New Research Suggests Scott Morrison Is Australia’s Least Trusted Politician

The end could be nigh for Scott Morrison and his government, with new research data indicating he is Australia's most distrusted politician.

Research conducted by Roy Morgan showed that 2021 ended with 'soaring levels of distrust' in the current Coalition government and its leaders.

The Prime Minister came in at number one on the nation's most distrusted list, with fellow Coalition leaders snapping at his heels.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce came in second, while Defence Minister Peter Dutton was in at number three. Ouch.

With 2022 being a federal election year, the national poll may be making a few frontbenchers in Canberra sweat as the threat of being cast into the Opposition looms.

In another sting for the Coalition, opposition leader Anthony Albanese ranked as the second most-trusted politician after Labor's Penny Wong.

The MP trust poll was conducted in March, with more than 1,400 Australians called to see what their opinions were on the country's biggest name politicians.

Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine detailed the issues that caused Australians to lose faith in Morrison and the coalition.

"When Scott Morrison won the 'unwinnable' election things changed - more people believed the government was doing a good job and fewer people distrusted the government," Levine said.

"But by June 2021 it all went into reverse - Black Summer bushfires, the end of JobKeeper, parliamentary sex scandals, COVID vaccination delays - all sent trust plummeting and distrust climbing.

"Australian political contests are no longer purely won on trust, they are lost on distrust."

The research also indicated a potential leadership battle could unfold if the Coalition loses the election and leaves the Liberal-National Party grappling to get back into the good graces of the Australian people.

"With Peter Dutton the second most distrusted politician in Australia and Josh Frydenberg almost out of the top ten, this may well become crucial if the Coalition loses the May election and there's a leadership battle between Frydenberg & Dutton," Ms Levine said.

The Prime Minister is yet to call the 2022 federal election, but according to the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 and the Australian Constitution, the federal election date can be no later than May 21 - meaning this data being released so close to the big day may indicate disaster for the current government.

Topics: politics news, Scott Morrison, Australia, Politics