The big ballot box issue deciding Australia’s vote ahead of the federal election

It’s the issue influencing Australian voters ahead of this years election, but whether it’s top priority for the candidates is yet to be seen.

What will be the crucial issue deciding your vote at the May federal election? It’s the question now occupying political parties and special interest groups.

And hardly anyone can agree whether it will be health, education, jobs, wages, the environment or a range of other priorities.

The Housing Industry Association says the big ballot box issue will be where you live — home ownership.

More than 92 per cent of renters aspire to own their own home, but less than half of them think it will happen, according to a surveyed released by the HIA.

And 81 per cent believe Australians should be able to own their own home.

The Housing Industry Association says home ownership is the biggest issue driving voters decision.

HIA chief executive Tim Reardon said independent research had shown continued deterioration of the “community’s sentiment toward home ownership and housing affordability”.

“Australians see that the government has a role to play in assisting first home buyers address the biggest barrier to home ownership, which is the initial deposit,” Mr Reardon said.

He said: “Australians see that the government has a role to play in assisting first home buyers address the biggest barrier to home ownership, which is the initial deposit.

“This is because they see that home ownership is important to achieving financial stability in retirement.

“The research also found that 71 per cent are concerned that those unable to achieve this goal will face financial challenges in retirement.”

Greenpeace agrees the main issue will be where you live — the planet.

The environmental group has released a survey by uComm/Research showing global warming and the environment “the number one issue for Australians, with one in four saying it was the most influential issue when deciding their vote”.

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Prime Minister Scott Morrison released a version of Tony Abbott’s failed plan to reduce emissions, which voters swiftly rejected.

The poll of 2134 voters commissioned by Greenpeace Australia Pacific found the issue had overtaken the economy and health and hospitals to be the topic most likely to decide the respondents’ vote.

It also showed 61.6 per cent of people thought the Coalition government was not doing enough to lower Australia’s emissions, and 55 per cent would be less likely to vote for a party that used taxpayer money to subsidise privately owned coal projects.

“Less than one week after Prime Minister Scott Morrison released a reheated version of Tony Abbott’s failed plan to reduce emissions, voters have not only rejected it, they’re also indicating that global warming and the environment are now the number one factors deciding their vote,” Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO David Ritter said.

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Global warming and the environment are now factors deciding votes, research shows.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s government will use the April 2 Budget to sell economic management and tax reduction as the most important matters facing voters, along with border protection.

Labor, under Bill Shorten, will promise to address slow wage growth and rising household expenses, and boost health spending while lowering family medical bills.

But as in most elections, the priorities will be a mixture.

A survey by JWS Research found a bunch of familiar concerns — hospitals, health care and ageing — will be top of mind for most voters at the polling booth.

Health concerns, including issues such as mental health, health funding and the NDIS, are followed by immigration and border security, and the environment and climate change.

“Relative issue priorities change when respondents are prompted with a list of issues to choose from, but health remains the top concern for Australians regardless,” said the pollster.

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