Election 2025: Indian diaspora sees risks in ethnic ‘pork barrelling’

An Indian Link online survey finds Indian-Australian voters divided over specific funding from both parties for Hindu communities.

Anthony Albanese at a community dinner with the Hindu Council of Australia in Parramatta. Picture: Liam Kidston

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Australia’s one-million-strong Indian community favours Labor at the election but is divided over both parties’ pledges for Hindu communities.

A survey by the influential ­Indian Link Media Group found 52 per cent of respondents across the country disagreed with religion-specific funding promises.

The issue proved a hot topic in the survey, which followed promises from both Labor and the Coalition to provide $8.5m to build Australia’s first Hindu school in outer Sydney.

One in five respondents – 19.96 per cent – agreed that such funding was appropriate and ­reflected cultural and religious inclusion, and 22.43 per cent said it was fine but only if similar ­attention was given to other communities. The voters’ intention survey was run online by ­Indian Link between April 11-21 and drew responses from 1053 participants nationwide.

It found that 43.4 per cent would vote for Labor in the election, while 27.33 per cent backed the Coalition. The Greens ­attracted 12.63 per cent support, independents 7.25 per cent, and 9.32 per cent were undecided.

Anthony Albanese was overwhelmingly seen as the better prime minister, attracting 70 per cent approval.

The ALP has made a number of campaign announcements impacting Hindu, Sikh, Tamil and Jain communities – a recognition that in electorates such as Parramatta, people identifying with these groups make up as much 20 per cent of voters.

Recent pledges from the government include $7m for a hall at the Murugan Temple in Mays Hill in western Sydney to serve the Tamil community; and $2m for a community and cultural centre for the Jain community at Girraween, also in western Sydney. In Melbourne, more than $1m has been promised to Sikh groups.

The survey included comments from those who agreed with political parties making religion-specific announcements. They included: “Well, the small Jewish groups get all sorts of benefits so why shouldn’t Hindus?” and “There seems to be an over-pandering to the Muslim vote. Hindus need to assert identity and be heard.”

Another respondent said: “Hindu temples and Hindus have been targeted recently in Australia and some safety or priority needs to be given to safety.” Another noted: “The Hindu community is a growing and ­increasingly important bloc.”

Among the comments from the 52 per cent of respondents who were against targeted promises were: “This is Australia so Hindu-specific policies have no place here” and “This is ­Indian-style policy, not Western values.” Another commented: “Playing on cultural groups is divisive.”

The survey revealed that the diaspora has more confidence in Labor when it comes to immigration policies – 55 per cent, compared to 31 per cent for the Coalition, and 14 per cent for the Greens. Asked which party would be best for the Indian-Australian community, 58.82 per cent opted for Labor; while 30.6 per cent backed the ­Coalition and 10.68 per cent chose the Greens.

Cost-of-living pressures topped the list of issues of most concern, followed by healthcare, housing and education, while national security, women’s issues and climate change/the environment were of less concern.

Summarising the survey, Pawan Luthra, the publisher of Indian Link, said that national security was less of a concern for Indian-Australians.

“Coming from India which sees border skirmishes frequently as well as insurgency within, the safety in their new home seems to take at least that issue off their minds,” he wrote.

He warned the Indian-Australian community to “urgently recognise the rising tide of identity politics” which could have a negative impact on inclusion as politicians on both sides prioritised “short-term vote banks through religion, or culture-based overtures over the long-term health of Australia’s social cohesion”.