Women and small business owners set to be key voting groups at the election

Female voters and parents of young children are among those identified as potential swinging voters in the forthcoming federal election.

Women, small business owners and Asian Australians could be key to the federal election, with a survey showing a high percentage of voters in these groups are undecided or prepared to switch parties in 2022.

A national survey of 4010 people shows 11 per cent do not yet know who they will vote for in next year’s election, while 23 per cent would switch their vote, depending on specific policies.

Female voters, parents of school-aged children, people identifying as Asian Australians, and self-employed small business owners were all more likely to be undecided or considering switching their vote, in a survey carried out by Ergo Strategy for The Daily Telegraph.

With the election likely between March and May next year, the survey showed the importance of the undecided voter to the major parties.

Women could be key to the federal election. From left, Amelia Parris, 34, mother-to-be Camelina Mullens, 26, new mum Katrina Macri, 31, and mother-to-be Jacki Macri, 32. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Nationally, 42 per cent of voters identified as holding centrist ideology.

But 65 per cent of undecided voters identified as holding centrist ideology, showing those further along the left-right voting spectrum were more likely to have already made up their minds about who to vote for.

The snapshot of the nation’s mood showed women were much more likely than men to be undecided (69-31 per cent). The survey was conducted in September.

A group of women enjoyinging lunch together in Parramatta on Sunday said it was inspiring to know there was a lot of power behind their vote.

Outgoing Labor MP Julie Owens retained the seat by a margin of just 3.5 per cent at the 2019 election.

Expectant mum Jacki Macri, 32, said she would vote for a party which promised no more lockdowns.

“I’d like to see us all getting back to normal life,” she said.

Small business owner Kerry-Anne Blanket, who runs KAB Gallery Sydney and Terrigal, said any party which promised small business support, arts funding, tax cuts or childcare support would win her vote.

“These past few years have been tough and if parties want to sway votes they should attack those things that surfaced during the pandemic,” she said.

Women’s Electoral Lobby national convener Jozefa Sobski said female voters would not be swayed by any one issue, but rather a suite of policies addressing specific areas of concern.

This included access to reproductive health, childcare and aged care.

Ms Sobski said women would also be looking to see what policies the parties would present on addressing the scourge of domestic violence, which had been worsened by the extended Covid-19 lockdowns.

Small business owner Kerry-Anne Blanket of KAB gallery in Pymble. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Three out of 10 self-employed small business owners said they would be prepared to switch their vote, depending on the policies on offer. Issues of importance raised by them were health and greater Medicare coverage, management of the economy, and the Covid-19 response.

Of voters who identified as Asian Australian, more than a quarter said they would be prepared to switch votes.

The group, identified as having Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese or Indonesian heritage, was also concerned with health, Medicare coverage and management of the economy and Covid-19 pandemic.

They also leaned towards the Labor Party, which Ergo Strategy said was consistent with the 2019 federal election result.

Parents of school-aged children shared the national concerns about health and Medicare provision, but this group was also concerned about education issues.