Australia
Australia is a high-performing democracy, performing well above the world averages across the Global State of Democracy Indices (GSoDI). Over the past five years, however, GSoDI data show significant declines in Media Integrity, which are likely due to fragmented media ownership regulations. While remaining well above the global average in Absence of Corruption, Australia is yet to regain its standing following declines observed beginning in 2013, which revealed weak regulatory structures in combatting foreign bribery and public sector corruption. Over the years, Australian immigration policies, marked by multiculturalism as a nation-building project, have contributed to the development of a culturally diverse and economically prosperous society. Australia boasts the world’s twelfth largest economy, based in mining, financial services and health and education. The country remains one of the largest development partners in the Pacific.
Before the arrival of European settlers in the 1600s, the continent had been solely inhabited by Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders (‘First Nations peoples’) for tens of thousands of years. British colonization began in 1788 through established settler colonies, and Australia transitioned into a federation of six states in the early 20th century. After a period of restrictive immigration policies for the first half of the twentieth century, exemplified by the Immigration Restriction Act and the 'White Australia Policy', the post-WWII era saw a turn toward an embrace of multiculturalism. Immigration policy continues to be at the forefront of policymaking, and the continent now has one of the largest immigrant populations in the world. In recent years, an offshore processing system, part of the broader border security programme, has been criticized for its use of indefinite and arbitrary detention. Australia is both economically intertwined with and engaged in regional competition with China, a tension that has consequences for Australia’s economy, and its large ethnic Chinese population.
First Nations peoples have suffered significant oppression and discrimination throughout Australian history, and a campaign for adequate constitutional recognition of their rights and history has been ongoing for decades. There is an over-representation of First Nations peoples, and especially youth, in the criminal justice system while they are underrepresented in politics.
Australia’s universal healthcare system, ‘Medicare’, has been criticized for unequal access, especially for minorities and rural Australians. The country’s main political parties have fundamentally different policy approaches to addressing this inequity and on other issuesimpacting the elderly, childcare, education, housing and climate change. While the 2022 ‘climate election’ promised firm climate action, state environment and climate policy has in the past been hampered by Australia’s powerful coal mining industry.
Fundamental Rights, and specifically Social Rights and Equality, will be important to watch, given the revitalized interest in constitutional recognition of First Nations peoples. Australia’s contributions and vulnerability to climate change mean it will have to integrate comprehensive and realistic climate policies into government mandates, with failure to do so putting countervailing pressure on Social Rights and Equality. Media Integrity will also need to be watched in light of the high concentration of media ownership in a sector dominated by News Corp. Lastly, corruption remains an area to watch over the next several years; there have been positive steps taken to establish a federal anti-corruption commission, and it will be critical to monitor developments with regard to the regulation of lobbying.
Monthly Event Reports
February 2024 | Key industrial relations reforms passed
On 12 February, parliament passed the Closing Loopholes (No. 2) Act, aimed at strengthening workers’ rights. The legislation marks a continuation of substantial employment reforms enacted in the preceding two years. Key provisions include providing protections for gig workers and contractors, revising enterprise bargaining practices, and fortifying measures against wage theft and underpayments. Noteworthy among the new provisions is the “right to disconnect,” affording workers protections from demands to work beyond their regular working hours. While some businesses and opposition lawmakers expressed concerns about the bill's particular impact on small enterprises and additional costs for consumers as well as enforcement, unions and labour rights groups have hailed the bill as an important step forward for worker rights.
December 2023 | Government passes preventative detention laws
On 6 December, the Australian parliament passed preventative detention laws to deal with the fallout from the High Court ruling on 8 November that the country’s system of indefinite immigrant detention was unlawful, triggering the release of over 140 detainees. The new laws allow courts to re-detain former immigration detainees if they are judged to pose “an unacceptable risk of committing serious violent or sexual offence.” Rights advocates and legal experts have raised serious concerns regarding the discriminatory nature of the post-sentence scheme, noting that the Act suffers from flawed risk assessment and punitive conditions,” which only apply to non-citizens.
November 2023 | Landmark immigration ruling sparks controversy
On 8 November, Australia’s High Court issued a landmark ruling determining that the country’s system of indefinite immigration detention is unlawful, resulting in the release of over 140 detainees. Human rights experts welcomed the ruling, which overturns nearly a two decade-long practice by Australian authorities of holding noncitizens without visas who could not be removed from the country (for example because they were stateless) in indefinite detention. Rights advocates praised the verdict as a positive step towards a more humane immigration system, though significant reforms are still needed. However, the ruling stirred controversy within the government, leading the parliament to enact preventative detention laws that re-detain those convicted of serious crimes. Emergency powers were hastily passed, mandating additional restrictions on released detainees such as ankle bracelets and curfews - a matter which is currently being challenged in the High Court. Rights experts have stressed that all people should be treated equally before the law, regardless of their visa status.
October 2023 | Indigenous Voice referendum fails
On 14 October, Australian voters decisively rejected a proposal (via referendum) to recognise Indigenous people in the constitution and to establish a First Nations voice in parliament. Voter turnout was at 89.95 per cent. The outcome maintains the status quo for representation of Indigenous communities and has been described by experts as a significant setback for Indigenous rights in the nation. Indigenous leaders noted that the defeat challenges ongoing reconciliation efforts, potentially leading to more confrontational discussions over Indigenous relations and issues concerning Indigenous rights. The referendum campaign encountered numerous challenges, including a lack of bipartisan support, misinformation, and a lack of detail about implementation of the Voice. In response to the defeat, Indigenous leaders called for a "week of silence" in mourning, while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese affirmed the commitment to continuing the path toward reconciliation.
Explore past monthly event reports
GSoD Indices Data 2013-2022
Basic Information
Human Rights Treaties
Global State of Democracy Indices
Hover over the trend lines to see the exact data points across the years
Factors of Democratic Performance Over Time
Use the slider below to see how democratic performance has changed over time