Trust in key institutions
Trust in institutions
Metrics
- Proportion of people who report having trust in the healthcare system
- Proportion of people who have trust in police
Why this matters
People have more satisfying lives when they live in an environment characterised by trust in each other and their institutions. The belief that the healthcare system and the police will provide the intended services are key to wellbeing.
Progress
In 2020:
- 76% of people trusted the healthcare system
- 79% of people agreed that the police can be trusted.
More recent data from the OECD Drivers of Public Trust Survey shows that in 2023, 68% of people in Australia had high or moderately high trust in the police, compared with 63% in 2021.
From 2026 onwards, this indicator will be updated annually with data from the expanded General Social Survey.
- Data reported is for persons aged 15 years and over.
Differences across groups
People living in major cities reported higher levels of trust in the healthcare system than those in outer regional and remote areas (78% and 70%, respectively). The levels of trust in police were similar for people living in major cities (78%), inner regional areas (83%) and outer regional and remote areas (79%).
Disaggregation
Further information on how trust in key institutions varies between groups is available via the links below.
Proportion of people who report having trust in the healthcare system and in the police: ABS General Social Survey
Disaggregation available includes:
- Age
- Sex
- Health status
- Mental health status
- Disability status
- Residency
- Remoteness.