Australia holds national election, Albanese ahead in polls

Voting is underway for Australia’s national election today, Saturday. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of the Labor Party is ahead of his conservative rival Peter Dutton in opinion polls.

Australian voters, concerned about Donald Trump’s unstable diplomatic policies, have shown waning interest in change.

Voting began at 8 AM local time in Australia. There are 18 million voters in this election, with a record 8 million having already cast their votes.

Australia’s Foreign Ministry has said that several thousand Australian citizens abroad are expected to vote. Voting is taking place at centers established in 83 countries.

Prime Minister Albanese said his center-left government has built a “very strong foundation” during this term. They need to return to power for a second term to implement core policies such as improving housing and strengthening Australia’s universal healthcare system ‘Medicare’.

In a statement given in Melbourne, Victoria, Albanese said, “We want to continue working to fulfill Australia’s goals.”

Dutton also started his day in Melbourne, where the results of several seats remain uncertain and could go either way. Dutton has urged voters to vote for the Liberal-National coalition “to bring the country back to the right path.”

“Voting began at 8 AM local time in Australia. There are 18 million voters in this election, with a record 8 million having already cast their votes.”

In a post on social media platform X, Dutton wrote, “Under the Labor government, Australians’ standard of living has decreased unprecedentedly.”

Both major parties have focused their campaigns on the issue of rising cost of living pressures. However, polls have shown that the uncertainty created worldwide by US President Trump’s tariff policies has quickly become the main campaign issue for Australian voters.

Australia is a close security ally of the United States. They typically have a trade deficit with the United States. Yet Australia has not been exempted from Trump’s tariff policies. The United States has imposed a 10 percent tariff on Australian products.

The Labor Party has tried to portray Dutton as “a conservative leader like Trump.” They hope that the widespread negative attitude towards the US President among Australians will have at least some impact on the opposition leader.

Former police officer Dutton has earned a reputation for taking a tough stance on border policy in Parliament for two decades. He has promised to cut thousands of government jobs if he wins the election.

However, Dutton also tries not to be compared to Trump advisor Elon Musk’s attitude toward cutting staff at government agencies. Opposition leader Dutton fell behind after US President Trump imposed tariffs on Australia, despite leading in polls in February.

According to an opinion poll published yesterday, Friday, in The Australian newspaper, the Labor Party would receive 52.5 percent and the Liberal-National coalition 47.5 percent of the vote.

Political strategists say Trump will not have a decisive influence on this election. Albanese has campaigned strongly. Dutton has made mistakes, one of which was proposing a ban on government employees working from home.

Several opinion polls have indicated that the Labor Party may have to form a minority government.

Polling analyst firm Roy Morgan has said that votes for independents and small parties have doubled since 2007 and are increasing in every election.

“Both major parties have focused their campaigns on the issue of rising cost of living pressures. However, polls have shown that the uncertainty created worldwide by US President Trump’s tariff policies has quickly become the main campaign issue for Australian voters.”

In the 2022 election, the primary vote share was almost equal. Labor received 32.6 percent, the Liberal-National coalition 35.7 percent, and others 31.7 percent. Roy Morgan’s Chief Executive Michelle Levine said that about one-third of voters are expected to vote for independents and small parties this year as well.