Australia Rule of Law
Rule of Law RL.EST
Australia's rule of law was 1.42 in 2025, ranked 21st globally. This represents a 7.0% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank WGI, covering 1996–2025.
Overview
Australia's rule of law stood at 1.42 in 2025, a decline of +0.11 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 1.42 by 2025. Australia ranked 21st globally.
Australia's Rule of Law indicator, as measured by the World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators, has experienced a decline over the past decade. With a current score of 1.42, ranking 21st globally, Australia's performance has been surpassed by several peer countries, including Monaco and Andorra, which scored 1.47. In contrast, Canada ranks lower at 1.37, while Lithuania trails at 1.34. The all-time peak of 1.92 was reached in 2014, whereas the current trough of 1.42 is a result of the last measurement in 2025. This downward trend over the past 26 years, starting from a score of 1.71 in 1996, suggests a gradual erosion of Australia's rule of law. A reversal in this trend would likely require significant improvements in areas such as judicial independence, corruption control, and adherence to the constitution, which could be facilitated by policy reforms and enhanced institutional capacity.
Data & projection
| Year | Rule of Law | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 1.37 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 1.42 | - | - |
| 2025 | 1.42 | −0.11 | #21 |
| 2023 | 1.52 | +0.01 | #17 |
| 2022 | 1.51 | −0.13 | #19 |
| 2021 | 1.64 | +0.02 | #16 |
| 2020 | 1.62 | −0.08 | #17 |
| 2019 | 1.69 | +0.02 | #14 |
| 2018 | 1.67 | +0.03 | #15 |
| 2017 | 1.65 | −0.07 | #14 |
| 2016 | 1.72 | −0.07 | #12 |
| 2015 | 1.79 | −0.13 | #11 |
| 2014 | 1.92 | +0.15 | #9 |
| 2013 | 1.77 | +0.01 | #10 |
| 2012 | 1.76 | +0.03 | #10 |
| 2011 | 1.73 | −0.02 | #10 |
| 2010 | 1.76 | +0.02 | #12 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Australia matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2021. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw rule of law improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Australia's rule of law was 1.42 in 2025. Ranked 21st globally. This represents a 7.0% decrease from the previous year.
Australia's rule of law peaked at 1.92 in 2014.
The lowest rule of law in Australia was 1.42 in 2025.
Australia ranks 21st globally in rule of law as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is RL.EST. Data sourced from World Bank WGI.
Australia's rule of law is projected to reach 1.42 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The rule of law of Australia in 2025 was 1.42. This ranks 21st in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_australia_rule-of-law,
title = {Australia Rule of Law},
url = {https://historysaid.com/australia/rule-of-law/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}