Australia is experiencing a historic decline in support for multiculturalism, according to the 2026 Lowy Institute Poll, as a groundswell of fear rooted in mounting economic pessimism and an increasingly illiberal and chaotic world order reshapes public opinion. The share of Australians who say cultural diversity has been good for the country plunged from 90% in 2024 to 73% in 2026, marking the largest single movement on any societal question in the poll's 22-year history.
Record Low Trust in the United States
The poll, which surveyed more than 2,000 Australians, revealed a record low 31% had faith in the United States to act responsibly on the world stage, and just one in five trust President Donald Trump to do the right thing. Trust in China rose from 20% to 28%, leading Charles Lyons-Jones, a Lowy research fellow, to note that for the first time "the two superpowers are distrusted in equal measure." He added, "That is a significant change from 2022 when the gap in trust was over 50% in favour of the US."
Economic Pessimism and Feelings of Insecurity
Amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, 53% of those surveyed said they feel "unsafe" or "very unsafe" in the world, a level of safety 3 percentage points below the previous record low set in 2020 at the onset of Covid-19. The survey also showed six in 10 (59%) are pessimistic about Australia's economic performance over the coming five years, up 12 percentage points from a year earlier and 22 percentage points since the 2022 poll. This result was also 11 percentage points higher than recorded at the start of the global pandemic in 2020.
Growing Concerns About AI and Migration
Nearly two-thirds of Australians believe the risks of artificial intelligence outweigh the potential benefits, up 12 percentage points since the question was last asked in 2024. A majority of Australians surveyed, or 55%, say that the number of migrants coming to Australia is "too high," up from 48% in 2024 and just past the previous peak of 54% in 2018. This sentiment was echoed by One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, who recently declared she backed a "monocultural" Australia.
Pragmatic Support for US Alliance Remains
Despite the decline in trust in the US, support for the Australia-US alliance remained at a "robust" 73%, according to the poll. Lyons-Jones said, "It shows that Australians are quite pragmatic. In a deteriorating strategic environment they accept that an alliance with the US is important for our security." This extended to the Aukus agreement to buy American-made nuclear-powered submarines, with backing holding firm at 68%.
Shifting Government Language
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged a changed America under Trump, stating in May, "The United States is playing a different role now," and that "President Trump was elected on a platform of America First. And so that changes the dynamic in the world. Western democracies have adjusted to that."
