Experts from various disciplines at the University of Sydney highlight the most critical issues for voters in deciding who the next Prime Minister of Australia will be on election day, 3 May 2025.
Urgent need for affordable housing and rental protections
Professor Nicole Gurran in the Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning said the housing crisis impacts almost every sector of Australian society.
“Younger people are disenfranchised by high rents and fading hopes of home ownership, parents are fearful for their children’s futures and many older-aged renters are facing retirement without housing security,” she said.
“The electorate is primed for genuine housing solutions. The evidence shows this should include greater investment in social and affordable housing, nationwide rental protections, and a fairer tax system.
"But history suggests that we are in for a repeat of simple slogans about the problem of supply which don't address structural barriers to new and affordable housing production.
"Nor will we make home ownership more attainable without genuine reform to demand fuelling tax incentives, which pump prime the value of existing housing stock without delivering new or affordable homes for lower income renters or aspiring first home owners.”
Associate Professor Laurence Troy in the Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning agreed that government funding for housing will be a deciding factor for many Australians when they vote in the upcoming election.
“Housing is probably the single most important factor in the cost-of-living crunch,” he said.
“Secure housing contributes to many other benefits in people's lives, from education to employment and health. Housing wealth is driving a wedge through society, between those who have it and those who don’t.
“We are quickly returning to a society based on inherited wealth, rather than equality, opportunity and hard work. Subsidising investors at the expense of ordinary working people is something that ought to be reconsidered. This money could be better spent on properly resourcing social and affordable housing across Australia.”
Housing wealth is driving a wedge through society, between those who have it and those who don't.
Associate Professor Laurence Troy
Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning
“Housing wealth is driving a wedge through society, between those who have it and those who don't.”Associate Professor Laurence Troy
Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning
Cost-of-living crisis continues
Dr Luke Hartigan in the School of Economics said federal election campaigns will be dominated by the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and rising global economic uncertainty, particularly surrounding tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.
“The domestic economy turned a corner at the end of 2024, but now the outlook is much more uncertain,” Dr Hartigan said.
“It’s expected there will be a negative impact from China’s economic slowdown, due to internal issues and US tariffs. A US recession could also negatively impact commodity prices, and the fallout from the flooding caused by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred is likely to force the Australian government to downgrade its economic forecasts.
“The Australian federal budget confirmed that gross domestic debt will cross the $1 trillion mark in the coming year. This means taxation reform will become increasingly urgent, but given previous failed attempts, no party will dare discuss it during an election campaign.
“Unfortunately, it’s unlikely there will be any policy announcements related to the most pressing economic issue facing Australia: dismal productivity growth. Without policies to boost productivity growth, like in the 1980s and 1990s, Australians’ living standards will remain stagnant.”
Fixing our migration system
Associate Professor Anna Boucher in the School of Social and Political Sciences said party positions on immigration will be among top issues for voters.
"From the size and composition of the immigration program to community cohesion, to the relationship (if any) between immigration and housing, it’s likely that all parties will engage with immigration issues, and in some electorates it could become a battleground issue,” she said.
“For the first time in a long time, it’s also possible that some ethnic groups will vote on clear partisan and even religious lines, which is unusual in Australia"
Making childcare cheaper and more accessible
Professor Marianne Fenech in the Sydney School of Education and Social Work said the election is an opportune time to see if – and how – parties plan to progress recommendations from the 2024 inquiry into universal early childhood education and care.
“Labor has announced policies that recognise the value of early education for young children, which have been welcomed by the sector,” Professor Fenech said.
“These policies will make early education more affordable and accessible for families, with an increase in the supply of not-for-profit services supporting sector quality. These policies follow a federal government grant to support educator pay rises, which will further improve sector quality as well as workforce retention.
"The Coalition has made a general promise to back local solutions to support better access to child care in rural, regional and remote areas."
Winners and losers in energy transition plan
Professor Glenn Platt in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering has decades of experience leading research in telecommunications and energy projects.
He said: "Australia is facing some really urgent challenges regarding our energy system. It is critical that all sides of politics move beyond slogans and political point scoring, to providing detailed plans on how we meet the fine balance of reliability, affordability, and carbon reduction.
"The technology exists: there will be winners and there will be losers. What's lacking is the honest and detailed discussion about how to move ahead as a society."
Improving women's health
Dr Anna Noonan, Professor Kirsten Black and Professor Deborah Bateson in the Faculty of Medicine and Health all support the government urgently investing in women’s health services if Australia is to reach the goals outlined in the National Women’s Health Strategy 2020-2030.
“Our research indicates urgent need for comprehensive investment into women's health services and research," Dr Noonan said. “This includes expanding knowledge and evidence of sexual and reproductive healthcare needs from adolescence right through to end of life – including access to reproductive choice and quality of care – and ensuring health systems, policies and services are holistic in design and coverage."
“It also includes pursuing groundbreaking discoveries in conditions such as endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome, as well as menopause, and the ways in which they affect all aspects of women's lives, livelihoods, physical and mental health, and wellbeing,” said Professor Black.
“Political and budgetary commitments to improving and expanding funding, research and healthcare service delivery in women’s health are essential for promoting a safe, prosperous and thriving society for Australia’s future,” Professor Deborah Bateson said.
Developing new models of care for older Australians
Professor Brendan McCormack, Head of School and Dean at the Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery and Academic Chair of the CARE program at Sydney Policy Lab, said Australians expect accessible, high-quality aged care, but the common argument in many OECD countries is that aged care is too costly to invest in.
"Among policymakers and commentators, it's a popular perception that high-quality care can be achieved simply by increasing workers’ productivity based on the number of care minutes registered nurses are able to provide for residents. This is narrow, flawed thinking that is unlikely to result in better care.
"Person-centred care is crucial and should be a legal requirement, but it’s often treated as just one focus area rather than a core philosophy guiding all decisions, including management. Relationships should be central to improving the wellbeing of older people through quality care, which would improve both productivity and support a culture of respect for nurses and care staff.
"Our research shows Australian aged care providers spend very little on research and development—overall, just 0.4 percent of their budget. In 2020-21, only $464,953 of the $3 billion spent on residential aged care went to R&D. We need much more investment in research to develop new models of care that will benefit older people and society as a whole."
Good policy: are our political parties listening?
Dr Kate Harrison Brennan is the Director of the Sydney Policy Lab at the University of Sydney and was previously an adviser to former Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
She said continuing cost-of-living pressures are widening the wealth gap and exacerbating inequality in Australia, and that good policy could counter these issues.
“We no longer have a wage economy but an asset economy, it’s about what you own not what you earn, and the divide between ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ is getting greater. Without decisive action, this divide will soon be unable to be bridged,” Dr Brennan said.
“Election announcements will signal the role of the state and play to core constituencies. But the real questions will be how well the political parties can show they’re listening, and how well can they answer key questions about giving all Australians a future of opportunity and a good life where they have access to the things we value. These include things such as community, care, a place to call home, meaningful work, reliable and free health care, quality education, and nature conservation.”
Hero photo credit: Mick Tsikas and Lukas Coch, AAP
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