External report summary

Mapping Social Cohesion 2023

---

Social cohesion in Australia has been remarkably resilient through the challenges of recent years. However, we continue to face difficult national and global circumstances, global conflict, economic pressures and uncertainty and division over issues such as the Voice Referendum. As a result – and while we remain connected – our social cohesion is under pressure and declining on some fronts. Our sense of national pride and belonging has been declining for some years, discrimination and prejudice remain stubbornly common, while in more recent years, we are reporting greater financial stress, increased concern for economic inequality and growing pessimism for the future. However, in the strong connections we have in our neighbourhoods and communities and the way we increasingly embrace our differences and diversity, there is reason for optimism that we can respond collectively to the challenges we face and restore and strengthen our social cohesion.

Mapping Social Cohesion 2023

The Mapping Social Cohesion 2023 report comes at a crucial time – a time to take stock and consider the challenges ahead. In 2023, almost 7,500 people participated in the Mapping Social Cohesion survey, making it the largest survey in the series. As has been the case since 2018, the 2023 survey was administered to the Social Research Centre’s Life in Australia™ panel.

In preparing this year’s Mapping Social Cohesion report, we have taken extra steps to ensure we are reflecting the views of all Australians, particularly in view of our vast ethnic and cultural diversity. To do this, 251 targeted surveys were conducted with people from Indian, Middle Eastern and African backgrounds in four different languages (including English). We also conducted 55 in-depth qualitative interviews with people who have migrated to Australia over the years. This adds to the growing body of information on the attitudes and experiences of migrant Australians collected through the main Life in Australia™ survey, providing for a greater, more in-depth and more nuanced understanding than ever before. More information on the surveys and interviews are provided in the Appendix of this report.

Social cohesion in Australia is under pressure and declining

In our 2022 report, we remarked that social cohesion appeared to be at an important juncture. Our indicators suggested that cohesion had been declining after a COVID‑related spike in 2020. While there were some signs to suggest that cohesion was returning to a pre‑pandemic normal, declines in our sense of national pride and belonging, increasing financial strain and a weakening sense of social inclusion and justice were warning signs of further weakening in our social fabric.

The results of Mapping Social Cohesion 2023 reinforce these concerns and underline the precarious and uncertain social environment of Australia in 2023. In the last 12 months, the Scanlon‑Monash Index of social cohesion declined by four points to 79, the lowest score on record. Since a peak in social cohesion during the COVID-19 pandemic in November 2020, social cohesion has declined by 13 points.

The economy is the number one concern for many people but climate change and global conflict still weigh heavily on the minds of Australians

In 2023, almost half of us (48 per cent) think that economic issues are the most important set of problems in Australia today, by far the most commonly cited set of problems. The next most commonly cited problem was housing affordability and shortages, cited by 14 per cent of people. Combined, more than three-in-five people (62 per cent) think that economic and housing affordability issues are the most important problem in Australia. This is comfortably the largest share of the population citing these problems since the question was first asked in 2011.

The preoccupation with economic issues coincides with fears for the global economy. Almost nine-in-ten (87 per cent) people are very or quite concerned about the prospect of a severe downturn in the global economy.

People remain concerned about climate change and the environment. One-in-ten (11 per cent) people cited an issue related to the environment, climate change and water as the most important problem facing Australia, down from what we recorded in 2022 (17 per cent), but in line with its average since 2018. More tellingly, two-in-five (39 per cent) people are very concerned about climate change, a similar proportion to last year. Approximately two‑thirds of people are at least quite concerned about climate change.

Financial pressures are weighing heavily on social cohesion

The cost-of-living has been an important daily issue for many Australians this year. Between 2020 and 2023, the proportion of people who are satisfied or very satisfied with their finances declined from 73 per cent in July 2020 to 61 per cent in 2023. Financial pressures are leading to a range of personal and family hardships, with 12 per cent of people in 2023 saying they often or sometimes went without meals in the last 12 months because there was not enough money for food, 12 per cent saying they often or sometimes could not pay their rent or mortgage payments and 22 per cent saying they often or sometimes could not pay for medicines or health care.

Australians continue to report a high degree of happiness despite cost-of-living pressures. Overall, 79 per cent of people said they were happy or very happy in 2023, similar to levels over the last five years. Happiness and financial wellbeing are strongly related though. In 2023, 60 per cent of people who said they were poor or struggling to pay bills also described themselves as unhappy or very unhappy, compared with 11 per cent of those who described themselves as financially reasonably comfortable. Social isolation is also a concern with 48 per cent of people feeling isolated from others often or some of the time, including 76 per cent of people who are struggling financially.

