Trust in Australian Politicians Falls as Division Deepens

Sydney, November 2

Trust in Australia's political leaders and parties is falling as a majority of citizens feel the country is growing more divided, a new survey has revealed. The results point to a widening gap between the public and the politicians who represent them.

The survey, conducted by the independent think tank McKinnon, found that 74.4 percent of Australians perceive greater division than a year ago. Of these, 41.9 percent fully agreed and 32.5 percent somewhat agreed.

Public satisfaction with the country's direction has also declined. The share of respondents who said they were very or somewhat satisfied fell from 28.8 percent in 2025 to 26.1 percent in 2026. Meanwhile, the proportion who were completely dissatisfied increased by 7.2 percentage points.

The study drew on responses from more than 4,000 people surveyed in June and July. Participants were asked about the political system, national leaders and institutions.

Full trust in federal politicians dropped from 35.9 percent to 30.5 percent between 2025 and 2026. Trust in political parties also weakened, falling from 31.2 percent to 24.4 percent.

John Thwaites, interim executive chair of McKinnon and former deputy premier of Victoria, said Australians hold democratic institutions in higher regard than the day-to-day politics carried out within them.

He highlighted differences in attitudes linked to education as well. Among people with a university degree or higher, 59 percent were satisfied with democracy. Among those with high school education or less, the figure was 39.7 percent.

Doubts about representation were also evident. When asked whether federal politicians understand and represent them, 34.6 percent fully disagreed, compared with 27 percent in 2025.

Low trust in the federal government has risen as well. The proportion of respondents expressing little confidence in the government increased from 46.3 percent in 2025 to 52.8 percent in 2026.