Cost of living ranks number 1 for voters but anti-woke agenda fails to land

Cost-of-living is the number one election issue for 75 per cent of Australians while almost half listed healthcare and Medicare as their top priority.

EXCLUSIVE

Cost-of-living is the number one election issue for 75 per cent of Australians while almost half listed healthcare and Medicare as their top priority.

The findings of a pre-election survey of more than a 1000 Australians by research group Finder shows the Albanese government would need to pack their upcoming pre-election budget, due on March 25, with cost of living sweeteners to win voters.

Housing affordability was also high on the list of priority for 43 per cent of voters, followed by economic management for 34 per cent.

Cost of living was the number one issue for consumers. Picture: Supplied

A quarter of Australians cared about climate change and environmental policies while one in five were focused on tax and super policies.

Immigration and national security and defence, which are both key planks of the Coalition’s election pitch so far, only mattered 17 and 16 per cent of voters respectively.

Anti-wokeness, which has also been on the agenda for Peter Dutton, mattered to just 12 per cent.

Finder consumer research expert Graham Cooke said the “election will be won and lost on hip pocket issues”.

Hot weather and the Cost of living have not been a good mix for consumers. Picture: John Gass

“With grocery bills, rent, and energy prices soaring, this election will be won and lost on hip-pocket issues,” he said.

“Healthcare and housing affordability remain critical concerns, but what’s striking is the growing divide in voter priorities.”

Although an anti-woke agenda landed with just 12 per cent of those surveyed, it was more common among baby boomers with 28 per cent of the generation citing anti-wokeness as a key issue, compared to just 6 per cent of gen Z, 10 per cent of Millennials and 10 per cent of gen X.

Mr Cooke said while some focus on wages and climate policy, others are rallying against what they see as ideological overreach.

Finder.com.au head of consumer research Graham Cooke.

“The rise of anti-wokeness as a voting factor, though still a minority issue, shows the risk of global culture wars trickling into Australian politics. It would be interesting to ask these voters what the word ‘woke’ actually means, as everyone seems to have a different opinion.”

“The importance of anti-wokeness is still very small in Australia – more people are concerned about equality, welfare and climate change, for example.”