# Australia’s Immigration Backlash and Shifting Political Sentiment Rising anti-immigration sentiment and declining institutional trust reshape the Australian political landscape. - **Source:** [Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News](https://www.smh.com.au/rss/feed.xml) - **Published:** 2026-11-04 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/ecdd8b5a-fe63-40d3-be2b-68b939b27e93 ## Declining Social Cohesion Trends The Scanlon Foundation and Australian National University report reveals a significant hardening of public attitudes toward immigration. Since 2007, researchers have monitored social cohesion, but recent data shows a sharp decline in support for multiculturalism. This shift is compounded by economic pressures and a growing sense of alienation among the Australian population. ## One Nation Voter Influence Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party is central to this shift, as its supporters report the lowest levels of trust in government. These voters exhibit higher financial stress and increased pessimism about their future. This demographic is driving anti-establishment sentiment, which is particularly prevalent among Australian-born voters without university-level education backgrounds. ## Rising Negative Attitudes Negative views toward Muslim and Jewish communities have increased across the political spectrum since 2023. Prejudice against Muslims rose from 29 percent in 2022 to 43 percent in 2026, concentrated among conservative voters. Meanwhile, negative attitudes toward Jewish people grew from 8 percent to 18 percent, spreading more evenly across political lines. ## Immigration Policy Debate Public consensus on immigration has fractured, with 59 percent of Australians now stating levels are too high. This figure surged from 33 percent in 2023. Support for multiculturalism dropped to 76 percent, down from 89 percent three years ago, reflecting a broader cooling of sentiment toward the country’s long-standing migration-led growth model. ## Economic Anxiety and Migration Financial stress is a primary driver for the declining support for diversity and immigration. While cost-of-living concerns remain the top priority for over one-third of Australians, 23 percent of One Nation voters specifically identify immigration as their most critical issue. Economic instability is effectively coloring public perceptions regarding the impact of migration. ## Institutional Trust Erosion Trust in government has plummeted, particularly among One Nation supporters, where only 9 percent trust the current administration. This represents a 50 percent decline from 2025 levels. Nearly two-thirds of this group believe leaders abuse power, while skepticism regarding the fairness of elections and the impartiality of the court system remains high. ## Political Polarization Dynamics While Coalition voters show increasing concern regarding migration volumes, their views on multiculturalism remain relatively steady compared to the sharp decline seen in One Nation cohorts. Labor and Greens voters maintain higher levels of trust in institutions, highlighting a widening ideological divide that complicates federal policy discussions in Canberra regarding future migration. ## Underlying Social Resilience Despite the rise in polarization, a strong reservoir of support for diversity persists. Large majorities across all political parties still agree that immigrants make good citizens, with agreement ranging from 76 percent to 94 percent. This suggests that while specific policy debates are heated, the fundamental social acceptance of individual migrants remains intact. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australia-s-immigration-backlash-goes-mainstream-and-hanson-reaps-the-rewards-20261105-p61azj.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._