Let's be honest, Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese are on notice.
The leaders' fight at the 2022 federal election has been defined, with honesty, trustworthiness and accountability emerging as the most important qualities ACM readers want in a Prime Minister.
According to the results of a national readers' survey conducted by Australian Community Media (ACM), publisher of 140 newspaper titles across every state and territory, more than 60 per cent of respondents declared they wanted an "honest and trustworthy" Prime Minister. As well, almost half (49.22 per cent) wanted the nation's leader to be "accountable" and "responsible".
The highlighting of such qualities can hardly be an accident. Trust, or more pointedly trust in a government's record, has been the basis of most successful modern re-election campaigns. But also Mr Morrison's honesty has lately been called into question: by Liberal colleagues in leaked text messages, by former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and by the French President Emmanuel Macron.
With little policy to debate early on, the 2022 election is focusing on character, trust, integrity and perhaps taking a punt on the other guy.
The questions posed in the reader's survey makes it clear that Australians want the Prime Minister and opposition leader to take moral and ethical stands.
"What will you do to restore our faith in politics?" one asks.
Another asked, "Are you willing to govern Australia in an honest and trustworthy manner and work for the people?"
And another wanted to know, "Why can I trust you? What will you do for our electorate?"
Defining statements showed what ACM readers wanted in a Prime Minister.
"Not a liar", "not a crook" and "not a party drone" was a common theme, while some indicated neither the current Liberal or Labor leaders were palatable.
"Non-Morrisonish, non-Albanesish," a reader suggested.
"A woman!" came from another. And another plaintively sought a leader who "leaves me alone".
Trust in politics and integrity is at the heart of an unfulfilled 2019 Morrison government election promise, a Commonwealth integrity commission. The Prime Minister pledged to legislate a federal anti-corruption watchdog but time ran out after the government's model was roundly rejected as too soft and not up to the job.
Independent MP Helen Haines has her own legislation for a tougher model ready to go. Cross-benchers and some Liberal backbenchers say securing a federal ICAC will be priority number one for the next government.
ACM readers are attuned to an urgent need for greater transparency and accountability in politics.
One asks, "Who funded your campaign and will you listen to civil society groups, nfp [not for profits], advocates, etc, rather than professional lobbyists?"
"How is your party funded and how much [do] your donors influence your policies?" asked another reader.
Other top qualities that ACM readers want in a Prime Minister include a "vision for the future" (38.11 per cent), "strong and decisive" (22.54 per cent) and "intelligent" (22.26 per cent).
"Displays good judgement" was an important prime ministerial quality for just over a fifth (21.56 per cent) of the readers who responded, while a leader who makes too many captain's calls was frowned on by almost the same percentage of respondents with 19.27 per cent choosing the leadership quality of "consults and collaborates."
It appears the image of our leaders being somewhat cleaned up or manufactured does not matter too much. Less than 11 per cent of ACM readers (10.50 per cent) of voters picked "authentic" as an important leadership quality.
Less important qualities to ACM readers was being a "good communicator" (9.02 per cent). "open-minded and creative" (5.61 per cent) and "likeable" (2.39 per cent).
Two per cent of readers surveyed had other ideas about the Prime Minister's qualities. One suggested, "imposing" while another listed "statesmanship" and yet another outlined a wish for a prime minister who was "not woke."
