Whether or not Tony Abbott clings to power, the prime minister faces a lack of trust in the community.
A new survey suggests less than half of Australians trust the federal government.
The Edelman 2015 Trust Barometer fell to 49 per cent compared with 56 per cent in 2014.
The research firm also found three-quarters of respondents saying the government has failed to contribute to the greater good of the nation.
"Our new government failed to establish trusted leadership in the hearts and minds of Australia at a time when it is needed most," Edelman Australia chief Tim Riches says.
Trust in business has had an even more rapid decline to lows seen during the global financial crisis - 48 per cent in 2015 compared with 59 per cent in 2014.
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