Australians in a 'Dark & Distrustful Mood'

On Malcolm Turnbull:

"The oceans are heating up, the glaciers are shrinking, weather extremes are becoming common. More coal mines are offered. The poor are becoming poorer as their working conditions are both illegally, and increasingly legally, undermined and their support systems in the form of Medicare and pensions and housing are steadily eroded, and the rich pocket the benefits. Ethics are abandoned as we destroy the lives of refugees and asylum seekers. So what better time to reintroduce the compelling urgency of a debate on a republic for Australia? That should fix things." Gabi Duigu, Cammeray, Sydney Morning Herald, 19/12/16

On Bill Shorten:

"Less than 10% of the people who participated in the [Australian National University's Australian Election Study (AES)] said the Labor leader was intelligent or knowledgable. About three times as many people described Malcolm Turnbull in those terms. Of the 9 perceived qualities of political leaders participants were asked about, Mr Shorten ranked higher than the Prime Minister on only one - compassion. People thought he was less trustworthy, decent, sensible, inspiring or honest than Mr Turnbull... Mr Shorten also has the dubious honour of sharing the lowest individual score of any leader in the past 30 years on any characteristic - only 3.7% of people said they found him an inspiring leader. He shared this score with Tony Abbott, who attracted this rating after the 2010 election campaign." (Despite slog Shorten gets brutal review of capability, Stephanie Peatling, Sydney Morning Herald, 21/12/16)

On democracy:

"Australians' satisfaction with democracy has collapsed to its lowest level since the Whitlam dismissal, according to a major study [AES] that shows the country in an increasingly dark and distrustful mood about politics and the economy." (Faith in democracy at lowest ebb: survey, Matthew Knott, Sydney Morning Herald, 21/12/16)