Confidence in the federal government soars during COVID-19 pandemic, ANU study shows

Australians’ trust in the federal government has skyrocketed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, with a new study finding faith in Canberra nearly doubled in the past year.

Scott Morrison in Melbourne on Thursday. Picture: Getty Images

Australians’ confidence in the performance of the federal government has lifted during the pandemic, with a new study finding more than half the nation now has faith in the government — up from just over a quarter a year ago.

An Australian National University survey of almost 3500 adults found confidence jumped from 27.3 per cent in January last year — at the height of the Black Summer bushfires — to 54.3 per cent at the beginning of this year.

Despite the pandemic boost, the ANU study into wellbeing outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic found the government’s trust ratings lagged behind state governments, the health system and the police.

State governments scored a 74 per cent confidence rating in the ANU study, the health system had a 85 per cent rating, and 79 per cent of respondents said they were confident in the nation’s overall direction.

Nicholas Biddle, the associate director of the ANU Centre for Social Research, said the pandemic had boosted Scott Morrison after he was criticised for going on holiday during the bushfires, and shown Australians were comfortable with a surge in government intervention.

“In many ways, the COVID-19 crisis has been a massive shot in the arms for the government and the Prime Minister; clearly many Australians think they have ­handled the crisis well,” he said.

“What’s also interesting about these recent findings is that they come at a time when government involvement in our lives has increased substantially,” Professor Biddle said on Thursday.

“Overall, it would seem Australians are neither overtly dis­satisfied with this presence or with the implementation of many of these measures.”