Single parent families, members of group households and those who live alone are the most likely to report feeling financially stressed, unhappy and isolated from others. Two‑thirds (66 per cent) of single parents are at best, ‘just getting along’, 40 per cent have went without medicines or health care often or sometimes in the last 12 months and one‑in‑five have gone without meals and/or could not pay their rent or mortgage. This coincides with a high level of social isolation, with 63 per cent of single parents reporting that they feel isolated from others sometimes or often.

Young adults are also more likely to report personal and financial stress. Almost half (47 per cent) of 18-44 year olds are at best ‘just getting along’ financially, two-thirds of 18-24 year olds (66 per cent) report feeling isolated from others sometimes or often, almost half (47 per cent) say the things they do in life are worthwhile only a little or some of the time and 30 per cent say they are unhappy.

The ‘fair go’ under threat?

The rising cost of living has also drawn our attention to economic inequalities and opportunities in Australia. As a result, our sense of social inclusion and justice has declined substantially and is the most significant factor dragging down our overall social cohesion. The Scanlon‑Monash Index of social inclusion and justice is lower now than it has ever been since 2007. Scores on this domain declined by 9 points in the last year, 34 points since July 2020 and by an estimated 13 points from its average over the 2010s.

The decline is being driven by growing concern for economic inequality and fairness. Traditionally, Australians have felt a strong sense of national pride and belief in the degree of fairness, opportunity and the ‘fair go’ on offer. Between 2007 and 2013, more than 80 per cent of people on the Mapping Social Cohesion survey agreed that ‘Australia is a land of economic opportunity where in the long run, hard work brings a better life’. Relatively small differences were recorded during this time between younger and older Australians, conservative and progressive voters, Australian and overseas born people and those from higher and lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

Belief in the fair go, however, appears to be declining. We estimate that overall agreement that Australia is a land of economic opportunity has declined by 16 percentage points since 2013. In 2023, 63 per cent of agreed that Australia is a land of economic opportunity, still a majority of people, but a substantial decline from recent years.

Trust in government and the political system has eroded since COVID-19

After increasing during the pandemic, trust in government and the political system has returned to pre-pandemic levels. Belief that ‘the government in Canberra can be trusted to do the right thing for the Australian people’ all or most of the time declined from a peak of 56 per cent of people in November 2020 to 36 per cent in 2023, while the proportion who believe the system of government in Australia works fine as it is (as opposed to needing minor or major changes) declined from 21 per cent to 12 per cent. In 2023, 30 per cent of people believe that government leaders abuse their power most or all of the time, while 83 per cent believe powers are abused at least some of the time.

Distrust in government reflects financial pressures and generational and socioeconomic divides. In 2023, just 18 per cent of people who are struggling to pay their bills or describe themselves as ‘poor’ trust the Federal Government to do the right thing all or most of the time. Trust in government is also lower among young adults and those with lower levels of education.

People who distrust government report lower levels of social cohesion in several other areas. People who trust the Federal Government only some of the time or never are significantly and substantially less likely to believe that people generally can be trusted, less likely to take great pride in the Australian way of life and culture, less likely to have a great sense of belonging in Australia and less likely to believe migrant diversity makes Australia stronger. Trust in government therefore is at the heart of our social cohesion, intersecting with multiple aspects of Australian society and culture.

Trust in government and concern for inequality are contributing to a declining sense of national pride and belonging

Our sense of belonging in Australia continues its downward trend of the last decade or more. In 2022, the sense of belonging was at its lowest recorded level since 2007. In 2023, belonging is lower still, reflecting a continued decline in our sense of national pride and belonging. The proportion of people who have a great sense of belonging in Australia declined from 63 per cent in 2020 to 48 per cent in 2023. While this is specific to the national level, we also find small but significant declines since 2021 in the degree to which we feel a sense of belonging in our neighbourhoods.

Declines in national pride and belonging in recent years are related to declining trust in government and increasing concern for inequality. Declining trust in the Federal Government is estimated to have contributed to 17 per cent of the overall decline in the sense of national pride and belonging, while declining belief that hard work brings a better life contributes a further 27 per cent to the decline. This result supports the notion that trust in government and perceptions of economic fairness help to shape our sense of national pride and belonging.

