Trust in Australian public services

The Survey of Trust in Australian public services (the Survey) is a regular, national survey measuring public satisfaction, trust and experiences with Australian public services. The Survey offers a whole-of-Australian Public Service (APS) view of service experience, complementing existing work undertaken by APS agencies.

Survey design and delivery

The design and delivery of the Survey is led by the Australian Public Service Commission, drawing significantly on expertise across the APS and within the academic community. The Commission thanks the Australian Bureau of Statistics for its advice and quality assuring the Survey and the results.

As of June 2026, more than 94,000 people, aged 18 years and over, have participated in the Survey. Between March 2019 and June 2021, eight survey waves, each surveying approximately 2,500-5,000 people, were conducted. Since July 2021, the Survey has been conducted monthly. Each month approximately 1,000 people are surveyed. Continued regular data collection has enabled creation of a reliable time series of data.

The design of the Survey ensures people reflect on their experiences with Australian public services (also known as Commonwealth, Federal or National public services). The following are out-of-scope for the Survey: state, territory, and local public services; politicians; political parties; and policy.

Results show experiences of people living in Australia using the diverse range of services the APS delivers to support people. The support provided in these services range from when people are, for example, looking for work, having a baby, seeking financial support, or wanting further information about education or training.

Annual results

Results for the Survey are released on an annual basis.

Trust and satisfaction results before 2023-2024 should not be compared with the results from later years due to a 2024 change in how we measure trust and satisfaction in our survey. For accuracy, please use results in reports from 2024 onwards.