Young Australians are 'deserting the right' and it spells trouble for the Coalition's electoral chances.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
A report by the Centre for Independent Studies, Generation left: young voters are deserting the right, found the Coalition could struggle to get back into power unless it secured more support from young Australians.
But University of Wollongong Liberals Club president Joel Johnson said the Liberal party has a number of MPs under the age of 35 in the NSW Parliament.
The 20-year-old was the Liberal candidate for the seat of Wollongong in the 2023 NSW election and was defeated by Labor MP Paul Scully.
He believes every political party needs to develop policies relevant to young people, tackling issues such as university loans, energy and addressing housing and rental affordability.
Voters born before 1981 generally lean to the left of politics in their 20s before shifting to the right in their middle age, according to the report.
"For the first time in decades, this structural tide is starting to turn against the Coalition," the report's author Mathew Taylor said.
Gen Z and Millennials desert the right
The report found millennials were less inclined to vote for the Coalition as they aged.
"Generation Z entered the electorate with the lowest support for the Coalition of any post-war generation," the report says.
"They've entered their mid-20s and they're getting further to the left," Mr Taylor said.
Mr Johnson said "if we want to see more young people vote for us, we need to have more young people elected".
"When these people are elected to parliament, they bring skills with them such as marketing, social media, and technological know-how," Mr Johnson said.
Future political landscape
People born after 1980 will make up almost half of the electorate at the next election.
"There's more at stake than just whether the coalition gets back to government or not if there's a fundamental shift in the structure of our politics," Mr Taylor said.
In other news:
The report says for the Coalition to return to government it needs 'extremely large increases' in support among those born before 1996 to compensate for the low level of support among young voters.
"There is a narrow path back to government for the Coalition. That road goes through millennials and Generation Z, not around them," the report says.
Marlene Even
Journalist at the Illawarra Mercury. Previously a radio and podcast host at 2SER Radio.
Journalist at the Illawarra Mercury. Previously a radio and podcast host at 2SER Radio.
