Engagement and perception of local councils across the country
Local councils play a central role in everyday life, yet interactions with them are often driven by necessity rather than choice.
To better understand how Australians engage with their councils, we surveyed 2,700 people between October and November 2025, uncovering how, why and when residents connect.
Council engagement is widespread and driven by essential services
For most Australians, council interaction is a regular part of life.
63% of Australians have reached out to their local council in the past 12 months, with engagement largely driven by essential services rather than discretionary needs.
The most common reasons for contact include:
- Waste and recycling
- Rates and bills
- Library services
These interactions reflect the functional role councils play in day-to-day life.
Digital leads, but channel still shapes experience
Among those who have engaged with their council:
- 62% used email, apps or online platforms
- 41% used the phone
- 28% engaged in person
While digital channels dominate, experience varies by channel. 77% of Australians are satisfied with their most recent interaction, but satisfaction is highest for in-person engagement (83%) and lower for digital interactions (75%), highlighting a gap between convenience and experience.
Engagement is not evenly distributed
Council interaction varies across different groups.
Women are less likely to engage overall, but are more likely to contact councils about library services, with 53% of women engaging in this area compared to 46% of men.
Younger Australians are also less likely to interact, and when they do, it is more likely to be related to transport or infrastructure rather than household services. to a broader recalibration of travel priorities, where affordability and practicality are overtaking aspiration.
What this means for councils
These findings highlight an opportunity for councils to strengthen both engagement and perception.
While digital channels are now the primary way residents interact, ensuring these experiences are seamless and effective is critical. At the same time, maintaining accessible human channels remains important, particularly for more complex interactions.
The infographic below represents key findings from our research:
Based on a nationally representative Pureprofile survey of 2,700 Australians, October to November 2025.
