Working Draft — LGIT framework unpublished. Shared for feedback only. Please do not cite or distribute without permission.

Australian Cohesion Monitor

Data Sources

All data is extracted from publicly available Scanlon Foundation reports

Primary Data Source

The Scanlon Foundation Research Institute has conducted annual surveys of social cohesion in Australia since 2007. Their "Mapping Social Cohesion" reports provide the most comprehensive longitudinal data on Australian social attitudes.

Visit Scanlon Foundation Research Institute

Survey methodology

The Scanlon Foundation surveys use the Life in Australia™ probability-based online panel, managed by the Social Research Centre. Key methodological notes:

2018 transition: The survey moved from telephone interviews to the Life in Australia™ online panel. This may affect direct comparability with pre-2018 data.
Sample size: Typically 2,000-3,000 respondents per survey wave.
Timing: Most surveys conducted in the second half of each year.
2020 special: Two survey waves (July and November) were conducted in 2020 to capture COVID-19 impacts.

Indicators we track

Trust in Federal Government

Percentage who trust the federal government 'all or most of the time'

2015-2024Confidence in government section

Sense of Belonging

Percentage who feel a sense of belonging in Australia 'to a great extent'

2015-2024Sense of Belonging tables

Pride in Australian Way of Life

Percentage who take pride in Australian way of life 'to a great extent'

2015-2024Sense of Belonging tables

Experienced Discrimination

Percentage who experienced discrimination in the last 12 months

2015-2024Discrimination section

Perception of Division

Percentage who agree Australia is more divided than before

2015-2024Executive Summary / Social cohesion commentary

Scanlon Index (5 domains)

Composite index measuring belonging, worth, inclusion, acceptance, and overall cohesion

2015-2024Scanlon Index tables

Source reports (2015-2024)

Data was manually extracted from each annual report. Page numbers vary by year but follow consistent section structures.

Year	Report Title	Source
2024	Mapping Social Cohesion 2024	Scanlon Institute
2023	Mapping Social Cohesion 2023	Scanlon Institute
2022	Mapping Social Cohesion 2022	Scanlon Institute
2021	Social Cohesion in Australia 2021	Scanlon Institute
2020	Social Cohesion in Australia 2020	Scanlon Institute
2019	Mapping Social Cohesion 2019	Scanlon Institute
2018	Social Cohesion in Australia 2018	Scanlon Institute
2017	Social Cohesion in Australia 2017	Scanlon Institute
2016	Mapping Social Cohesion 2016	Scanlon Institute
2015	Mapping Social Cohesion 2015	Scanlon Institute

Download data

We are preparing a downloadable CSV file containing all extracted data with source page references. This will be available soon.

Citation

Data source: Scanlon Foundation Research Institute. (2015-2024). Mapping Social Cohesion [Annual reports]. Retrieved from https://scanloninstitute.org.au/

Analysis: IRSA Institute. (2025). Australian Cohesion Monitor. Retrieved from https://www.irsa.institute/pilot/scanlon

Important notes

• This is an independent analysis project. We are not affiliated with the Scanlon Foundation, though we hope to collaborate in the future.
• All data is extracted from publicly available PDF reports. We have made best efforts to ensure accuracy, but users should verify against original sources for critical applications.
• The LGIT metrics (Recovery Ratio, Persistence Index, etc.) are our analytical additions and are not present in the original Scanlon reports.

Survey methodology

The Scanlon Foundation surveys use the Life in Australia™ probability-based online panel, managed by the Social Research Centre. Key methodological notes:

2018 transition: The survey moved from telephone interviews to the Life in Australia™ online panel. This may affect direct comparability with pre-2018 data.
Sample size: Typically 2,000-3,000 respondents per survey wave.
Timing: Most surveys conducted in the second half of each year.
2020 special: Two survey waves (July and November) were conducted in 2020 to capture COVID-19 impacts.

Indicators we track

Trust in Federal Government

Percentage who trust the federal government 'all or most of the time'

2015-2024Confidence in government section

Sense of Belonging

Percentage who feel a sense of belonging in Australia 'to a great extent'

2015-2024Sense of Belonging tables

Pride in Australian Way of Life

Percentage who take pride in Australian way of life 'to a great extent'

2015-2024Sense of Belonging tables

Experienced Discrimination

Percentage who experienced discrimination in the last 12 months

2015-2024Discrimination section

Perception of Division

Percentage who agree Australia is more divided than before

2015-2024Executive Summary / Social cohesion commentary

Scanlon Index (5 domains)

Composite index measuring belonging, worth, inclusion, acceptance, and overall cohesion

2015-2024Scanlon Index tables

Source reports (2015-2024)

Data was manually extracted from each annual report. Page numbers vary by year but follow consistent section structures.

Year	Report Title	Source
2024	Mapping Social Cohesion 2024	Scanlon Institute
2023	Mapping Social Cohesion 2023	Scanlon Institute
2022	Mapping Social Cohesion 2022	Scanlon Institute
2021	Social Cohesion in Australia 2021	Scanlon Institute
2020	Social Cohesion in Australia 2020	Scanlon Institute
2019	Mapping Social Cohesion 2019	Scanlon Institute
2018	Social Cohesion in Australia 2018	Scanlon Institute
2017	Social Cohesion in Australia 2017	Scanlon Institute
2016	Mapping Social Cohesion 2016	Scanlon Institute
2015	Mapping Social Cohesion 2015	Scanlon Institute