The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,002 Australians about integrity’s role in the 2022 election.

The results show that integrity is important to most Australians in this election.

• Overall, three in four Australians (76%) either say that integrity issues are more important (30%) this election than last or that integrity issues are equally important (46%) this election as last.
• The vast majority of Coalition and Labor voters (80% each) either say that integrity issues are more important this election than last or that integrity issues are equally important this election as last.
• 4% of Australians say integrity issues were not important to them in this election or the last, and 15% say they don’t know or are not sure.
• The net “more important” result is highest for Labor voters (net 30%) and Independent/Other voters (net 24%), followed by Coalition and Greens voters (net 21% each).

“This research shows that ongoing integrity concerns have taken their toll on voters,” said Bill Browne, head of the Australia Institute’s Democracy & Accountability Program.

“The vast majority of Australians say that integrity issues are as important or more important that last election. In fact, questions of integrity could be the decisive factor of this election.

“Trust in democracy is in decline. The reputation of the last federal parliament clearly suffered from the lack of a federal ICAC. A federal anti-corruption watchdog is crucial to give the community confidence in our democracy.

“This election campaign has also seen a further deterioration in misleading ads and what is considered ‘fair play’. As long as it is completely legal to lie in a political ad, there will be a race to the bottom – with no bottom.”