Tyranny of the reluctant voter

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MAY 03: People place their vote at Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club in Bondi Beach on May 03, 2025 in Sydney, Australia.

Australians headed to the polls on Saturday for the 2025 federal election, where all 150 seats in the House of Representatives and 40 of 76 Senate seats are up for grabs.

This election is especially consequential due to a tightly contested race, with cost-of-living pressures, affordable housing, and energy policy dominating the campaign.

Though most polls indicate a narrow Labor victory against the Liberal-National coalition, the result could also lead to a hung parliament, reflecting the growing influence of independents and minor parties, and potentially reshaping the balance of power in Australia in the years ahead.

(Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images) ...