Mapping Social Cohesion Report 2023 - 17th annual survey by Scanlon Foundation Research Institute - social cohesion in Australia has declined by 13 points since November 2020

 

"Trust in government and concern for inequality are contributing to a declining sense of national pride and belonging....Social cohesion has declined in almost all

domains over the last year." [Scanlon Foundation Research Institute, Mapping Social Cohesion Report 2023, pp. 8, 13]

Scanlon Foundation Research Institute, Mapping Social Cohesion Report 2023, Executive Summary, 14 November 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 AustraliaTM 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 AustraliaTM survey, providing a greater, more in-depth and 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.

Read and download the full report at:

https://scanloninstitute.org.au/mapping-social-cohesion-2023

At request of community Southern Cross University is conducting an online & paper survey on the effects of the February floods in NSW Northern Rivers

 

The Echo, 22 September 2022:

What were the effects of the February floods on you, your home, your property, your neighbours and your community? How could the response have been more effective and better assisted you and those around you to recover? 

Negotiating landslides in Wilsons Creek
to get home. Photo Sama Balson

A Southern Cross University (SCU) survey is seeking to understand these questions and gather information on what the most effective response and recovery efforts in relation to the floods and landslides of the 2022 floods were.

The survey project leader Dr Hanabeth Luke from SCU said that the purpose of the survey was to build an independent record of community recovery from the 2022 NSW Northern Rivers floods for people across the region.

 

Recent landslide damage. Photo supplied.

‘This survey was called for by the community, has been developed in partnership with our community hubs, and the results will be going back out to the community within a month of the survey closing,’ said Dr Luke…...

Anyone affected by the 2022 heavy rain and flood events across the NSW Northern Rivers region is encouraged to complete the Northern Rivers Flood Recovery Survey.

The anonymous survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete.

Access the survey via this link.

Prefer a paper-based survey? Call 1800 317 503 or visit your local community hub or recovery centre.

Questions or concerns about the survey? Contact the researcher team by calling 1800 317 503 or send an email to hanabeth.luke@scu.edu.au

Bad news continues for Morrison Government with publication of latest Newspoll analysis in April 2021

 

The last Newspoll of 2020 published on 29 November had Federal Labor trailing the Coalition by 2 points at 49 to 51 on a two-party preferred basis, after starting that year ahead by the same two points.

Come January and February 2021 the polling showed the Federal Coalition and Labor neck and neck on a two-party preferred basis.

On 28 March Labor moved ahead on a two-party preferred basis at 52 to the Coalition’s 48. At that point Scott Morrison’s approval rating as prime minister has fallen 9 points in a month.

Now despite the first published Newspoll analysis of voter intentions in April 2021 revealing that primary voting intentions have Labor at 38 per cent and the Coalition at 40 per cent, according to the Northern Daily Leader the Coalition is losing even more ground on a two-party preferred basis, with a result of 53 to 47 in Labor’s favour if a federal election had been held on 5 April.

The Coalition's two-party preferred polling in relation to Labor’s polling now stands at exactly the same level as it was on 2 February 2020 after that 4 point downwards slide it took once Morrison was discovered secretly holidaying in Hawaii while Australia's east coast burned.

According to AAP General Newswire on 6 April 2021, the polling figures for Western Australia and Queensland has the Coalition trailing by 12 points in WA and dropping 3 points in Qld. Indicating that at the next federal election the Morrison Government could lose 3 seats in Western Australian and 4 seats in Queensland.

In two other states the Coalition is trailing in the two-party preferred polling - by 10 points in South Australia and 6 points in Victoria. The vote is split 50-50 in New South Wales.

On 5 April Morrison’s approval rating as prime minister had actually risen by 6 points compared with the March result. However, the Newspoll analysis shows that he has lost support amongst male voters which now stands at only 41 per cent of all males surveyed – leaving male support on par with female support.

At the end of March 2021 at least one mainstream media masthead was predicting that Labor would need to gain a net 8 seats on a uniform swing of 3.2 per cent to win government at the next federal election. Thus far it is silent on what this latest polling analysis indicates.

Something for the Morrison Government to think about....

 

In February 2021 the alleged 2019 sexual assault of a female ministerial staffer at Parliament House in Canberra became public knowledge. Within less than two weeks the public also became aware of the alleged 1988 sexual assault of a 16 year-old girl in Sydney by a man who is now a cabinet minister in the Morrison Coalition Government.

The first allegation can be investigated by police and if charges are laid it can be tested at law, the second allegation cannot be investigated or tested at law because the alleged victim died in 2020 and therefore NSW Police cannot lawfully investigate the claims made before her death.

Essential Research conducted an online survey of 1,074 respondents from 24 February to 1 March 2021.

According to The Guardian on 2 March 2021, about 65% of those surveyed agreed with the statement: “The government has been more interested in protecting itself than the interests of those who have been assaulted.”

A gender breakdown showed that level was 68% among women and 62% of men.

Based on federal voting intentions, the statement was backed by 76% of Labor supporters, 51% of Coalition supporters and 88% of Greens supporters.

Again according to The Guardian; nearly seven in 10 respondents agreed with the statement that “it’s wrong that the Liberal party did not notify the police to launch a criminal inquiry immediately after the allegations were made” – a view that was backed by about six in 10 Coalition supporters.

Clarence Valley libraries want to become eSmart

Clarence Valley Council media release, 31 October 2016:

How smart is your internet usage?

CLARENCE Valley libraries are working through a project to develop their branches as eSmart libraries and need your help.

“eSmart Libraries” is a cybersafety system designed to equip libraries and connect library users with the skills they need for smart, safe and responsible use of technology.

During November libraries are asking users to complete a simple questionnaire that asks about internet usage.

The questionnaire will gather information about the levels of digital literacy and cybersafety awareness of users of the Clarence Regional Library.

Regional librarian, Kathryn Breward, said the aim was to identify any digital literacy and cybersafety needs for the community, and provide ways to address them for library users.

“This will ensure all users of technology in our libraries are comfortable they are in a safe and supported environment in a physical sense and in their usage of the internet,” she said.

This is a voluntary and anonymous survey, and all data will be kept confidential.

The survey will be available at all libraries in print form, as well as online at www.crl.nsw.gov.au.

For more information on the eSmart project, visit the eSmart website at www.esmart.org.au.

Clarence Valley Region libraries are in Bellingen, Dorrigo, Grafton, Iluka, Maclean, Urunga & Yamba plus there is a Mobile Library service.