Report shows most Aussie voters fed up with Albo’s woke agenda, want tariffs and rich to pay

Australians are over Labor’s woke agendas and immigration policies, and while a Trump-style government is unlikely, tariffs to protect local manufacturing would be a hit with voters, a new report shows.

Most Australian voters want governments to cut immigration levels, subsidise the construction of new homes, and protect local manufacturing through tariffs if necessary.

A new report by the Australian Population Research Institute, which surveyed more than 3000 voters across the country in December, also shows most voters lean against a “woke agenda” and believe government elites are making decisions without listening to them.

Report authors Dr Katharine Betts and Dr Bob Birrell describe the results as a “divide between elites and the electorate”, with many people rejecting an economic system that allows global markets to run unchecked.

They point to issues seized by US president Donald Trump who disrupted the traditional neoliberal agenda by embracing interventions such as tariffs on select imports.

While the report says such a strategy is unlikely to be embraced by Australia’s major parties due to their economic policies, the survey also shows a majority of voters back handouts in energy and housing, and support increased taxes on high income earners and big business.

President Trump has introduced tariffs on select imports, a movement most voters would welcome to protect local manufacturing. Picture: Alex Brandon

This includes 61 per cent who back government subsidies for the construction of new housing.

On progressive values, the report shows that only 11 per cent of people backed biological males being allowed to compete in women’s sports if they identified as a woman.

“The Coalition may win the election because of voters’ impatience with Labor’s economic record, and its woke agenda and immigration policies,” the report says.

“If it does, the win will be despite its ‘back to basics’ (economic) policies.

“For its part, Labor may hang on to power precisely because it is pursuing a public expenditure binge directed as voters’ needs.”

Most voters rejected a Big Australia immigration strategy, with 73 per cent of people saying the country does not need more people – up from 65 per cent two years ago.

When shown figures about net overseas migration reaching 509,700 in the year to March, 2024, four in five voters — or slightly higher for migrants from Europe or with English language backgrounds — wanted lower numbers.

Most Australian voters want governments to subsidise the construction of new homes. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

“Most voters see a direct link between high immigration and the deterioration of the

urban environment, including unaffordable housing and competition for public health

and other services,” the authors say.

About 60 per cent of those surveyed also want governments to consider a migrant’s ability to “fit into” Australia, while 67 per cent would prefer to deal with worker shortages by raising wages and improving skills training for locals rather than importing skilled migrants.

Protecting manufacturing was strongly backed by those born in Europe or who have English language backgrounds, as well as those born locally.

“If leading politicians were articulating a Trump-like Australia-first agenda, most overseas-born voters would support it, as they also would support policies for making things in Australia safe behind tariff walls.”

More than 60 per cent of people thought elites ignored their views, while 47 per cent thought that Australia was on the wrong track compared with 33 per cent who thought that it was on the right track.

Originally published as Report shows most Aussie voters fed up with Albo’s woke agenda, want tariffs and rich to pay