How they vote: where political parties stand on issues affecting you

With the 2025 federal election just days away, The Swanston Gazette presents a guide on where the parties stand on issues that might affect you.

This election is uniquely significant as it’s the first election where Gen Z and Millennials outnumber baby boomer voters. Due to this, the most prominent Australian parties have outlined key policies and promises that are directed to young Australians.

(Credit: Canva)

A bit of context:

The Australian Parliament is comprised largely of two major parties, the Liberal Party (LNP) and Labor Party (ALP). The LNP tend to sit on the right side of the political spectrum, this means they tend to hold traditional values and individual responsibility high, and held government for 9 years (with the National Party, as part of the Coalition) until 2022. They lost the most recent election in 2022 to the Labor Party, who sit on the centre-left side of the political spectrum, this means they tend to believe in social justice and progress and reform.

The near-decade that the Coalition was in power was the era of politics that gave us Scott Morrison, Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott as Prime Minister.

The last federal election saw a generous growth in popularity for independent candidates. An independent is a politician who doesn’t belong to any party at all. They run by themselves. 

In 2022, the Australian Parliament saw independents like Monique Ryan and Zoe Daniel swing traditionally safe Liberal seats to “teals” or independents. In the election this year, it is believed a similar thing will happen, except this time, independents and minor parties, like The Greens, may take Labor’s safe seats. 

But what about you? What are the major, minor and independent parties promising for you, as a student, young person or just someone living in Australia? 

That’s where we come in. 

HECS Debt

It is no secret; the HECS debt system isn’t working. It’s keeping super accounts low for working mums and young people out of the housing market, but what do the politicians aim to do about it?

Labor Party 

The Labor Party announced it will assist everyone with a HECS loan by cutting their debt by 20%. That’s about $16 billion for about three million Australians. 

What does this mean? 

In June of last year, right around Budget time, the Treasurer (Jim Chalmers) announced the Australian government would wipe $3 billion of HECS debt. This came after the indexation for HECS debt last financial year reached around 7%. The indexation is adjusted every year for inflation or the Wage Price Index. After the indexation for HECS debt was announced at 7%, people were rightfully angry as wages only went up about 3% last financial year. 

So, for someone who studies communications at RMIT, who will accrue a HECS debt of about $45,000 by the time they finish, the Labor government will reduce or instantly wipe off $8,000-$10,000 from their total loan.

The Liberal Party

The Liberals haven’t said much about HECS this election. But they have said if they are elected to government, they would “scrap” Labor’s plan to wipe 20% of student debt.

The ABC reported that this would be done to save money, the party would not spend tax payer dollars on reducing HECS debt, labelling the policy “elitist”. 

The Greens

The Greens have made an election promise to wipe off all student debt if elected to government. They aim to make this possible by having big corporations pay corporation tax. I know this seems shocking, but currently in Australia, one in three corporations don’t pay tax, according to The Guardian.  

Bulk billing/Medicare

Established in the 1970s by the Whitlam Government, Medicare is the country's healthcare system that lets you see doctors for free and access cheaper medicine. 

Since COVID, it has been pushed to the brink, like most social services, and doctors can’t afford to operate normal bulk billing systems anymore due to the rising costs of medical supplies. 

Labor Party

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the ALP pledged $8.5 billion to encourage GPs to bulk bill all adult patients. Labor has also pledged $573 million to a women’s health package, which includes services like menopause assistance, reproductive health and listing popular birth control Yaz on the PBS.

Additionally, Labor announced it’ll open another 50 urgent care clinics. They’ve also promised to spend $1 billion on existing psychological/psychiatric clinics where people can get free appointments. 

The Liberal Party 

The LNP has announced it’ll match the $8.5 billion pledge made by the Labor government. 

Instead of 50 urgent care clinics, the Liberal Party aims to open four but will spend $500 million on increasing the amount of mental health consultations covered under the PBS, along with $400 million to fund a youth package. 

The Greens

The Greens aim to add dental to Medicare, along with mental healthcare, and diagnostic processes for ADHD and Autism. 

This means? 

The Greens will remove the subsidy cap that is currently on mental healthcare. 

They also intend to build 1,000 new public healthcare clinics that offer the services of GPs, dentists, nurses and/or psychologists at no cost for the patient, despite a nursing shortage and doctor shortage. 

Housing crisis 

Covid contributed to a boom in the housing market, but often for the wrong reason. A lot of young people have been priced out of the property market when they have to bid against an older, wealthier and more experienced generation. Here is how the parties aim to ease that pressure. 

Labor Party

The Labor Party have promised to build 100,000 homes exclusively for first-time home buyers, which will cost about $10 billion. They will be available to move in by 2027. 

First home buyers will also only have to put up a 5% deposit to buy a house, as the government will match the rest.

This is on top of having a “government national target” to build 1.2 million new homes by the end of the decade, according to a joint media statement from the Housing and Homelessness Minister, Clare O’Neil and the Minister for Industry and Science, Ed Husic. 

The Liberal Party

The Coalition has announced it’ll allow first-time home buyers to deduct mortgage interest payments from their taxable income for the first five years when they buy newly built homes, which can account for the first $650,000 of a mortgage. 

Under a Coalition government, Australians will be allowed to withdraw up to $50,000 of their superannuation to help buy their first home. They also say they’ll help build 50,000 new homes. 

Both major parties have stated they will put a ban on foreign investors buying homes in Australia for two years. 

Climate change

Since 1880, the Earth’s temperature has increased 1 degree Celsius each year with a majority of the earths heating happening since 1975, according to NASA. Now, as seas rise and extreme weather events happen more frequently, both major parties have been notably quiet about the issue this election cycle. So, what are they promising?

Labor Party 

The Albanese government has announced they want 82% of Australian’s to have electricity that comes from renewable sources: wind, solar, hydro, etc., by 2030.

The Liberal Party

The Liberal Party has announced it hopes to build seven nuclear power sites by mid-2040. Until then, however, they will continue to rely on coal and increase the domestic gas supply. 

Both parties have announced a net-zero target by 2050, but Labor has set a legally binding goal to cut emissions by 43% by 2030. The Liberals haven't matched this target and instead will set interim targets if they form government. 

The Greens

The Greens played an influential role in the last minority government Australia had back in 2010. So if a minority government happens again, expect climate change to be back in the spotlight as they exercise their power. 

If The Greens come into power, they have proposed targets to reduce carbon emissions by 75% by 2030 and to achieve net zero by 2035. They also aim to have 100% reliance on renewable energy by 2030. 

Other important issues to consider

It is also worth noting that neither party has done much about women’s safety and domestic violence. Neither party has visited a First Nations community this election campaign. Peter Dutton and the Liberal Party have backflipped on three key policies this election, such as work from home rights, the sacking of 41,000 public servants and scrapping Labor’s tax cuts on electric vehicles. Anthony Albanese fell off one stage. Peter Dutton thought a carton of eggs cost $4.20. And somehow, Clive Palmer has nearly everyone’s number, can call you a million times and get away with it — because it’s legal!

Early voting is already open around the country, but if you are voting on election day the polls are open Saturday May 3 from 8am to 6pm. So get up bright and early to go vote!