Cost-of-living, tariffs and housing top voter concerns ahead of Federal election

Cost-of-living pressures, rising housing stress and fears over the impact of a US-led tariff war are dominating voter concerns ahead of the Federal election on May 3, according to new data from search intelligence platform Captify.

Captify, which tracks onsite searches across more than two billion devices globally, reports sharp increases in searches related to grocery prices, energy bills, mortgage stress and tariffs — pointing to deepening economic anxiety as Australians prepare to vote.

Despite the Reserve Bank’s interest rate cut in February, Captify data shows cost-of-living remains a top priority. Searches for “grocery prices” have risen 24% since January, while searches for “energy bills” and “utilities bills” have nearly tripled. Interest in “household debt” is also up 126%.

Housing affordability continues to be a flashpoint. Search interest in terms like “rental price”, “mortgage” and “rent increase” was 453% higher than other topics tracked in the first quarter of 2025, reflecting continued concern over high rents, rate rises and limited supply.

Trade tensions are also emerging as a voter issue. In the week following US President Donald Trump’s April 5 announcement of a 10% tariff on all imports, searches for “tariffs” and “trade wars” nearly quadrupled. Associated terms like “price of goods” rose 116%, while Australians also turned their attention to the broader impact on supply chains, energy, and AI technology.

Mentions of China and Russia in connection to tariffs surged to 31 million and 29 million searches respectively over the past month, as concerns grow around potential retaliation and global economic fallout.

Captify ANZ managing director Jaclyn Hadida said the data shows a highly reactive and digitally engaged electorate. “Our onsite search data reveals there is a real sense of uncertainty among Australians as we head towards the Federal election,” she said. “The cost-of-living crisis, long-term housing stress and foreign affairs are weighing heavily on people’s minds and are likely to affect how they vote.”