Latest news with #ABCVoteCompass
ABC News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Vote Compass helps Australians see where they stand on the political spectrum. Here's what the data shows
In the quick-shifting world of politics it can be difficult to figure out where you sit on the political spectrum — left, right or centre, but the ABC's Vote Compass is here to help. After five weeks of campaigning, commitments, debates and discussion from politicians, we need to cast our ballot tomorrow. But which party stands where? ABC Vote Compass helps visualise how your views on social and economic issues align with politicians and provides information about the candidates in your electorate. More than 1.2 million people have used the tool this in election cycle. It generally takes about 10 minutes to fill out the 30-question survey. Vote Compass has been designed by political scientists at Canada-based Vox Pop Labs to help improve electoral awareness and start important conversations about public policy. It makes it easy to compare your views, not just to the major parties, but to your friends and family, and start discussions about the big issues this election. Election essentials: Find out where your What does your Vote Compass result mean? On your results page, you'll see two graphs. One is a plot on a two-dimensional graph that calculates your alignment on a social and economic scale. Here's how to think about what the "compass" means: If you're higher on the chart, your views on the included issues are more socially progressive. If you're lower, then you're more socially conservative If you're on the left side, you're more aligned with the economic "left", while if you're on the right, you're on the economic "right" Vote Compass uses your answers to calculate your alignment on a social and economic scale. ( ABC News ) The other plot will show the extent of your agreement and disagreement with the parties and candidates on the policy issues included in Vote Compass. You can weight your results based on which issues you rank as more or less important. Further down, you can explore how your answers compare question by question. Click on the party or candidate to see an explanation of their position. If you've identified your electorate, you'll be shown a list of the candidates campaigning for your vote, as well as a link to Vox Pop Labs founder Clifton van der Linden says the idea behind Vote Compass is to help people understand how they align with political parties on public policy. "It is simply meant to help Australians have a sense that they are well-informed about the broad range of policy issues that are salient in this campaign and about the positions that the parties hold on those issues," he says. Dr van der Linden says Vote Compass doesn't tell you how to vote or who to vote for, nor does it try to predict how people will vote. Read more about the federal election: Want even more? Here's where you can find all our 2025 Catch the latest interviews and in-depth coverage on Cost of living rises to the top, housing dream harder to achieve The responses to Vote Compass also provide an insight into attitudes on issues. The cost of living came out on top as the most important issue for Vote Compass respondents, followed by the economy and finance and government operations. The cost of living was also highlighted as a About 45 per cent of Vote Compass respondents say they are finding it difficult to cope on their current income. Vote Compass data shows 90 per cent of respondents think it is more difficult for young Australians to buy a house today than it was for previous generations. This follows In regards to solutions to the housing crisis, Vote Compass data shows 62.7 per cent of respondents said there should be more government intervention. Almost 50 per cent of respondents agree there should be fewer tax breaks on investment properties while about 27 per cent disagree. However, the data shows respondents are split on whether there should be other changes to tax policies. About 43 per cent of respondents do not think the government should change its tax policies to discourage people from using housing as an investment while 36 per cent are in favour of changes. This finding is from a weighted sample of 124,988 respondents. Amid the housing crisis, migration levels have been a talking point during the campaign, but experts say migration is a small part of the puzzle. The data shows roughly 49 per cent of about 340,000 respondents want "many fewer" or "somewhat fewer" That's a significant change from 2022's Vote Compass results, in which 49 per cent of respondents said Australia should welcome "somewhat more" or "many more" immigrants. Nuclear, young voters and the US factor The ABC has been reporting on findings from Vote Compass findings throughout the campaign. About 47 per cent of respondents said they strongly disagreed or somewhat disagreed Vote Compass data suggests there has been a shift in views since the last election. This year 36 per cent of respondents told Vote Compass much more should be done to reduce Australia's carbon emissions. That figure is down from 2022 when 61 per cent of participants said much more should be done. This year gen Z and millennials will make up the largest voting bloc for the first time. According to Vote Compass responses, the The data shows 67 per cent of generation Z women identified as left or moderately left, compared to 52 per cent of women from other generations. US President Donald Trump's tariffs announcement has meant the United States has featured throughout the campaign. About 47 per cent of Vote Compass respondents believe The Lowy Institute recently found Australians' trust in the US had dropped since Mr Trump's return to the White House, but Australians still About Vote Compass data Vote Compass is an educational tool designed to promote electoral literacy and civic engagement. While not a conventional public opinion poll, Vote Compass responses can be analysed using statistical methods similar to those used in polling to try to adjust for sampling bias. Responses have been weighted by gender, age, education, language, religion, place of residence and past vote to account for the selection effects of the sample, Loading Having trouble seeing this form? Try
ABC News
30-04-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Can Liberal Tom White unseat teal Kate Chaney to win back Curtin in the federal election?
