A new study by The ABC shows that satisfaction with Australia’s political system has plunged to all-time lows, with distrust growing and voters flocking to minor parties:
Most Australians no longer trust any tier of government: federal, state or local council.
Government ministers and members of parliament — trusted by less than one in four — now rank as the least trusted compared to others such as GPs, judges, business people, journalists or trade unionists.
And the federal government is trusted by just 31 per cent of the population, while state and local government perform little better, at just over 35 per cent.
Notably, the survey was done before the most recent federal leadership bloodbath and in the midst of a record run of nearly three decades of economic growth…
The research reveals two shifts: most voters care more about effective and competent government than promises of more dollars in their pockets; and many are voting tactically for independents…
“This is a huge wake-up call for Australia’s major political parties. They must adapt or die because the new reality is that up to 60 per cent of voters have become swinging, non-aligned voters”…
Social trust between people has fallen below 50 per cent — to 47 per cent — for the first time since 2001, when researchers first asked about it. Most believe that people are out for themselves…
The research identifies a growing public appetite for reform, including involving ordinary citizens in more decisions.
But how likely is it that politicians and political parties would adopt reforms that undermine their powerbrokers?…
“Most Australians simply don’t think that they [politicians] care about them.”
These results should hardly be a surprise. Voters are continually told how well they have it, yet our own lived experience of falling real wages, housing unaffordability, and declining amenity tells us otherwise.
We see public policy increasingly being implemented for the benefit of industry and multinationals, not the ordinary Aussie. Rent-seeking is rampant, and our policy makers are only too willing to oblige.
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We are having turbo-charged immigration shoved down our throats by all major parties, despite overwhelming opposition, whereas our own gas is being funnelled and sold offshore, forcing up our power bills. We were promised concrete action on climate change, but have seen nothing.
Meanwhile, tacit corruption is systemic, from the visa system, to infrastructure, trade agreements, political donations, you name it.
Leith van Onselen is Chief Economist at the MB Fund and MB Super. He is also a co-founder of MacroBusiness.
Leith has previously worked at the Australian Treasury, Victorian Treasury and Goldman Sachs.
