Australians are Feeling Increasingly Uncertain, New Research Finds

As this year opened with local unrest and worldwide conflict, a growing sense of instability and unpredictability took hold.

To better understand the impact of current events across our communities, researchers at McCrindle have researched our current responses to world events, comparing them with the ways we acted in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, publishing The Impact of Global Events on Australia’s Morale and Behaviour report.

“Taking the pulse of the nation matters because people matter. The best leaders understand people and this study provides the evidence needed to transition from reactive responses to strategic, empathy-based leadership,” the report stated.

From how Australians feel about safety through to their thoughts on electric vehicles, the report provides a window into how the community is responding to current events.

For more than a quarter of Australians the world doesn’t feel safe now

A sense of safety underpins strong communities, yet many Australians feel unsettled: 27% say the world feels unsafe, and concern about global conflict has risen sharply since 2023.

According to the report, “Younger generations are disproportionately affected by negative emotions, feeling more overwhelmed or scared than their older counterparts. This mirrors experiences from the pandemic.”

While most people feel safer close to home, this uncertainty can lead many to withdraw, spend less and stick to what feels familiar.

Building connection across our communities is essential in these volatile times.

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Australians are divided on how long the Iran conflict might last

Behaviour is shaped more by perceived risk than present conditions, so expectations about the conflict’s duration reveal how deeply habits may shift.

Over a third of Australians (36%) expect the situation in Iran to stabilise within three months, while 28% anticipate instability lasting a year or longer.

Longer timelines can result in reductions in spending, investing and career moves as people try to manage their own risk.

Anxiety and frustration are higher now than in March 2020

Even though the Iran conflict is happening at a distance, it’s resulting in higher levels of anxiety and frustration than Covid 19 did for the average Australian.

While we might not feel as likely to be impacted by the unrest in Iran, our levels of frustration are higher, with 50% or Australians using the word to describe their current feelings about the conflict.

Younger generations are more likely to be feeling negative emotions

In Australia, Gen Z and Gen Y are feeling the impact even more than the older generations.

…people are changing what they do, reducing non-essential spending and travel and changing behaviour to support their own wellbeing through prayer, managing anxiety and turning off the news.

According to the report, “Younger generations are disproportionately affected by negative emotions, feeling more overwhelmed or scared than their older counterparts. This mirrors experiences from the pandemic.”

The majority of Australians are changing their behaviour as a response

While the conflict is happening on the other side of the world, the impact is being felt by Australian households and businesses every day. As a result, people are changing what they do, reducing non-essential spending and travel and changing behaviour to support their own wellbeing through prayer, managing anxiety and turning off the news.

“These shifts are important because they demonstrate a proactive focus on maintaining personal stability and resilience during times of uncertainty,” explains the report.

Even in these volatile times, the older generations are bringing stability to the country, with 36% of Gen X and 43% of Baby Boomers making no change to their routines.

The impact on cars and their drivers

It’s at the petrol pump that most Australians are feeling the impact of world events, with only 23% reporting no change in their driving habits due to petrol prices.

The pressure of rising fuel prices is also pushing more people to consider moving to electric vehicles either now or in the future, with 31% indicating that they are very open to making the switch and another 37% being somewhat or slightly interested.

What next? Leading through challenge

The truth is that with challenge also comes opportunity. Opportunity to do things differently, to engage communities together and to develop creative solutions to what is in front of us.

In the same way that Jeremiah called the Israelites to be fully committed to seeking the best for the place they were in, we too can choose to be wholehearted in bringing hope and life to our country even in uncertain times.

The report illustrates the opportunity we all face, to respond with hope and step up to lead those around us, in our families, workplaces and especially in the wider community.

In the same way that Jeremiah called the Israelites to be fully committed to seeking the best for the place they were in, we too can choose to be wholehearted in bringing hope and life to our country even in uncertain times.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

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