Julian Leeser (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Mark McCrindle, an entrepreneur in my electorate, founded McCrindle Research, a small business invested in helping organisations understand social and demographic trends and respond to the changing needs of Australians. They've recently done some very interesting research looking at how Australians are responding to the global pandemic. They surveyed Australians in March in the initial stages of lockdown and again in June as restrictions started to ease. The research paints a picture of how incredibly resilient and community minded Australians are. While 28 per cent of Australians said their finances had been most negatively affected during the pandemic and 17 per cent said their mental health had been, more than nine in 10 Australians believe the restrictions put in place to flatten the curve have been worth it. For many Australians surveyed, there's also been a personal commitment to helping others, with 21 per cent increasing their financial giving to charities.

Australians have made the most of opportunities. People have enjoyed spending more time with family, enjoyed the slower pace of life or used this time to prioritise financial saving. They'd like these things to continue, and the tide's now beginning to turn. Phase 1 of McCrindle's research in March showed that, while 27 per cent of Australians were feeling hopeful about the future, in June that proportion of Australians feeling hopeful and optimistic had increased to 35 per cent. McCrindle's insights about the attitude of Australians present encouraging news for us all as we face the road ahead. I thank Mark and his team at McCrindle for their ongoing good work.

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