Who is Michael McCormack? If you don't know, you're certainly not alone.

Fewer than one in three people recognise the acting prime minister, The Australia Institute has found.

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McCormack has long struggled to build his personal profile after taking over the Nationals leadership from Barnaby Joyce.

Joyce, now a humble backbencher, is the third most recognisable politician in the country.

Unsurprisingly, Scott Morrison is the most widely known politician.

More than four in five people have heard of the prime minister.

Scott Morrison, left, and Michael McCormack, right. Credit: MICK TSIKAS / AAP

But with Morrison away on a family holiday this week, McCormack took control of the country.

Ben Oquist from The Australia Institute said McCormack was slowly becoming better known, but was still less recognisable than most of his peers.

"To be clear, the prime minister and his family are fully entitled to a holiday," Oquist said on Thursday.

Chevron Right Icon 'The country is being led by a person who two-thirds of Australians have never heard of.'

"But part of the concern about Scott Morrison's undeclared vacation could stem from the fact that the country is being led by a person who two-thirds of Australians have never heard of."

The second-most recognised politician, according to the annual survey, was Julie Bishop.

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Bishop remained the most widely recognised of any other current or recent minister, apart from the prime minister - despite the fact she is no longer a minister and did not contest the election in May.

Recognition

Most ministers' recognition increased slightly in the poll.

Skills Minister Michaelia Cash was the most well-known woman in cabinet, followed by Foreign Minister Marise Payne.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has quickly built his personal profile, while Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton remains very well known.

Coalition voters were most likely to pick ministers out of a line-up, followed by Labor and Greens supporters.

One Nation and independent party voters struggled the most to recognise ministers.