Australia is at a crossroads, its long-standing commitment to multiculturalism facing unprecedented challenge as economic pessimism and global insecurity take hold. According to a recent Lowy Institute poll, public support for cultural diversity has plummeted by 17 percentage points in just two years, from 90% in 2024 to 73% now – the largest shift on any issue since the survey's inception in 2001.
This significant shift appears to be fuelled by deep-seated concerns about Australia's economic future and the wider international landscape. A staggering 59% of Australians are pessimistic about their country's economic prospects over the next five years, a 12-percentage point increase from just last year – surpassing even the levels seen at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Australians' feelings of insecurity are also rising globally, with 53% now reporting they feel "unsafe" or "very unsafe", three percentage points higher than the previous record low set during the pandemic. This growing sense of unease is compounded by a dramatic erosion of trust in major global powers. Confidence in the United States to act responsibly on the world stage has fallen to a record low of 31%, with only one in five trusting US President Donald Trump to make the right decisions – an ominous sign for transatlantic relations. Interestingly, despite this decline, trust in China has risen to 28%, suggesting that Australians now view both superpowers as equally distrusted, a significant shift from just two years ago when the US held a substantial lead.
These anxieties are translating into views on migration, with 55% of Australians now believing the number of migrants entering the country is "too high", surpassing even the previous peak recorded in 2018. This growing unease comes as One Nation leader Pauline Hanson's comments on a 'monocultural' Australia have sparked a national debate about identity and immigration.
Despite this decline in confidence in American leadership, support for the Australia-US alliance remains robust at 73%, with many Australians viewing it as crucial for national security. This pragmatic approach is also reflected in backing for the AUKUS agreement, which will see Australia purchase American-made nuclear-powered submarines under a deal worth approximately GBP 194 billion – a partnership that includes collaboration with the UK on advanced defence capabilities.