Australians believe the Albanese government has failed in its response to combat the rising cost of living and housing crisis that is impacting millions of families, focus group research has found.
Households across the country have been feeling the pinch with everyday costs, such as petrol and groceries, continuing to surge, while the Reserve Bank of Australia last week lifted the cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.35 per cent, which is a 12-year high.
All four major banks said it will pass the increase to its customers, meaning it will add an estimated $100 to monthly repayments on a standard loan of $600,000, money some families do not have.
New research has now shown Australians, especially those in outer suburbs of major cities, are becoming more disconnected with politics as a result of cost of living issues.
Redbridge Group Director Simon Welsh told Sky News Australia that results from focus groups showed voters wanted more “government in people’s lives” compared to three years ago, as many were struggling to find ways to make ends meet.
“People feel like all the issues they’re confronting are going unaddressed, you know, whether it’s cost of living, housing, infrastructure, all those boring things that just are so important in quality of life,” he told AM Agenda host Laura Jayes.
Mr Welsh found the one thing most focus groups were frustrated with what was described as a “lack of response” from the government in helping struggling families.
“The views around it are somewhat nuanced in the sense people go, ‘the effects of COVID is still flowing through, the global conflicts we’re seeing all these things have an impact, sure, but what is the government doing in response?'” he said.
“We can accept that’s all true but we still expect to see some kind of response, even if it doesn’t fix everything, we still expect see them in our corner trying things and that’s the bit that’s missing on the Albanese government.”
Since coming into power in May 2022, the Labor government has been trying to alleviate pressures on families through its $23 billion cost of living relief program.
Some of the benefits it was rolling out in November include tripling of bulk billing to make it cheaper to see a doctor, which will benefit more than 11 million Australians.
Eligible households and small businesses will also be offered further installments of $500 and $650 respectively to help with costs of power bills each year.
The government also flagged the commencement of the Housing Australia Future Fund to build 20,000 social homes and 10,000 affordable houses for future families.
However, petrol is still one of the big issues with prices rising up to $2.42 for unleaded 98 around the country. Drivers currently pay 48.8 cents in excise for every litre.
Jayes asked whether the growing displeasure around Mr Albanese meant that voters were warming to Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.
Mr Welsh said the “short answer is no”, which was the “only saving grace” for the Prime Minister and the Labor Party.
“There’s there’s an opportunity for him (Dutton) in the sense that, you know, strength is a characteristic that people want to see in leadership right now,” he said.
“And Dutton certainly has that in spades. But its the other bit that people still want… that kind of empathetic world leadership and Dutton just simply doesn’t tick that box.
“Albanese ticks that box, but he perhaps lacks the strength and the boldness on the economic stuff.”
Mr Welsh also flagged another “interesting” find in focus groups, with Australians wanting to see more “community building” post-COVID.
“We get this desire for government to do more around social connection, whether that’s looking at issues like homelessness, that’s a big one… that’s of course linked to housing crisis, whether its issues around crime and drugs,” he said.
It comes as a new poll published by Nine Newspapers on Monday showed voters believed Labor was to blame for the current economic situation.
About eight per cent of those asked in the Resolve Political Monitor survey predicted the economy will improve in 12 weeks, while 50 per cent feared it will only worsen.
Mr Albanese’s preferred PM figure fell seven points to 40 per cent, while Mr Dutton improved by 2 points to sit at 27 per cent.
The remaining were undecided.
(Sky News)
