temperature control device on the Sun either.

I find it very difficult to have confidence in any of our current political offerings. The Lib/Nat coalition with their obvious failings re sexual abuse allegations, vaccination stuff-ups, clean energy policies but their very successful international COVID border restrictions ... Vs Labor who just seem colourless to me and lack strong leadership ... Vs the independents who in some cases are just downright self-entered and dangerous, e.g. Clive Palmer.

My feelings too, RnR.

I am not very confident about polling for two reasons; we don't know what questions were asked nor do we know which demographic was targetted. As to the validity of polling, if they were correct then Shorten would have been PM, Hillary would have been in the White House and Britain would still be in the EU. The following clip has been posted before and although it's a fictitious comedy there is some truth in how to achieve the answer you want from a poll.

https://youtu.be/6GSKwf4AIlI

 

I totally agree with you!

One voter, one vote, no preferences would create a common sense election, the current system is knack**ered.

It was done Mak around WWII area, to do one man, one vote and it was defeated. At least with that system, you would get the REAL voted one in the job, not some weak lily livered slime bag, thats scoots in preferences that no one voted for initially.

Mak and Beemee, I have checked the AEC website which shows the voting before preferences and it may be of interest that a simple vote, ignoring the preferential system favours the Coalition. I only checked those seats with a small margin. Be careful what you wish for.

Yeah this rubbish back again "The Mentions premium plugin is not enables on your API key. Upgrade your account. Fat chance that's going to happen. Never had it and since I changed nothing, its not my fault.

Yeah, I keep seeing that as well. Upgrade  your account to what ?

Unfortunately polls often only poll those who they know will have certain view that suits whatever controversy they wish to create, similar to most of the media who edit the facts to provide the slant on any particular story for the most impact. Once we had a media where they REPORTED the FACTS (Reporters) now we have JOURNALISTS, who created news and opinions to create division and controversy, so they get noticed and get praise. forget the FACTS, they are irrelevant.

Well said 45er

We are being run by media.

I have NO faith in this government, not even one of them,  every last one of them is so corrupt in fact, I don't trust either party, but the Lab, do seem to look after the working person better --  the only way Morrison got in was because of Clive Palmer

You are dead right, I don't either. You should read some of what I am reading at the moment and its not "out there" as such. Its Dark......if you get my drift. As soon as some moron deletes a fact that's written or is a video, it is upped somewhere else, courtesy of the D.W. We will not be silenced! the world wants facts not BS.

BeeMee I have been meaning to ask you about that horse you have,  is/was that your horse?

PlanB no mate not mine. Sad to say. I am enamoured of these wonderful Fresians, their elegance and beauty.  The Akhal-Teke or the golden horse with a metallic sheen is another. I am horse mad, pics, statures, movies, whatever. LOL Have a 3 foot high rearing stallion in the house in full Arabian dress.

Yes BeeMee they are wonderful animals as are ALL animals -- I Luv em all

6 comments



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