More Australians than ever think immigration levels are too high while confidence in multiculturalism has dipped – a hardening of views driven by people who now say they would vote for One Nation.
Pauline Hanson’s supporters are also the people whose trust in government and politicians is plunging. Anti-establishment views are on the rise, but are more common among Australian-born voters, home owners and people without university education.
The Scanlon Foundation has been taking the temperature of Australian attitudes and social cohesion since 2007. Its latest report with the Australian National University surveyed more than 10,000 people to shed fresh insights into how Australian society has responded to last year’s Bondi attack, the war in the Middle East and worsening economic conditions.
The authors said their findings indicated long-term strains on social cohesion had been amplified by more recent discord. While Australians had been reporting weaker feelings of belonging and declining community involvement for most of this century, this has been compounded in the last three years by sharp falls in support for immigration, diversity and institutions.
Australia’s immigration backlash goes mainstream – and Hanson reaps the rewards
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