Australians are set to make a pivotal choice today as they vote in a tightly contested federal election, with key national issues centring on housing affordability, economic stability, and the clean energy transition, according to Al Jazeera.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s centre-left Labour Party holds a marginal lead over Peter Dutton’s conservative Liberal-National Coalition, as per the latest YouGov opinion polls. The data suggests Labour is at 31.4%, slightly ahead of the Coalition at 31.1%, in the two-party preferred vote.
More than 18 million registered voters are expected to cast their ballots today at over 7,000 polling booths between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm. Voting is mandatory in Australia for citizens aged 18 and above, and non-participation without a valid excuse carries a fine of USD 12.75. The election follows Australia’s preferential voting system and occurs every three years.
As cost-of-living pressures dominate the campaign, housing prices and inflation have emerged as top concerns. In Sydney, the median house price stands at USD 900,000, requiring an annual household income of USD 180,000, making it one of the least affordable cities globally.
Prime Minister Albanese, aiming for a second term, promised several reforms including reduced student debt, lower taxes, and housing support for first-time buyers.
“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,” Albanese posted on X.
In response, Peter Dutton pledged to restore the economy and national direction through structured policies.
“With your vote we will deliver a plan that gets our economy and our country back on track,” Dutton wrote on X.
Australia’s inflation, which peaked at 7.8% in 2023, forced the Reserve Bank of Australia to hike interest rates multiple times, reaching 4.35% in November.
Another defining issue this election is energy transition. A 2023 survey by Energy Consumers Australia found that nearly 50% of Australians aged 18-34 want the country to be powered entirely by renewables by 2030. While both major parties agree on the need for cleaner energy, they differ on how to get there.
Foreign policy and relations with the United States also loom large. The 2025 Lowy Institute Poll, released on April 16, showed trust in the U.S. dropped 20 percentage points since 2024, with only 36% of Australians now expressing any level of trust in America’s global conduct.
When it comes to handling foreign affairs, 41% of voters believe Albanese is more capable, compared to 29% for Dutton. However, when specifically assessing management of the US-Australia relationship and ties with President Donald Trump, Australians are nearly split: 34% favour Albanese, 35% support Dutton.
The poll also revealed that Australians strongly oppose many of Trump’s international policies:
- 89% disapprove of his idea to annex Greenland
- 81% disapprove of using tariffs as leverage
- 74% disapprove of US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement
- 74% disapprove of Trump’s approach to negotiating peace in Ukraine with Vladimir Putin
As voters head to the polls, the outcome will shape not only domestic policy but also Australia’s standing on the global stage.