Will Australians vote with their wallets in this election? An ANU expert explains.

Australian hip pockets are feeling the pinch as we approach the upcoming election. According to Professor Nicholas Biddle from the ANU School of Politics and International Relations, this financial strain can be linked to a reported decline in life satisfaction.

“Australia’s life satisfaction is at its lowest level, since we’ve been tracking it back from 2019,” he says.

“One of the things that is really driving the results now is the continued financial stress Australians are experiencing.”

Will this shape voter decisions as we head toward the polls?

“People vote based on how they think their lives are going,” Biddle says. “They also vote on how they think the economy is going.”

As the election nears, it’s clear that economic concerns are more pressing than ever.

Top image: Female voting. Photo: Tracey Nearmy/ANU

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