About one in five LGBTIQ+ voters remain undecided ahead of the upcoming federal election and more than a third say they plan to change their vote, according to a new report from Equality Australia.
The Rainbow Votes Report – based on a national survey of 6481 people, which included 5346 LGBTIQ+ respondents – reveals a clear shift in political priorities within the community.
This year, LGBTIQ+ policy issues have overtaken the environment as the top concern for queer voters, with 95 per cent citing these issues as their primary voting consideration. Environmental concerns ranked second, while cost of living came in third.
The report found that 36.7 per cent of LGBTIQ+ voters intend to change their vote from the last election. Voter indecision is also on the rise, with 20 per cent currently unsure who they’ll support – up from 13.6 per cent in 2022.
Labor is seeing a notable drop in loyalty, retaining just 68 per cent of its previous LGBTIQ+ voters. Nineteen per cent of previous Labor voters now plan to vote for the Greens, a party that has held onto 91 per cent of its base, according to the survey. The Liberal Party maintained an 85 per cent retention rate.
“Many survey respondents expressed uncertainty about which party or candidate will best represent their interests in the upcoming election,” said Equality Australia chief executive Anna Brown.
“This reflects both the complexity of today’s political landscape and the growing expectation that parties must earn our votes through meaningful policy commitments.”
The group suggests Labor’s slide may be tied to a perceived failure to act on key issues.
“What stands out clearly from our findings is that even amid the economic pressures of the cost-of-living crisis, LGBTIQ+ voters remain deeply focussed on how policy issues affecting our communities will shape our lives and our futures,” said Brown.
Equality Australia estimates that 5.5 per cent of Australian voters identify as LGBTIQ+, equating to nearly one million people.
“We represent a powerful voting bloc of over one million voters across Australia; and that doesn’t include our countless allies who stand alongside us,” said Brown.
Key LGBTIQ+ priorities identified in the report include:
- Ending conversion practices
- Protections against discrimination
- Ending unnecessary, non-consensual procedures on intersex people
- Supporting rainbow families
- Improved LGBTIQ+ mental health and suicide prevention
Responses to the survey, conducted between November and March this year, were predominantly from metropolitan areas, with NSW accounting for 31 per cent of respondents, followed by Victoria (25 per cent) and Queensland (17.1 per cent).
The 2025 federal election will be held on Saturday, May 3.
Equality Australia will host a Rainbow Votes election forum in Surry Hills on Tuesday, April 15, where representatives from the major parties will speak directly to the community.
Gay Sydney News reporter