Australians have an overwhelmingly positive view of multiculturalism and the contribution of immigrants to Australian society, culture and the economy

As reported last year, high and growing support for multiculturalism and diversity is a great asset to Australia and our sense of harmony and cohesion. In 2023, these sentiments remain very strong, even through the social and economic challenges we have faced over the last year. In 2023, 78 per cent agree that ‘accepting immigrants from many different countries makes Australia stronger’, 89 per cent agree that ‘multiculturalism has been good for Australia’, and 86 per cent agree that ‘immigrants are generally good for Australia’s economy’. These proportions are all similar to where they were last year and reinforce the impressive upward trajectory we have been recording since 2018.

Prejudice and discrimination, however, remain as problems. More than 90 per cent of Australians have very or somewhat positive feelings towards immigrants from Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom. But this proportion drops to 70 per cent for immigrants from India, and to little more than 60 per cent or below for immigrants from Ethiopia, Lebanon, China, Iraq, and Sudan. In terms of attitudes towards religious groups, 27 per cent of people expressed a negative attitude towards Muslims and 16 per cent towards Christians in 2023. Encouragingly, the proportion of people with a positive attitude to people born in China increased from 52 per cent in 2020 to 61 per cent in 2023, while the proportion with a negative attitude towards Muslims declined from 41 per cent in 2019 to 27 per cent in 2023.

The experience of discrimination, however, remains stubbornly common. In 2023, one‑in‑six (18 per cent) people said they experienced discrimination in the last 12 months because of their skin colour, ethnic origin or religion. This includes more than one‑in‑three (36 per cent) from non-English speaking backgrounds, 41 per cent of migrants from a Chinese background, 50 per cent of Indian Australian migrants, 45 per cent of African and Middle Eastern Australians and 39 per cent of people who have migrated to Australia in the last 10 years. Within these groups, those who experience discrimination report a significantly weaker sense of belonging and personal wellbeing. Although difficult to precisely measure, this suggests that discrimination contributes to weaker social cohesion and wellbeing, particularly among our newest Australians.

Neighbourhood and community belonging and connections remain strong

Neighbourhood belonging and cohesion generally increased during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 and remain high in 2023. Substantial majorities of people agree or strongly agree that they belong in their neighbourhood (80 per cent in 2023) and that their neighbourhood has a strong sense of community (64 per cent in 2023). Similar sentiments were reported across our wide set of indicators related to neighbourhood belonging and cohesion. We suspect that our shared experience of and collective response to the pandemic had a galvanising effect, helping to bring us together during difficult times, to get to know each other better and to rely on each on each other for mutual support. These collective experiences means those bonds are not easily broken and can be a lasting positive legacy of the pandemic.

The Voice Referendum has been a difficult debate but should not be allowed to interrupt reconciliation

When we ran the Mapping Social Cohesion in July 2023 (three months before the Referendum), support for the Voice was highly polarised. The proportion of Liberal/National voters who thought we should establish the Voice declined from 40 per cent in 2022 to just 21 per cent in 2023, while support among Labor voters decreased more modestly from 70 per cent to 63 per cent. The hardening of positions in the debate and the growing division is also highlighted by the doubling in the proportion of people who strongly disagreed with the Voice (from 10 per cent in 2022 to 20 per cent in 2023).

Despite division over the Voice referendum, we can take some comfort from the still strongly positively sentiment expressed towards First Nations Australians and their position in wider society. In 2023, 86 per cent of people agreed that the relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and the wider Australian community is very important for the nation, similar to where it was in 2022 (89 per cent). A similar proportion (85 per cent) think Indigenous histories and cultures should be included in the school curriculum.

Financial pressures and difficult debates are weighing heavily on social cohesion in Australia but there are reasons for optimism

We are reporting higher levels of financial stress at least since 2020, less trust in government, a weaker sense of national pride and belonging, growing doubts about our future and growing concern for economic inequalities and fairness. In spite of these challenges, we continue to recognise, support and celebrate our ethnic and cultural diversity and the positive impact it has had on Australian society, culture and the economy. We also remain strongly connected and engaged in our neighbourhoods and local communities. And while the challenges we face are substantial and varied, we can see in the incredible richness of the Mapping Social Cohesion study where our efforts to strengthen social cohesion are best focused. In sum, community and government efforts to strengthen our personal, social and material wellbeing and our connections with each other can go a long way to correcting managing our current challenges and ensuring a cohesive, resilient and vibrant society in the years to come.

Read the full report ↗