Government - Trust - References

Gittins, R. (2022, 14 December). ‘2022: The year our trust was abused to breaking point.’ The Sydney Morning Herald. Online: https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/2022-the-year-our-trust-was-abused-to-breaking-point-20221213-p5c5tv.html

“Trust is just as important to the smooth functioning of the economy. Bosses need to be able to trust their workers; workers need bosses they can trust...Our democracy runs on trust. We trust the leaders we elect to act in our best interests, not their own...The trouble with trust, however, is that it can make us susceptible...it can be just too tempting to the less scrupulous to take advantage of our trusting nature...They can get away with a lot before we wake up. But when we do, there are serious repercussions...The Australian National University’s Australian Election Study has found that the two most important factors influencing political leaders’ popularity are perceived honesty and trustworthiness...The ANU study always asks questions about trust in government. This year it found 70 per cent of respondents agreeing that “people in government look after themselves” and only 30 per cent agreeing that “people in government can be trusted to do the right thing”...Labor’s own election report explains this as “part of a long-term trend driven by declining trust in government, politics and politicians”...If businesses can’t be trusted to do the right thing, they must be required to do so by tighter regulation...There’s nothing that generates extra expense and slows things down more than not being able to trust the people you must deal with...Comparing countries, economists have found strong links between more social trust and higher levels of income. Trust is one of the top determinants of long-term economic growth.”. (Bold added). 

House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education and Employment (2012). ‘Workplace Bullying: We just want it to stop’. Canberra: Parliament of the Commonwealth Australia. Online: https://www.aph.gov.au/parliamentary_business/committees/house_of_representatives_committees?url=ee/bullying/report.htm

Published in 2012, it took many more years for the codes of practice for managing psychosocial hazards to be published by SafeWork regulators. But what about accountability and compliance, when employers refuse to comply and cooperate with multiple laws, as per their legal obligation and duty of care, and HR, responsible for WHS, can be the biggest offenders as adverse action taken for an employee ironically requesting a psychosocially safe work environment? Universities have become the biggest offenders of WHS violations, abuse of power and corruption of large organisations. No one self-regulates. And if universities are corporatised, they must face the same accountability, compliance, regulations and legal ramifications if proven they have a blatant disregard for Federal and State laws.

I read this report in 2021. I can’t reread, ironically because of my own traumatic experience of psychological violence. 

I also find myself thinking, “so what”. Another inquiry commissioned, but what’s really changed? It doesn’t help reading that Alan Tudge was a member of this standing committee, given his negligence and lack of integrity in the illegality and safety risks caused to vulnerable people in the Robodebt case. Hence the reference recommended below: Trust and political behaviour.

O’Dea, J. (2018). ‘Trust and political behaviour’. Australasian Parliamentary Review. 33(2). pp.118-137. Online: https://www.aspg.org.au/a-p-r-journals-2/spring_summer_2018_vol_33_2-2/

I highly recommend reading this article.

From the Introduction:

“Trust is the most important asset in politics. Trust can generate community and business confidence, leading to economic growth and improved political success for an incumbent government. The more a government is trusted, the more people and business will generally spend and invest, boosting the economy. People are also more likely to pay their taxes and comply with regulations if they trust government. Trust promotes a social environment of optimism, cohesion and national prosperity.

When trust is lost, it is difficult to win back. Where it is eroded, a general malaise can develop that is destructive to the essential fabric of society and operation of democracy. Unfortunately, in Australia and internationally, there has been a growing erosion of trust in politicians and in politics. People are losing trust in institutions including governments, charities, churches, media outlets and big businesses.”