Ethics Index: Public service and politicians seen as more ethical

The eighth Ethics Index from the Governance Institute of Australia found that the public service sector scored 46 points in 2023, up from 38 in 2022, and has been broadly viewed as somewhat ethical.

But the sector is still not perceived as well as it was in 2020, when it received a score of 56 points.

It comes at a time when importance placed on ethics is higher than it has even been during the eight-year life of the survey, with the metric growing from 79 to 84 points in the past year, largely thanks to 18 to 35-year-olds.

Perception of state and federal politicians has also improved significantly, although the profession still rated among the 10 least ethical.

Non-executive director Deidre Willmott said this was "the most striking result of the survey".

"Elections since the pandemic have seen decisive wins for the ALP, except in Tasmania," she said.

"However, this survey result might be a wakeup call for the major parties with their share of primary votes in ongoing decline and record numbers of independents elected."

Questioned on a range of ethical dilemmas, those surveyed looked more favourably on the opposition and independent MPs blocking legislation of the party in power than the previous year.

Issues Australians viewed negatively include the federal government's decision to keep stage three tax cuts for higher income earners while "only delivering a modest increase to the JobSeeker allowance".

But breaking an election promise, even if the circumstances have changed, was seen as even worse, rated at -34 points.

Australians thought the government's promise to reduce utility bills was "somewhat ethical".

RBC Capital Markets chief economist Su-Lin Ong said cost-of-living relief over the past year has likely influenced how people feel about government and politicians.

"However, we would caution that government promises to deliver lower utility bills is fraught with risks given that there are factors well outside the government's control that influence energy prices," she said.

Rising cost of living and inflation were seen as the biggest ethical challenge for 2024.

Meanwhile, a First Nations Voice to Parliament was seen as somewhat ethical, with a score of 35.

The "approach of the referendum campaign" however, was not seen as ethical or unethical, scoring a much lower 8 points.

The report, which tallies up responses from 1000 people, will be unveiled on Tuesday in Canberra alongside a new Parliamentary Friends of Governance group.

The group will be co-chaired by Liberal MP Bridget Archer, Independent MP Zoe Daniel and Labor MP David Smith.