With just over four months to go before the federal election, Australians have switched off, with more than a third having little or no interest in September's election.

A national survey by Melbourne University also found most Australians believe the quality of leadership and the tone of debate is worse than usual. And 70 per cent lack confidence in the federal government, including almost half of Labor voters.

The results are part of a survey of 1000 voters undertaken by the university's Centre for Advancing Journalism. It reveals a deeper disengagement with politics than usual and presents a challenge for political parties vying for public attention. The centre's senior research fellow, Dr Denis Muller, said the survey found that Australians were ''pretty appalled'' at the standard of politics.

''We're disgusted with the way they [politicians] talk to each other and we think there's a lack of political leadership, so we'll just switch off and vote when the day comes,'' he said. The survey, undertaken in March and April, found: 

■ 57 per cent of voters say the quality of political debate is ''noticeably worse'' than the past, with little difference between Labor and Liberal voters.

■ 43 per cent say they usually take a ''good deal'' of interest in politics, but just 36 per cent say they are now interested.

■ 36 per cent say they have little or no interest in this year's federal election.

■ 58 per cent say the quality of federal leadership is ''noticeably worse'' that it used to be. Liberals are far more likely to criticise federal leadership than Labor voters.

■ The media fare no better, with 73 per cent of voters having little or no confidence in the press and 71 per cent having little confidence in television.

The survey was undertaken as part of the centre's ''Citizens' Agenda'' project, which will gauge whether social media can boost participation and engagement in politics. From Monday, voters in 10 key electorates will be able to post questions to their local candidates, and vote for other questions they want answered via social media website OurSay.org.- www.oursay.org/ca

The three most popular questions will be put to candidates at public meetings in August and September. Electorates include Melbourne and Corangamite in Victoria, Bradfield and Fowler (New South Wales) and Longman and Oxley (Queensland).

Dr Muller said it was a landmark project because nobody really knew whether social media, widely used by Australians, could boost political engagement. Some political experts argue sites such as Facebook and Twitter empower voters to get more active, but others suggest those involved are the same people who have always been interested - mostly educated men.

OurSay chief executive Eyal Halamish said it was possible that political parties could try to ''game'' the results, particularly in marginal seats, by flooding the site with questions and votes posted by party apparatchiks. But a similar exercise in the inner-city seat of Melbourne in 2010 did not did not appear to have been hijacked and had raised substantial local issues.

The poll was undertaken by Australian Fieldwork Solutions and has a 3.2 per cent margin of error.

Voters Tune Out In Droves With 4 Months To Go