Trust in government hits all time low

Trust in government has reached its lowest level on record, with just one-in-four Australians saying they had confidence in their political leaders and institutions, according to a major study of the 2019 Federal Election.

The latest Australian Election Study, conducted by The Australian National University (ANU), also found Australians' satisfaction with democracy at its lowest since the constitutional crisis of the 1970s.

Just 59 per cent of Australians are satisfied with how democracy is working – down 27 percentage points from the record high of 86 per cent in 2007. The historic low sits at 56 per cent in 1979.

Lead researcher Professor Ian McAllister of the School of Politics and International Relations said the findings were a clear warning the nation’s politicians needed to do better in their efforts to represent and win the confidence of everyday Australians.

“I’ve been studying elections for 40 years, and never have I seen such poor returns for public trust in and satisfaction with democratic institutions,” Professor McAllister said. “There is widespread public concern about how our democracy is underperforming.

For more data and analysis, visit www.australianelectionstudy.org

Download the 1987-2019 report

Download the 2019 Election report