Australians are set to vote in a national election this coming Saturday, where polls suggest that Labor Party leader Anthony Albanese may prevail over conservative opponent Peter Dutton. However, voters' desire for change has been tempered by concerns over former U.S. President Donald Trump’s unpredictable foreign policy approach.
In Australia, where polling stations operate as some of the limited democratic systems with obligatory participation, they were accessible between 8 AM and 6 PM. However, an unprecedented 8 million out of the 18 million eligible electors had already submitted their votes prior to Saturday.
Both of the main political parties have concentrated on the pressure from rising living costs; however, polling indicates that global uncertainties sparked by President Trump’s fluctuating tariff policies quickly rose to become a key concern among voters throughout the election campaign.
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Albanese stated on Friday that the election boils down to choosing either the stability offered by Labor or the "austerity and disorder" promised by the conservative Liberal-National coalition. In a last-ditch effort to win over voters during the campaign’s final day, the prime minister traveled thousands of kilometers spanning three states.
"Our government has provided steady guidance during these unpredictable times," he stated.
Dutton pointed out challenges confronting Australian families and small enterprises.
He questioned the voters about whether they felt better off now compared to three years prior.
During his twenty-year tenure in Parliament, Dutton established himself as a staunch advocate for strict border control and vowed to reduce tens of thousands of public sector positions.
He aimed to separate himself from comparisons to Trump advisor Elon Musk's zeal for cutting agencies, yet he lagged behind following tariff imposition by the U.S. president on Australia. As late as February, Dutton was leading in opinion polls.
According to a Newspoll released on Friday in The Australian newspaper, Labor leads with 52.5% compared to the Liberal-National coalition's 47.5%, based on Australia’s two-party preferential voting system.
Political analysts indicated that Trump was unlikely to be the crucial element in determining the outcome of the election—Albanese conducted a robust campaign, whereas Dutton erred with missteps such as proposing an ephemeral ban on public sector telecommuting.
However, the Trump factor has intensified concerns among voters who turned cautious.
Multiple surveys indicate that Labor might end up as a minority government. The preferences of voters supporting smaller parties and independent candidates could play a key role due to Australia’s preferential voting system.
Roy Morgan, a pollster from Roy Morgan Research, pointed out that the support for independents and smaller political parties has doubled since 2007 and continues to grow with each election.
In the 2022 election, the primary votes were almost evenly divided between Labour with 32.6 percent, the Liberal-Nationals with 35.7 percent, and "other" candidates with 31.7 percent. According to Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine, approximately one-third of voters chose independent or smaller party candidates once more during this year’s voting process.
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