Cost-of-living crisis and Trump's policies loom over Australian election
Australians are heading to the polls in a tightly contested federal election, with housing affordability and inflation as key issues. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's Labour Party holds a slight lead over Peter Dutton's Liberal-National Coalition. Voter concerns include economic policies, clean energy transition, and foreign relations, particularly in light of Trump's influence on international trust levels.
Canberra [Australia], May 3 (ANI): Australians are set to make a crucial choice this Saturday as they head to the polls in a tightly contested federal election, with the nation's key issues focusing on housing, energy, and the economy, according to Al Jazeera.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's centre-left Labour Party holds a slight lead over the conservative Liberal-National Coalition, led by Peter Dutton, in the campaign.
Opinion polls from YouGov suggested Albanese's Labour Party was leading Dutton's coalition by a narrow margin in the two-party preferred vote as of Wednesday. The projected vote share for Labour is 31.4 per cent and for the Coalition 31.1 per cent, Al Jazeera reported.
More than 18 million registered voters are expected to cast their ballots at over 7,000 polling stations between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm today. Voting is mandatory for all citizens aged 18 and above, and failure to participate without a valid reason carries a fine of USD 12.75. The election uses Australia's preferential voting system and is held every three years.
With housing affordability and inflation dominating the elections, both major parties have made last-minute pitches to sway the voters. Albanese promised reforms such as reduced student debt, lower taxes, and home ownership support, urging citizens to "keep building Australia's future together."
Sharing a post on X, Albanese wrote, "Vote Labor today for 5% deposits for first home buyers. Vote Labor for 20% off all student debt. Vote Labor for lower taxes. Vote Labor to keep building Australia's future together."
In response, Dutton pledged economic recovery and a renewed national direction, emphasising a plan to "get our economy and our country back on track."
"With your vote we will deliver a plan that gets our economy and our country back on track," Dutton wrote on X.
Notably, rising prices have put pressure on households across the nation. Inflation peaked at 7.8 per cent in 2023, prompting the Reserve Bank of Australia to raise interest rates multiple times, reaching a 4.35 per cent high in November.
Housing also remains the central issue. In Sydney, the median house price is now USD 900,000, requiring an annual household income of USD 180,000 to afford it. The city ranks as the world's second least affordable, intensifying voter frustration.
Australian politicians also face growing calls from voters, especially from younger age groups, to do more to transition to clean energy. A 2023 survey by the independent nonprofit Energy Consumers Australia suggested that about half of Australians aged 18 to 34 want Australia to be powered by renewables by 2030. Both major parties agree that the transition is needed, but the methods to achieve this transition are what divides them, Al Jazeera reported.
Just days after a Canadian election shaped by questions over who could best navigate relations with US President Donald Trump, his influence is also set to impact Australia.
Foreign policy and the nation's ties with the United States will also likely play a role in voters' decisions. A preview of the 2025 Lowy Institute Poll indicates that Australians' trust in the United States has fallen significantly since Trump's inauguration as the 47th president.
A poll released on April 16 by a Sydney-based tank reveals a significant decline in Australians' trust in the United States to act responsibly, dropping by 20 points since 2024, with only 36% expressing any level of trust—a record low in the two-decade history of the Lowy Institute Poll.
These results may influence voters' evaluation of candidates' leadership qualities. Forty-one percent of respondents believe Albanese would more effectively manage Australian foreign policy, compared to 29% who favor Dutton. Australians are divided on whether Anthony Albanese (34%) or Peter Dutton (35%) would better handle the relationship with the United States and President Trump.
The poll also indicates strong disapproval among Australians for Trump's policies, with 89% opposing his plans to annex Greenland and 81% disapproving of his use of tariffs to pressure countries into compliance.
Additionally, three-quarters of Australians disapprove of the United States' withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate change (74%) and Trump's efforts to negotiate a deal on Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin (74%). (ANI)