The McKinnon Index is an annual measure of democratic health, tracking the effectiveness of governments over time. This inaugural report offers insights into how Australians view their democracy and provides recommendations to strengthen trust and guide the actions of governments, civil society and institutions seeking to improve the performance and legitimacy of Australia’s system of government. The report is accompanied by an interactive dashboard.

Key findings

• Trust in institutions remains stronger than trust in politicians and perceptions of effectiveness directly shape confidence in government.
• Australians want leaders who act with courage, competence and vision rather than short-term politics.
• A majority of Australians are satisfied with most public services.
• Support for democracy remains strong and the vast majority of Australians reject violence to advance political causes.
• Around one in four Australians could be considered disengaged from voting as they either do not vote or vote mainly to avoid a fine.
• Regions perform worse on most key democratic indicators compared to cities.
• Young people are among the most trusting of government and feel broadly well represented in our political system, but are more likely to exhibit some undemocratic behaviours.
• Support for democracy and confidence in elections is lower among those who use social media or other alternative sources of news.
• Concerns over misinformation and media bias or influence were the two most common responses when asked what the biggest challenges currently facing Australia’s democracy were.