Here is a survey of public opinion in Australia to tell you what the other surveys have got wrong, and suggest the political climate might not be quite as toxic as some would have you think.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Muslims are less and less welcome in this country, right?
Not it you take a long, hard look.
Asked in 2010 "is your attitude positive, negative or neutral towards Muslims," about 23.5 per cent of Australians told Monash University researchers said they felt "very" or "somewhat" negative.
The latest figures to be released on Tuesday shows the number in the negative column has only crept up to 25 per cent - having actually fallen last year to 22.4 per cent.
That finding follows the rise of Islamic State, Tony Abbott's fuming about imams meaning what they say about Islam as a religion of peace, and Pauline Hanson's political resurrection.
But what about trust in government? After all, the we've become accustomed to hearing about the swelling tide of discontent within Western democracy, after the stunning success this year of Brexit and victory by Donald Trump.
The best answer for Australia is, well, so Aussie: yeah, maybe, dunno.
Despite compulsory voting, the election campaign this year didn't inspire a huge amount of interest, with 14 per cent of people indicating they paid no attention at all, and another 20 per cent saying "not much".
No one much likes Canberra, and that has barely changed since 2009, when Kevin Rudd broke his promise to tackle climate change.
Back then, 48 per cent believed the government would do the right thing by the Australian people.
Yet this measure plummeted to 31 per cent in 2010, and has pretty much flat-lined since, to remain at 29 per cent in 2016.
But there is little evidence to show people believe the system of government needs major change or to be chucked out altogether.
About 15 per cent of Australians say it works fine as it is, while 11 per cent reckon it's time for a revolution.
Around 40 per cent of people want minor change - compared to 31 per cent wanting a major overhaul (although the latter number is gradually increasing).
Only one in 10 people nominate the quality of politicians as the most important problem facing Australia, down from almost 15 per cent in 2014.
Monash University's Andrew Markus said opinion surveys are on the nose, having failed to pick up on the stunning success of the Brexit campaign and then the rise of Donald Trump.
But polls that compare attitudes over time and with similar surveys were more reliable than startling, one-off findings, he said.
Professor Markus has released the latest in a series of surveys "Mapping Social Cohesion", supported by the Scanlon Foundation and Australian Multicultural Foundation.
"I'm always suspicious, are we getting it wrong. But there are other surveys out there and the findings are consistent," he said.
The government's hardline approach to asylum seekers arriving by boat has considerable support, with only 2 per cent of people nominating shame about detention camps in the Pacific as the most urgent problem for the country.
