View from The Hill: Lowy poll shows Australians more pessimistic about almost everything

By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

Australians have become much more gloomy about the economy and increasingly worried about the irresponsible behaviour of the United States in the past year, according to the Lowy Institute’s 2026 poll.

The poll also shows a big decline in support for cultural diversity over the past two years, albeit from a very high level.

Almost six in ten people (59%) are pessimistic about Australia’s economic performance, a 12 point rise since 2025. This is the highest level ever recorded by the poll, which commenced in 2005, much higher than even during COVID or the global Financial…

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