59% of Australians say immigration levels are too high — ABC News Australia

In Australia, 59% of participants in a new social cohesion study said that immigration levels are too high. This is the highest figure in the history of the Scanlon Foundation survey, which this year covered 10,000 adult respondents. As ABC News reports, the study also recorded growing pessimism, financial anxiety and distrust in Australian society.

Pessimism and financial pressure

One in three respondents believes that their life will become somewhat or significantly worse over the next three to four years. Since the study began in 2006, this figure has tripled. The share of people who describe themselves as happy or very happy has gradually declined over the past 20 years.

Financial difficulties have affected households' ability to pay for basic needs: 13% of respondents reported problems paying for food, and the same share reported problems paying rent or mortgages. Another 21% could not pay for medicines or medical care, while 19% could not pay for heating or cooling their homes. Young and middle-aged people, particularly women and households with a single source of income, most often faced financial difficulties.

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Attitudes toward immigration and government

Although 64% of survey participants still believe that accepting immigrants makes Australia stronger, this figure has fallen from 78% in 2022. A record 38% of respondents agreed with the statement that immigrants take jobs.

Almost half of those surveyed, or 48%, believe that Australia's system of government needs to be significantly changed or replaced. More than one in five respondents is convinced that the federal government will almost never do the right thing. At the same time, 62% of participants reported a deterioration in social cohesion, although the social cohesion index in the report has remained stable in recent years.

The report also expressed concern about the spread of racial hatred and violence, which is putting pressure on the country's multicultural society. Amar Singh, who runs the Turbans 4 Australia charity, reported an increase in racist insults and attacks against Australians of Indian origin, stressing that financial hardship cannot be an excuse for intolerance.