Media statement: Public institutions are well trusted in Australia

Published

The Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) welcomes the recent results from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Survey on Drivers of Trust in Public Institutions.

This is Australia’s second year participating in the OECD Trust Survey and the results provide us with valuable insights into the public’s perceptions of various Australian public institutions.

Australians place high trust in the police (68%) and the courts and judicial system (59%). Australian’s trust in the federal government has also increased significantly from 38% in 2021 to 46% in 2023. This exceeds the OECD average of 39%, placing Australia in the top 10 of the 30 countries surveyed.

Australia performed above the OECD average on a range of indicators:

  • recognition that the government makes decisions based on the best-available evidence
  • satisfaction with day-to-day interactions with government
  • optimism that applications for government benefits are treated fairly
  • satisfaction with recent experiences of the education and health care systems
  • confidence that the government is ready to protect lives in a national emergency.

Despite Australia’s high levels of trust, there are opportunities to improve. These include:

  • a higher than average gender gap on trust, and
  • over a third of Australians reporting that housing remains a critical issue to address.

The APSC is currently working with OECD on a country study to further explore these results.

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Acknowledgement of Country

The APSC acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.