This report presents findings from the 2025 Australian Election Study (AES). The AES has surveyed a nationally
representative sample of voters after every federal election since 1987. The 2025 study is the 14th in the series,
enabling the results to be placed in long-term perspective.

The report provides insights into what informed voter behaviour in the election and voter attitudes towards policy issues, political parties, leaders and Australian democracy. The main findings are summarised across the themes of public policy, leaders, minor parties and independents, generation and gender, political trust and democratic reform and foreign policy. 

Accompanying data is available for researchers to conduct their own analysis.

Key findings

• Labor was the preferred party on nine of ten policy issue areas examined, covering a range of economic, social and environmental policy issues. The exception was national security.
• Labor had a strong advantage over the Liberals based on leadership.
• Economic issues were highly salient in this election, with two in three voters indicating an economic issue was their top election concern. The cost of living was the top concern overall, and across all major voter groups.
• Long-term trends of partisan dealignment continued in 2025.
• Trust in government and satisfaction with democracy have remained stable since the last election.
• There is a modern gender gap in voting, whereby women are more likely to vote for parties on the left and men for parties on the right.
• On democratic reform, more Australians would prefer four-year parliamentary terms to three-year parliamentary terms.