Trust and Satisfaction in Australian Democracy: 2023 National Survey

To deepen our understanding of public sentiment towards democracy, we launched the Survey of Trust and Satisfaction in Australian Democracy in June 2023, engaging a nationally representative sample of 5,000 Australians, followed by a second wave with 1,000 people in November 2023. Our findings paint a nuanced picture of democracy in Australia. Most Australians highly value and are satisfied with their democratic system. The vast majority say living in a democratic country is important to them, and three in five people indicate they are satisfied with the way democracy works in the country. Yet, this appreciation is coupled with concerns. Nearly half of Australians aren’t confident the country is on the right democratic path and perceive widespread corruption in democratic institutions and processes. Despite these pressures, there is a resilient desire to strengthen our democracy – four in five Australians believe it is worth trying to fix the problems our democracy may have.