No consumer likes pesky telemarketers. In some countries, laws have been passed that created no call lists and imposed hefty fines on telemarketing firms that break the rule. Australians confirmed that they despise telemarketers too.

The latest Reader's Digest survey said that telemarketers were the least liked by Australians, while emergency paramedics were their favourites. It was the eighth straight year that paramedics topped the poll of the country's most trusted profession.

In second place of the most trusted profession in the 2012 Reader's Digest Poll of Australia's Most Trusted Professions were firefighters, followed by rescue volunteers, nurses and pilots.

"They're respected by the general public because they deal with death and dying every day of their working lives.... When they do arrive it's always a relief to the patient and their relatives that they're going to get good care," Bendigo Advertiser quoted Ambulance Employees Secretary Steve McGhie.

Ironically, these professionals have recently joined strikes across Australia to protest the poor pay or bad work conditions which indicates that high public trust does not always lead to improved wages or better work conditions.

On the extreme end are telemarketers, whom many people avoid or would rather not deal with because of their persistent attempts to sell goods and services to people, sometimes to the point of harassment.

Besides telemarketers, those on the low end of the list were call centre agents and door-to-door salesmen.

Reader's Digest also made a poll on the most trusted public figure in Australia and found that surgeon Charlie Teo topped the survey. He was followed by Dr Fiona Wood, Hugh Jackman, Princess Mary (Donaldson) and Dick Smith.

Among politicians, the highest on the list was former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd who placed 74th. Two spots lower than him at 76th place was MP Malcolm Turnbull.

Five other politicians were in the top 100, namely: Queensland Premier Campbell Newman (77), Finance Minister Penny Wong (78), Coalition leader Tony Abbott (91), Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan (93) and Prime Minister Julia Gillard (95).