Big Ideas Australia votes— are our political parties on the nose?
May 1, 2025
Join Paul Kelly, Editor-at-Large for The Australian, Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History at ANU, and Kim Carr, former Victorian Labor Senator, as they dissect the state of Australian politics. They tackle the identity crisis facing the Liberal Party and its struggle for voter support amidst rising independents. The conversation sheds light on the evolving political landscape, particularly the decline of traditional party loyalties and the crucial role of Muslim voters in influencing elections. A thought-provoking look at modern governance in Australia!
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Decline of Two-Party Dominance
- Traditional Australian party dominance is fading with votes splitting roughly equally among coalition, Labor, and minor parties as of 2022.
- This shift traces back decades to emerging social movements and post-materialist politics accelerating from around 1990.
Rise of Independents and Teals
- The 2022 election revealed a weakening of major parties, with community independents and 'Teal' candidates rising.
- The Coalition is losing votes to the political right and left, while Labor has an electoral alliance with the Greens via preference flows.
Compulsory Voting Shields Democracy
- Australia's compulsory and preferential voting systems protect democracy by preventing extremes like the US scenario.
- Yet, profound public mistrust, widespread apathy, and disengagement threaten political participation and confidence.