Things don't tend to move quickly in Western Australia's most affluent electorate. Curtin takes in some of Perth's wealthiest suburbs, where beautiful homes look out over sweeping coastal views and stereotypes abound of residents vehemently opposing any change, especially around planning laws. Despite those generalisations, which really only represent a portion of the electorate, the political landscape in Perth's western suburbs has changed rapidly over the last few years. Curtin takes in some of Perth's wealthiest suburbs. ( ABC News: Keane Bourke ) It had been Liberal heartland, as blue as they come for almost all of its 73 years, often represented by cabinet ministers. Climate 200-backed independent Kate Chaney made history at the last election The Liberals' 13.9 per cent margin was destroyed by a campaign focused in large part on climate change, drawing economically conservative but socially progressive Liberals away from a party they saw as drifting further to the right. But three years on, the issue is nowhere near as prominent as Ms Chaney attempts to maintain her 1.1 per cent margin. Even here, cost of living pressures weigh heavily on voters' minds. "When I'm doorknocking, many people are still deeply concerned about the climate," Ms Chaney told the ABC. Ms Chaney says voters are still thinking about climate, just not as much. ( ABC News: Keane Bourke ) "The cost of living challenges that people are under has meant that's become a very immediate focus for people. "But I don't think it changes the underlying need for good long-term thinking that will affect things like inflation, but also climate change." Her challenger, former international Uber executive Tom White, has picked up on the same feeling among voters. Tom White says politicians should be focused on national issues, as well as needs in their own backyards. ( ABC News: Keane Bourke ) "It's very rare that someone brings up climate change when I'm doorknocking," he said. "As you'd expect, more fundamental hip pocket issues are confronting people. "It is a public policy problem, but we have many public policy problems and we can't be overly distracted by one thing at the expense of others." Climate a shrinking issue That shift is reflected in ABC Vote Compass data — which showed a 19 per cent drop in the proportion of Western Australians who think more needs to be done to address climate change at this election. Kelvin Fewings is traditionally a Labor voter and has noticed his own priorities shifting too, with Perth's continuing housing crisis now his dominant concern, overtaking climate change. That's despite being in what he describes as a "very fortunate" position with support from his parents and a healthy fly in-fly out wage. Curtin voter Kelvin Fewings wants all sides of politics to be more ambitious. ( ABC News: Keane Bourke ) "It's still a pressing issue in my mind, but it's not as pressing because it's not right in your face," he said. " It's hard to worry about next week when you don't know about [the] next day. " The 25-year-old wants to see more bold action from politicians, and a wider focus. "I think it'd be great if we could go back to talking about environmental policy as a crisis instead of everyday living as a crisis," he said. What is the role of a local MP? Both Chaney and White seem to reflect deeply on the role of politicians in tackling both short- and long-term issues on electors' behalf. Ms Chaney says her supporters show her campaign is a "grassroots" effort. ( ABC News: Keane Bourke ) Beyond their policy offerings, each has a different view on what the role of a local MP is. While some of the Liberals' campaign has been about promises — upgrades to local infrastructure and nuclear power as a low-emission energy source — there's also been a focus on what they argue is the lack of power an independent can wield, especially in a majority government. Signs for both candidates have covered the electorate ahead of polling day. ( ABC News: Keane Bourke ) Among the flood of pamphlets filling local letterboxes have been flyers carrying messages like "Let's make Curtin matter" and "Don't risk it with Chaney". A letter from John Howard sent in the final week of the campaign tells voters: "If you want a change of government, there is nothing to be gained by parking your vote in the middle." Listening to the community Chaney's campaign messages were reflected in signs she and her supporters waved in what they've dubbed a "'flute flurry" along local roads like the busy West Coast Highway. In the mix are a few with messages like "climate action now" and "Kate for climate". Ms Chaney says her campaign reflects the concerns of her community. ( ABC News: Keane Bourke ) "Honk for transparency" one read, "listening to Curtin" another. Ms Chaney said she demonstrated the latter when last year she changed her position from supporting the end of the live sheep trade to opposing it. "Because I listened to my community, and I think that if politicians are not willing to change their mind we've got a real problem," she said. Stay updated: Catch the latest interviews and in-depth coverage on It is that aspect of the job — representing the views of her community in political debate — which Ms Chaney sees as central to the role of a federal MP. "We've got these national challenges that we need to deal with, like housing and productivity, tax reform, climate — these are the things that federal government should be focused on," Ms Chaney said. "And if governments think that they can buy people's votes with little infrastructure projects at a local level, we're missing the opportunity to really set a direction for the country." Mr White says it's important to operate in a party "where a cheque can be written". ( ABC News: Keane Bourke ) Mr White broadly agreed, and said he wanted to "elevate" discussions about how to grow the national economy as one example. But he also believes there is a legitimate role for federal representatives to play in funding "justifiable investments in local community infrastructure". "And you do, frankly speaking, just need the clout of operating in a party where a cheque can be written rather than a letter being written," Mr White said. Donation spotlight Whether those cheques can be written, or whether Ms Chaney's views can translate to much more than debate, is out of either of their control. Their power, or otherwise, will be decided by the makeup of the Parliament and whether either Labor or the Coalition can govern in their own right. Read more about the federal election: Want even more? Here's where you can find all our 2025 Neither is leaving anything on the table though when it comes to what they do control. Ms Chaney's donor wall showed $930,684 in donations so far this year, as of Wednesday afternoon, about a third of which came from Climate 200. Ms Chaney says she's proud to have overseen a positive campaign. ( ABC News: Keane Bourke ) Mr White would not say how much he has received in donations, but that: "if your opponent is spending well over seven figures then there's an obligation to respond". As the end of the race nears, both seem content they've given it all they can. Tom White says he's happy with the campaign he's run. ( ABC News: Keane Bourke ) "I'm feeling really positive … it's going to be close, but I'm feeling good about it," Ms Chaney said. Mr White described himself as being "at peace", no matter the result. "I think I've done just about everything I can do," he said. Loading Having trouble seeing this form? Try
