Almost half of Australians are uncertain about whether the country’s democracy is on the right track, according to a survey conducted by the Australian Public Service Commission.
The survey, which documented the attitudes of 6,000 Australians, revealed that while 53 percent agreed democracy was on the right path, 15 percent said it wasn’t, and 28 percent neither agreed nor disagreed.
Labor MP Milton Dick, speaker of the federal House of Representatives, shared the findings before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Sept. 11 and called for young Australians to take a more active role in shaping the country’s democratic future.
Historically, younger Australians have shown a lower preference for democracy than older generations.
“In 2018, younger Australians’ preference for democracy was as low as 49 percent. By 2022, that figure had risen to 70 percent, showing that younger Australians are becoming more confident, interested, and engaged,” Dick said.
Dick also referenced an Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) survey on trust, which found political parties had a low trust rating of just 34 percent.
While acknowledging the challenges this represents, Dick expressed optimism, particularly because of the increased political engagement among younger Australians.
“I believe that optimism comes from young people,” he added.
To strengthen democracy, Dick proposed several key measures to improve civic engagement, especially among young people and new citizens.
He emphasised the need for a renewed focus on the civics and citizenship curriculum in schools.
Additionally, he advocated for establishing a federal youth parliament and creating a regional civic showcase to provide remote and regional students with a direct parliamentary experience.
He also called for a national communication campaign focused on civic education and the development of more resources aimed at helping new Australian citizens understand and participate in the democratic process.
Past surveys have indicated that Australia’s political environment has failed to effectively engage young people, leaving them disconnected from national policy debates.
Minister for Youth Anne Aly echoed this sentiment, noting that young Australians—despite making up 15 percent of the population—did not have adequate opportunity to shape national policies.
Aly argues that by involving youth in decision-making from the outset, policies and programs designed for them will have a greater chance of success.
