Young Aussie Men Buck Global Trend by Backing Albanese
Young Australian men are defying international political trends by showing strong support for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, according to new survey data from the ACTU.
The survey of 2,113 workers found that 66 per cent of men aged 18–24 believe Albanese is working in the best interests of working men. Meanwhile, women in the same age bracket were also the most likely to say they trust the Albanese government to advocate for “working women”, “all workers”, and “young workers”.
This stands in contrast to recent global patterns where younger men have increasingly gravitated toward right-wing parties. For example, in the United States, a significant portion of men under 30 voted for Republican Donald Trump — a reversal from four years earlier when the same group largely supported Democrat Joe Biden. Similar shifts have been noted in Germany, the UK, and South Korea.
In Germany, Pew Research found that support for the far-right AfD party had grown among men — 26 per cent of German men viewed the party positively, compared to only 11 per cent of women.
ACTU president Michele O’Neil said the Australian figures are especially noteworthy given the global context.
“Young men under 25 are the most likely to believe the Prime Minister is acting in their interest as working men,” she said. “That’s a big deal, especially when similar demographics overseas are moving towards right-wing populism out of frustration.”
The survey suggests Labor’s policies on worker rights, job security, wage increases, and free education are resonating with younger Australians. This includes the government’s fee-free TAFE initiative, which is expected to fund 100,000 students from 2027, building on the 300,000 free training places already committed between 2024 and 2026.
Unemployment figures from the ABS show youth unemployment remained steady at 9.0 per cent in March, with employment among young people rising by 9,500 in February.
The Coalition has also made training a central issue in its campaign, promising to target 400,000 apprentices and trainees and offer incentives for small and medium businesses to hire and train them.
Queensland Council of Unions general secretary Jacqueline King said young people are seeing through campaign rhetoric and recognising which parties are taking tangible action.
“In Queensland and across Australia, young voters — particularly young men — are throwing their support behind job security, wage growth, and free education delivered by the Albanese government,” she said.
“This diverges from what we’re seeing in other countries and shows young Australians want a government investing in their future. That’s encouraging for both workers and democracy.”
Recent Newspoll data showed Labor slightly improving in the third week of the federal campaign, maintaining a 52-48 two-party preferred lead.
