The UK is drafting anti-lying legislation because only 9% of Brits trust politicians. So naturally, I looked at New Zealand’s numbers. Turns out we’re not that great either.
So I had to take a look at what’s going on here with trust in the government and other key institutions; sadly, none of this will be a surprise to anyone.
The key findings are:
For the first time in 25 years, NZ has fallen into overall distrust territory (current coalition)
67% of Kiwis (two-thirds) have moderate-to-high grievance (vs 61% globally)
Only 19% believe next generation will be better off (vs 36% globally)
61% worry officials are purposely trying to mislead people
Every single institution is declining - no exceptions (Businesses Beware! The public does not give money to people they don’t trust)
These government trust numbers are interesting. Look at 2023. Labour tanked government trust into distrust territory. That was a direct result of Covid. People were unhappy. Absolutely 100% fair call in my book. It was an awful time and full of misinformation and confusion.
The interesting part? We’re years away from Covid now. Yet this government is still firmly in distrust territory. Same as Labour. The difference is that trust in business has tanked, and the media is in a terrible state (which is the unsurprising part – remember all that cutting at TVNZ, the issues for TV3 and the right-wing buyouts!)
Let’s take a look at why the Coalition’s trust level is so low.
Grievance
So Edelman Trust has this thing they call grievance, the short definition of this is:
‘A belief that government and business harm them and serve narrow interests, and ultimately the wealthy benefit while regular people struggle.’
Kiwis have a moderate to high grievance, which means, in the terms of this survey, that we believe
The system is rigged against us
Government/business is working for someone else (the wealthy)
The struggle is deliberate, not accidental
What grievance isn’t - dissatisfaction (things aren’t great), it’s that they don’t care that we don’t trust them because the system doesn’t require our trust to function.
The consequences of low/no trust
Spoiler – none, no consequences at all!
Politicians:
They still get elected (between two options people don’t trust)
They still get their salary
They still make decisions
They still move to cushy consultancy roles after politics
They still get their perks and superannuation
Business:
Supermarkets still operate a duopoly (where else you going to shop?)
Gentailers still control 85% of the market (you need power)
Banks still dominate (you need banking)
They still extract profits
Media:
They’re already in decline anyway
The ones left standing still operate
Still get government funding/subsidies
Not one of these groups need our trust to maintain what they currently have.
The evidence is clear:
Bottom crawlers
2nd rate business owners
I’m rich and sorted
Budget cuts while people queue at food banks and unemployment rises
Celebrating 69% police trust without mentioning it was 73% in 2021
Celebrating 82% immunisation rates when the target is 95%
The manufactured deficit, while giving away $19.5 billion to the rich
How do we change it?
Here’s the truth: the data proves our gut feelings are right. The system doesn’t need our trust to function. Politicians still get elected between two untrusted options. Businesses still operate their duopolies. The media still gets subsidies.
And they know it. ‘Bottom crawlers.’ ‘I’m rich and sorted.’ That’s not incompetence speaking. That’s pure contempt.
The question isn’t whether we’re right to distrust them. We are. The data is overwhelming.
The real question is: what’s our leverage when institutions don’t need our trust to maintain power?
Some will say vote third party. Force coalitions that aren’t National-ACT-NZ First or Labour / Greens / TPM.
Others will say the electoral system itself is broken and voting won’t fix it.
Some will focus on local government, where trust is still higher. (Which this government is currently dismantling)
Others will push for fundamental electoral reform.
I don’t have the answer. But I know this: as long as 52% of online content is AI-generated, as long as politicians can lie with no consequences, and as long as the system rewards contempt with cushy consultancy roles and superannuation, nothing will ever change.
Personally, I’m working hard on my bullshit meter. Tracking the patterns. Showing the receipts. Because millions of us feeling this way isn’t paranoia. It’s pattern recognition.
And maybe that’s where it starts - trusting our gut enough to stop pretending we’re wrong and that these guys know better.