Survey Reveals Growing Division Among Australians Over Past Year
A recent survey shows that nearly 75% of Australians feel their country has become more divided in the last year, reflecting declining trust in leaders.
Sydney, November 2 (Daily Kiran) : A recent survey indicates a significant increase in political and social division within Australia. Conducted by the independent think tank McKinnon, the study reveals that approximately 75% of Australians believe their country has become more divided over the past year.
The survey found that 41.9% of respondents fully agreed with this sentiment, while 32.5% somewhat agreed, leading to a total of 74.4% who perceive a growing divide.
Additionally, satisfaction with the country’s direction has decreased. In 2025, 28.8% of participants expressed some level of contentment, but this figure fell to 26.1% in 2026. Conversely, the number of those completely dissatisfied rose by 7.2 percentage points.
Conducted in June and July, the survey included over 4,000 participants who shared their views on Australia’s political system, leaders, and institutions.
Trust in federal leaders and political parties has also declined. In 2025, 35.9% of respondents expressed complete trust in federal politicians, a figure that dropped to 30.5% in 2026. Trust in political parties fell from 31.2% to 24.4%.
John Thwaites, interim executive chair of McKinnon and former Deputy Premier of Victoria, noted that Australians have more faith in democratic institutions than in the politics that operate within them. He also highlighted a significant disparity in satisfaction with democracy based on education level. Among those with a university degree, 59% were satisfied, compared to just 39.7% of those with a high school education or less.
Dissatisfaction with political representation is also evident. When asked if federal politicians understand and represent their views, 34.6% disagreed, an increase from 27% in 2025. Additionally, the number of people expressing distrust in the federal government has risen; from 46.3% in 2025 to 52.8% in 2026.
