Statistics NZ's latest release shows a radical, post-Covid decline in our trust in the institutions of health, education, Parliament, media, police, and the courts.

Data from the 2023 General Social Survey (GSS) found that trust held by New Zealanders in all these institutions - health, education, politicians, media, police, and courts - has declined since 2021.

“As a result of recent global events such as COVID-19, our society has faced a number of challenges. Institutional trust, trust in other people, sense of belonging, and a sense of safety are all important measures of people feeling part of society,” staffer Sarah Drake says.

"Key measures of trust and social wellbeing have declined since 2021, including in our institutions, a well as in people's sense of safety."  (Editor's Comment:  Not much wonder when the police "don't attend break-ins" any more.)

New Zealanders rated institutional trust on a 0 to 10 scale (where 0 is no trust and 10 is complete trust) as follows:

• Police:  7.4 out of 10 in 2023, down from 7.7 in 2021.

• People had the least trust in the media:  4.3, down from 4.7 in 2021.

• Trust in Parliament decreased the most in 2023 compared with other institutions, down to 4.9 from 5.7 in 2021.

People rated worrying about crime as having a greater effect on their quality of life in 2023 than in 2021. The mean rating was 3.7 out of 10, up from 3.3 in 2021 (where 0 was no effect and 10 was a large effect).

(Ed's Note:  Again, hardly any surprise, when police don't even consider a break-in worthy of anything but a snort of misogynistic, derisive laughter when the victim dials 111 for help).

The regions showing the most significant changes in fear and worry were:

• Auckland, at 4.5 (up from 3.8 in 2021)
• Bay of Plenty, at 3.7 (up from 2.9 in 2021)
• Manawatū-Whanganui, at 3.3 (up from 2.7 in 2021).

Ed's Note:  Not sure how it can possibly be that Wellington doesn't show up in the above list, given that (to cumulatively quote many concerned Wellingtonians joining the "Better Wellington" movement), it's fast turning into "a crime-infested shithole".