SOCIAL cohesion in Australia increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, but is now sharply declining, according to an ANU study.

Researchers, in partnership with the Scanlon Foundation Research Institute, say the decline is due to a weaker sense of pride, belonging and social justice, with findings from the Mapping Social Cohesion 2022 Survey.

Lead ANU researcher Dr James O’Donnell said Australians’ sense of belonging and connectedness has been high and growing since the start of the pandemic.

“During the height of the pandemic in 2020, Australians also reported higher levels of national pride and belonging, higher levels of trust in the Federal Government, a greater send of social justice, and increased acceptance of people from different national and ethnic backgrounds,” said Dr O’Donnell.

“However, our sense of national pride, belonging and social justice are declining and are now at their lowest levels since 2007. In fact, the sense of social inclusion and justice in Australia has declined sharply since 2020.

“In 2022, social cohesion is lower than it was during the height of the pandemic. This has been driven by a renewed growth in the number of people who are concerned with economic inequality in Australia and a decline in our sense of national pride and belonging.

“We found that financial and cost of living pressures are strongly related to our sense of belonging and connectedness to each other, indicating that social and economic inequalities in Australia weigh down overall social cohesion.”

According to the survey findings, the proportion of Australians who strongly agree the gap in incomes is too large has increased from 31 per cent in 2019 to 26 per cent in 2022.

At the same time, the proportion who strongly agree that Australia is a land of economic opportunity where in the long run, hard work brings a better life has declined from 19 per cent in 2019 to just 14 per cent in 2022.

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