What You Need to Know About the 2025 Australian Federal Elections: Key Issues and Poll Insights

Australians will head to the polls on Saturday to vote in federal elections and choose their next parliament.

The ruling centre-left Labor Party, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, is polling slightly higher than the Liberal-National Coalition, led by Peter Dutton, in a campaign that has been largely dominated by housing price woes.

What’s at stake?

Australians will vote for the upper and lower houses of parliament. Voters will elect representatives for their area – members of parliament (MPs) – to the lower chamber, the House of Representatives, which initiates or proposes most laws.

Currently, there are 151 elected members of the House, but this year, the House will shrink to 150 elected members due to a redrawing of electoral districts. Voters will also elect representatives for their state or territory to the upper chamber, the Senate, which reviews the laws passed by the House. There are 76 elected senators who hold their seats for six years, with 40 of these seats up for grabs this year.

To form a government, a party needs to win a majority – at least 76 seats – in the House of Representatives. If no party wins an outright majority, the party with the highest number of seats forms a minority government by collaborating with smaller parties or independent members.

What time do the polls open in Australia?

More than 7,000 polling stations across Australia will open from 8am until 6pm. Here’s a breakdown of the times:

• Polling stations in Queensland, New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria, Canberra, and Jervis Bay will be open from 8am to 6pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (22:00 GMT on Friday to 08:00 GMT on Saturday).
• In South Australia, Broken Hill, and the Northern Territory, polls will operate from 8am to 6pm Australian Central Standard Time (22:30 GMT on Friday to 08:30 GMT on Saturday).
• Western Australia polling opens from 8am to 6pm Australian Western Standard Time (00:00 to 10:00 GMT on Saturday).

Can people vote at other times?

Australia has more than 500 early voting centres, which opened on April 22 and will close on Friday, May 2. About 4.8 million Australians had already cast early ballots as of Thursday. Overseas Australians may vote at overseas voting centres, including embassies and consulates.

How do Australian elections work?

A federal election takes place every three years in Australia through a preferential voting system. Voting is compulsory for citizens aged 18 and older, with 18 million eligible voters. Voters must be registered on an electoral roll to cast their ballots. If voters do not vote and fail to submit a legitimate reason, they face a 20-Australian-dollar penalty.

What do the polls say?

Opinion polls from YouGov suggested Albanese’s Labor Party was leading Dutton’s coalition by a narrow margin in the two-party preferred vote. The projected vote share for Labor is 31.4 percent and for the Coalition 31.1 percent.

What are the key issues in these elections?

The key issues shaping the vote include housing costs, the economy, defense, and energy.

• Cost of living: Inflation has caused the cost of living in Australia to surge in recent years.
• Housing prices: Australia’s high property and rental prices have led to unaffordable and scarce housing.
• Energy: There are growing calls from voters to transition to clean energy, with both major parties agreeing on the necessity but differing on methods.

How soon will the election results be known?

Ballot counting will begin on Saturday after 6pm Australian Eastern Time (08:00 GMT) once polling stations close. Final results may take longer to count, but tallies typically start appearing sooner.