Australians lack trust in politicians and mainstream media as ethics index hits new low

Australians have ranked health as the most ethical sector (64) and mainstream broadcast media as the least ethical (–10), according to the 2024 Governance Institute of Australia Ethics Index.

This annual report, based on an independent survey by research firm Ipsos, reveals a decline in the Ethics Index to 43, down from 45 in 2023. However, the importance of ethics has reached an all-time high of 85, particularly driven by Baby Boomers and Gen X.

Megan Motto, CEO of the Governance Institute of Australia, pointed to a growing disconnect between societal expectations and the perception of ethical conduct. She noted that the “Ethical Expectation Deficit” has hit its highest level since 2019.

“It’s clear that many Australians feel organisations and individuals have more work to do to deliver the standard of ethical conduct they expect,” Motto remarked.

Cost of living concerns have also sparked ethical debates, with supermarket pricing perceived as the most unethical behaviour (-50), followed closely by GPs who don’t offer bulk billing (-33). Federal Politicians (-15) and State Politicians (-6) continue to be seen as the least ethical occupations.

Corruption remains the leading issue of unethical behaviour, followed by misleading advertising and company tax avoidance.

“These findings highlight the critical need for strong ethical leadership and practices across all sectors. It is imperative that we address these challenges to rebuild trust and ensure ethical conduct in our society,” Motto said.

As the country heads towards the next Federal Election, Australians ranked affordable housing, renewable energy, and grocery prices as the top three campaign topics.

With these findings, the Governance Institute underscores the urgency for both public and private sectors to step up and bridge the gap between ethical expectations and perceived conduct, aiming to restore public confidence across Australia’s institutions.

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