Politicians, Trust, and Elections. Where next?

Abstract: Trust in politics has always been important, but it has taken on added significance in recent years as major events have been increasingly characterised by low trust and increasing cynicism and scepticism about politics and politicians. Yet despite so much talk about the crisis of trust in democracy, there has been no sustained research that directly engages with the perspectives and experiences of politicians. In this talk, I tackle this important gap head on by asking not only whether the public trusts in politicians, but also whether politicians accurately perceive the trust placed in them; whether they trust one another; and how much our current age of distrust impacts politicians on a personal level. In the process, I share some of the research that informed my last book, Governing in an Age of Distrust, as well as my latest ongoing research with newly elected politicians. I finish by talking through some of the strategies that are open to politicians who want to rebuild trust with the public. The presentation is followed by a conversation with Professor Ariadne Vromen and questions from the audience.

This event was hosted in Australia’s Parliament House on November 13th, 2024. It was organised by the Australian Parliamentary Library and the Australian Council of Learned Academies. It can be viewed below, on the APH YouTube channel, or on ParlView.

The event starts at c.10:20 on the recording.