The McKinnon Index is a dashboard tracking the health and effectiveness of Australian democracy and governments over time.

The McKinnon Index tracks how Australians experience, understand and participate in our democracy – from trust in our leaders and institutions to how effectively government works and whether people feel heard, represented and able to participate.

Measured annually, the Index reveals where Australian democracy is holding strong, where it is under pressure and how attitudes are changing over time. By elevating the voices and experiences of Australians, it provides an evolving picture of our democratic health – helping governments, institutions and communities better understand what is working, where change is needed and what this means for our collective future. 

The 2026 Index is the second wave of the survey, conducted by Roy Morgan. 

You can view the McKinnon Index data in an interactive dashboard.

Key findings:

• Confidence in democratic institutions remains strong: 76.4% of Australians agree democracy is preferable to any other system of government.
• But trust in how it works is falling: 50.7% of Australians are satisfied with the way democracy works; 30.5% of Australians trust Federal Politicians.
• 3 defining themes in 2026:
  • Australians’ experience of democracy is increasingly divided by education
  • Australians’ experience of democracy differs sharply by personal circumstance and where they live
  • Australia’s youth feel disenfranchised with democracy.