ALP facing voter crime backlash ahead of 2025 election
Voter concerns about crime has more than doubled in two-months, with new polling revealing 62 per cent of voters rank reducing crime and anti-social behaviour as ‘extremely important’.
The number of Australians concerned about crime and public safety has more than doubled in two months, with new national polling revealing 62 per cent of voters rank reducing crime and anti-social behaviour as “extremely important”.
Federal and state Labor governments have been put on notice by voters following high-profile stabbing and terror incidents in Sydney, alleged violence perpetrated by released immigration detainees, youth crime in Alice Springs, soaring crime rates in Queensland and rallies protesting against domestic violence.
The SEC Newgate Mood of the Nation poll of 1208 voters across every state and territory revealed 73 per cent of Australians believe penalties for youth crime are too soft, and only 5 per cent saying they are too tough. Ahead of the Queensland election in October, 86 per cent of voters in the state believe youth crime penalties are too soft.
Since February, there has been a doubling of unprompted mentions of crime as most important to Australians – up from 10 to 21 per cent in April. The poll, conducted from April 23-26, showed crime was of most concern to women (68 per cent) compared with 56 per cent of men.
For the first time in recent years, crime is now the third-most important concern behind cost of living (69 per cent) and housing affordability (36 per cent). Crime ranks above health, climate change, grocery prices, interest rates, social equity, immigration, inflation and petrol prices.
SEC Newgate partner David Stolper said the key issues for governments over the past two years have been economic-focused, led by concerns around inflation, cost of living and housing affordability.
“It now appears that we are seeing a sharp rise in concern about crime and youth crime, which is adding a new dimension to the economic woes facing our community and leaders. Rising concern about crime is shaping up as a poll-defining issue in the upcoming Queensland election, and the federal opposition will also be keen to present itself as the party most trusted to deal with this growing issue,” Mr Stolper told The Weekend Australian.
“The federal government will want to be seen to be taking meaningful action on crime and violence against women, while at the same time hoping to shift community attention back to its ‘Made in Australia’ policy positioning, where it believes it has an electoral advantage.”
After the Bondi Junction stabbing murders, Wakeley terrorist attack, counter-terrorism raids, domestic violence murders, three asylum-seeker ventures making landfall and release of 154 dangerous non-citizens from immigration detention, Labor strategists are concerned the government is vulnerable to negative sentiment on national security.
The May 14 budget will focus on national and economic security to shield the government’s agenda one year out from the 2025 election.
A senior opposition source said Peter Dutton – a former immigration, defence and home affairs minister – would be laser-focused on convincing voters the Coalition is stronger on national and economic security.
Writing in The Australian this week, Jim Chalmers said the budget “will be focused on maximising our advantages to align our economic and national security interests”.
More Coverage
Workers bear brunt of cost-of-living squeeze
While the financial strain continued to ease in the December quarter, new figures reveal that workers faced the sharpest rise in their living costs of all household cohorts.
AFP bungle puts PM in clear, but comms trip him up
Anthony Albanese can still decide to call an inquiry – indeed some are expecting it – into why he was not told straight away by security agencies about the alleged Dural caravan plot.