MCKINNON INDEX: key findings citations

1. Trust in different institutions

Source: 2025 McKinnon Index. This figure presents data from a range of questions asking “On a scale of 0-10 where 0 means not at all and 10 means completely, how much do you trust [entity name]". Where the percentage shown is the aggregation of responses from 6-10, considered to be those with "high or moderately high trust", with scores of 5 being considered "neutral", and scores 0-4 considered "low or no trust". "Don't know" was a separate answer. “[State]” was replaced with text based on respondent’s location.

2. International trust comparison

Source: OECD 2023 Drivers of Trust in Government Survey and 2025 McKinnon Index. This figure presents data from a range of questions which are worded consistently between the two surveys (with substitution of national with federal/Australian in the McKinnon Index). These questions ask “On a scale of 0-10 where 0 means not at all and 10 means completely, how much do you trust [entity name]". Where the percentage shown is the aggregation of responses from 6-10, considered to be those with "high or moderately high trust", with scores of 5 being considered "neutral", and scores 0-4 considered "low or no trust". "Don't know" was a separate answer.

3. Top 10 solutions to challenges facing Australia’s government

Source: 2025 McKinnon Index. This figure presents the distributions of the top ten themes coded by Roy Morgan for open-text responses to the question “What one solution, if any, could solve the challenges facing Australia’s governments?”. Responses coded as “other”, “don’t know”, “not applicable”, or “no comment” are excluded.

4. Satisfaction with different public services

Source: 2025 McKinnon Index. This figure presents data from a range of questions asking “On a scale of 0-10 where 0 means very dissatisfied and 10 means very satisfied, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the following”. Where the percentage shown is the aggregation of responses from 6-10, considered to be those "satisfied", with scores of 5 being considered "neutral", and scores 0-4 considered "dissatisfied". "Don't know" was a separate answer. “[State]” was replaced with text based on respondent’s location.

5. Effectiveness and capability of government

Source: 2025 McKinnon Index. This figure presents data from a range of questions asking “How effective or ineffective would you say [entity name] is?”. Where the percentage shown is the aggregation of responses of “very effective” and “somewhat effective” (considered “Effective”); with respondents also able to choose “neither effective nor ineffective”; “somewhat ineffective” and “very ineffective”; and “Don’t know” was a separate answer. “[State]” was replaced with text based on respondent’s location.

6. Democratic measures

Source: 2025 McKinnon Index. This figure presents data from multiple questions, with responses converted into a single scale showing those who had greater than neutral levels of trust, satisfaction or agreement with the question (6+ for 10 point scales, 4+ for 5 point scales). The full list of questions is contained in the appendix to this report. Note responses to the questions on support for violence and whether someone could be friends with someone with different political views have been reverse coded for this graph.

7. Voter engagement

Source: 2025 McKinnon Index and AEC 2025 Election Turnout data. This represents the proportion of Australian’s who are not enrolled based on AEC’s enrolment data, and the proportion of registered Australian’s who voted based on AEC’s turnout data. The proportion who only voted to avoid a fine is based on those who chose that option as their first choice to the McKinnon Index question: “What are the main reasons you vote?”. AEC turnout data accessed here: https://www.aec.gov.au/election/fe25/participation-rates.htm

8. Main reasons for voting

Source: 2025 McKinnon Index. This figure presents data from the question “What are the main reasons you vote?”, where respondents could choose their top three from the following options provided: Voting is a responsibility of being an Australian citizen; I want to have a say in who represents me in parliament; I want to contribute to positive change and decisions that affect my community; Voting gives me the power to change who’s in charge if I’m not happy with their decisions; I care about the issues and decisions that affect Australia and want to influence the laws that shape our lives; Voting is required by law, and I want to avoid a fine; I want to stop certain parties or candidates from being elected; and I strongly support a particular party or candidate.

9. Regional differences on democratic measures

Source: 2025 McKinnon Index. This figure presents data from multiple questions, with responses converted into a single scale showing those who had greater than neutral levels of trust, satisfaction or agreement with the question (6+ for 10 point scales, 4+ for 5 point scales). The full list of questions is contained in the appendix to this report. Remoteness was determined based on respondent’s postcode and categorised by Roy Morgan using the ABS’s regional classifications.

10. Democratic indicators by age

Source: 2025 McKinnon Index. This figure presents data from multiple questions, with responses converted into a single scale showing those who had greater than neutral levels of trust, satisfaction or agreement with the question (6+ for 10 point scales, 4+ for 5 point scales). The full list of questions is contained in the appendix to this report. Age was determined based on respondents selecting which age bracket they belonged to.

11. Impact of media use

Source: 2025 McKinnon Index. This figure presents data from multiple questions, with responses converted into a single scale showing those who had greater than neutral levels of trust, satisfaction or agreement with the question (6+ for 10 point scales, 4+ for 5 point scales). The full list of questions is contained in the appendix to this report. Media use is based on those who chose that option as their first choice to the McKinnon Index question: "Which media do you use the most to learn about news and current events on a regular basis?" where respondents could select their top three.

1. OECD (2024), OECD Survey on Drivers of Trust in Public Institutions – 2024 Results: Building Trust in a Complex Policy Environment, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/9a20554b-en

2. Democracy Remains Popular but People Worldwide are Questioning its Performance: gallup-international.com