Trust in government and trust in the media are the bedrocks of a working democracy.

True democracy requires the freedoms of speech and expression to allow individuals and the media to hold our government to account.

However an AUT research report found that trust in mainstream media has plummeted to 33% while three quarters of people actively avoid reading the news. There are accusations that the mainstream media are biased in their reporting, telling people what to think rather than reporting on the facts.

Governments of all stripes are increasingly using urgency to pass legislation. How can we expect people to trust in governments that bypass the usual checks and balances?

For a society to continue to achieve progress and prosperity, we need to get better at working together with people of different perspectives and points of view. We need to find our common goals and shared visions.

Joining me today is Tim Wilson, a seasoned journalist whose work has been featured in The New York Times and The Guardian. He was the former US correspondent for One news and a roaming reporter on Seven Sharp. Today, he is the director of the Maxim Institute think tank.