How Healthy is our Democracy?
The recent release of the 2025 McKinnon Index provides a timely snapshot of Australia’s democratic health. It measures trust in leaders, confidence in government effectiveness, the performance of institutions and how Australians engage in politics and public debate.
In a time of increasing demand on services and growing public scrutiny, the key findings offer important guidance for public administrators across all levels of government in Australia. Particularly those working in policy, service delivery, regulation, and governance.
At IPAA Queensland, we are committed to supporting our members in building a capable, trusted and future-ready public sector. Explore our summary of the report’s most relevant insights below.
Our takeaways
1. The trust gap between institutions and leaders
The Index highlights a persistent gap between trust in institutions and trust in political actors.
- 70.2% of Australians trust institutions such as the Australian Electoral Commission. A strong signal of confidence in core democratic systems.
- Perceived corruption remains high at 62%, and trust in politicians continues to lag.
- Just 36.9% believe state or territory leaders can solve long-term challenges.
These findings reinforce the importance of ethical leadership, transparency, and stewardship across the public sector.
2. Public services – room to improve
Overall satisfaction with public services is 55.4%, with notable variation across sectors:
- Health (54.8%), administrative services (52.8%) and infrastructure (52.1%) score moderately.
- Education (44.6%) and social security/support (42.7%) rate lower.
These findings point to system-level challenges and opportunities for service redesign, strategic investment and more person-centred approaches.
3. Innovation and long-term thinking are essential
Only one-third of Australians believe government will adopt innovative ideas, and fewer than 40% have confidence in the public sector’s ability to address long-term challenges.
This signals the need for courageous leadership, collaborative problem-solving and deliberate capability building in innovation and strategic foresight for future performance.
4. Regional disparities demand focus
While 76% of Australians support democracy, only 54.5% are satisfied with how it is functioning.
Regional Australians reported notably lower engagement, trust and satisfaction levels. This highlights ongoing structural challenges requiring tailored engagement, inclusive policy design and better service accessibility beyond metropolitan areas.
5. Public sector capability as a critical enabler
A high-performing, apolitical public sector, relies on:
- strong institutions
- evidence-based policymaking
- adaptive capability
- long-term planning
- and a culture of continuous improvement
These are not just broad aims. They are mission-critical capabilities that support resilience and public trust, especially in periods of uncertainty and change.
Considerations for public administration professionals
Rebuilding trust – Trust is earned through consistent delivery, ethical decision-making and visible accountability. Clear communication of evidence, outcomes and reasoning strengthens public confidence.
Delivering high-quality services– Closing satisfaction gaps requires:
- co-design and community partnership
- strong foundations in data and evaluation
- coordinated system leadership
- prioritised investment in capability uplift.
Championing innovative governance – Innovation is a disciplined practice. Public purpose professionals can:
- pursue cross-sector collaboration
- trial new methods and technologies
- embed foresight in strategy and planning
- use evidence proactively to shape reform.
Supporting regional and inclusive engagement – All Queenslanders should feel the benefits of effective democracy and service delivery. Tailored approaches and sustained community relationships are essential.
Strengthening civic understanding – The public sector play a key role in helping communities understand and engage with democratic systems, bridging gaps in participation and awareness.
Planning for the long term – Future-facing policy, robust institutions and adaptive systems help respond to major challenges such as climate transitions, economic change and demographic shifts. Long-term thinking must shape program design, budgeting and workforce planning.
The 2025 McKinnon Index sends a clear message: while confidence in institutions remains strong, Australians expect more of their leaders and the systems that serve them. For the public purpose community, this is a call to strengthen trust, invest in capability and deliver services that support equity, resilience and long-term public value.
As Queensland’s professional home for public purpose leaders, IPAA Queensland will continue to champion excellence, integrity and collaboration across the sector through capability-building events and professional networks.
The health of our democracy and the trust placed in those who serve is a shared responsibility. Together, we can rise to the challenge.
Read the full 2025 McKinnon Index here.