• Telephone and internet access in the home
• Regular contact with family/friends
• Trust in others
• Loneliness
• Contact between young people and their parents

Trust in others

Relevance

Trust in others is an important indicator of how people feel about members of their community. High levels of trust facilitate co-operative behaviour among people and contribute to people’s ability to develop positive relationships with others.

Current level

In 2004, 69 percent of New Zealanders said they believed people can be trusted, with 8 percent reporting "people can almost always be trusted" and 61 percent reporting "people can usually be trusted".

Figure SC3.1 Levels of trust in other people, 2004

Source: Auckland City Council et al (2005) Quality of Life in New Zealand's Largest Cities Survey 2004

Age and sex differences

The proportion of those reporting that people can be trusted was the same for both males and females (69 percent). Eight percent of females and 7 percent of males agreed "people can almost always be trusted" and 61 percent of both females and males responded "people can usually be trusted".

Those reporting people can "almost always" or "usually" be trusted ranged from 65 percent at ages 15–24 years to 70 percent for 25–49 year olds.

Ethnic differences

People in the Other ethnic group (excluding Asians) reported the highest overall level of trust in others with 73 percent responding people could "almost always" or "usually" be trusted, followed by Europeans (71 percent) and Asians (66 percent). Māori (57 percent) and Pacific peoples (56 percent) had the lowest proportions who felt people could be trusted.

Figure SC3.2 Proportion of people reporting that people can "almost always" or "usually" be trusted, by ethnic group, 2004

Source: Auckland City Council et al (2005) Quality of Life in New Zealand's Largest Cities Survey 2004

Socio-economic differences

Across all income levels, a majority of New Zealanders indicated people could "almost always" or "usually" be trusted. Reported trust increased with personal income levels. People with incomes over $100,000 reported the highest overall levels of trust (82 percent). Those with incomes of $30,000 or less reported lower levels of trust, with only 66 percent thinking people could be trusted "almost always" or "usually".

Figure SC3.3 Proportion of people reporting that people can "almost always" or "usually" be trusted, by personal income, 2004

Source: Auckland City Council et al (2005) Quality of Life in New Zealand's Largest Cities Survey 2004

Regional differences

Across all Big Cities, a majority of New Zealanders indicated people could "almost always" or "usually" be trusted. Reported levels of trust were highest in Wellington (78 percent) and lowest in Manukau (61 percent).

International comparison

New Zealanders’ level of trust in other people in 2004 compares well with those of people within European Union countries in 2005, and to that of people in Canada in 2003. New Zealand had the seventh highest reported level of trust in other people ("almost always trust" or "usually trust") out of 25 OECD countries.⁹² New Zealand's reported level of trust in other people, 69 percent, is above the OECD median of 56 percent. Norway had the highest reported levels of trust in people (87 percent) followed by Denmark and Sweden (both 84 percent). Canada (53 percent) and the United Kingdom (55 percent) reported lower levels of trust in other people than New Zealand .