Election Countdown: What Albanese and Dutton Are Offering Voters

Australians will vote on Saturday in a tightly contested national election. The vote comes as many citizens worry about rising living costs, housing affordability, and trade uncertainty, especially after U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs added pressure to global markets.

The two main contenders are Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who leads the centre-left Labor Party, and Peter Dutton, who heads the conservative Liberal-National Coalition. Here’s how both sides differ on major policy issues:

Housing Plans Offer Different Paths to Home Ownership

Labor’s Proposal:
Labor would help first-time buyers by allowing them to purchase homes with just a 5% down payment. It also promised to spend A$10 billion to build up to 100,000 new homes over time.

Liberal-Nationals’ Plan:
Meanwhile, the Coalition would let first-time buyers use up to A$50,000 from their retirement savings for a home down payment. They also pledged to make mortgage interest tax-deductible and committed A$5 billion to improve housing infrastructure.

Health Policy Targets Medicare and Mental Health Support

Labor’s Healthcare Vision:
Labor aims to boost access to health services. It promised A$8.5 billion to fund 18 million additional general practitioner visits each year. The party also committed A$1 billion for expanding free public mental health services. To reduce hospital pressure, it would open 50 new urgent care clinics.

Coalition’s Health Approach:
The Liberal-Nationals matched Labor’s A$8.5 billion Medicare boost. They also pledged A$400 million for youth mental health programs. Furthermore, they would double subsidised psychology sessions, increasing them from 10 to 20 per year.

Competing Tax and Economic Relief Plans

Labor’s Relief Measures:
Labor would offer workers a one-time tax deduction of A$1,000 for job-related expenses. It would also cut student debt by 20%. Before calling the election, Labor passed laws to lower the lowest income tax rate.

Coalition’s Economic Strategy:
On the other hand, the Coalition plans to reverse Labor’s tax cuts. Instead, it would offer a tax offset worth up to A$1,200 for those earning up to A$144,000. They also promise to cut fuel prices by A$0.25 per litre for one year by reducing duties.

To reduce spending, they plan to shrink the public workforce by 41,000 jobs through a hiring freeze and natural attrition. This move could save A$7 billion annually.

Energy Policies Focus on Costs and Clean Power

Labor’s Clean Energy Drive:
Labor pledged A$2.3 billion to help households install solar battery systems. It also extended rebates on energy bills for homes and small businesses. Additionally, it increased clean energy funding by A$2 billion through its green bank, aiming for a renewable-powered electricity grid supported by gas, batteries, and hydro.

Coalition’s Focus on Gas and Nuclear:
The Coalition would force LNG exporters to supply some uncontracted gas to the local market. This would help lower domestic energy prices. They also plan to cut regulatory delays for new gas projects and speed up a decision on extending Woodside’s LNG plant.

Looking ahead, they want to develop a nuclear energy sector by building seven nuclear plants across Australia. However, nuclear power is currently banned in the country.

Defence Spending Becomes a Key Dividing Line

Labor’s Current Commitment:
Labor did not offer new defence spending promises during the campaign. However, it pointed to its existing plan to boost defence funding by A$50 billion over 10 years. This would raise defence spending to 2.3% of GDP, up from the current 2%.

Coalition’s Expanded Defence Plan:
In contrast, the Coalition would spend A$21 billion more than Labor over five years. Their goal is to raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP within five years, and eventually 3% in a decade. They also pledged A$3 billion to purchase more joint strike fighter jets.

Migration Policy Shows Clear Differences

Labor’s Position:
Labor has not made any specific promises related to migration during the campaign.

Coalition’s Migration Cuts:
The Coalition would reduce the permanent migration intake from 185,000 to 140,000 for two years. The number would then increase to 150,000 in year three and 160,000 in year four. They also aim to cut net migration by 100,000 annually compared to Labor’s levels. Additionally, they would reduce the number of new international students at public universities by 30,000 each year.

Currency Note:
At the time of writing, $1 equals 1.5635 Australian dollars.