But why are they feeling this way?

As the May 18 election looms, politicians are facing off for a chance to change the ideological balance of leadership for the next three years. And yet, in a country with compulsory voting, many Australians feel that overall, the system isn’t working.

According to a survey conducted just before last year’s change in prime minister, fewer than 41 percent of Australians are satisfied with the way democracy is working. It’s a stark drop from 2013, where 72 percent were satisfied with democracy.

More than 60 percent of respondents said that the integrity of politicians was very low, and experts say the turbulence of the last twelve years — which has seen the country hold five different leaders — has only amplified discontent.

It might make sense then, that Australians don’t feel a personal connection to politics.

But does that necessarily mean that people don’t care about what happens to the country?

On a recent reporting trip, I received the same answers from Australians on feeling ambivalent about politics. But as the conversation continued, that ambivalence seemed to mask deeper concerns. One university student worried about the environment. Another woman wondered whether there would be enough funding to afford school supplies for her two children. Others said they brooded over the rising cost of living.