Lower taxes, cheaper fuel and home-buying help are among the sugar hits on offer at this year’s election.
Labor has promised to reduce the lowest tax rate from 16% to 14% over two years while the Coalition is offering a 25c deduction of fuel tax for a year. Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton announced competing housing policies that share the same goal – to help first home buyers to get a foot on the property ladder – even if economists agree they would increase house prices.
And while the 2025 campaign kicked off with some big announcements on Medicare – that were quickly matched – both major parties have worked hard to keep the focus on cost-of-living issues, leaving some big policy areas such as energy, education and welfare barely rating a mention.
So what are Labor, the Coalition and the Greens promising? Here’s what you need to know.
Energy, climate and environment
Labor
Coalition
Greens
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Net zero emissions target by 2035 or sooner.
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Stop all new coal and gas projects.
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A nationwide ban on native forest logging, which is a key demand for their support of Labor’s environment protection laws.
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Remove fossil fuel subsidies and increase investment in renewable energy.
Housing
Labor and Liberal duelling housing policies, and a diss track – TLDR: Election 2025 – video
Labor
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Allocate $10bn to help build 100,000 properties reserved for first home buyers.
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Open up to all first home buyers the first home guarantee scheme allowing people to secure a home with only a 5% deposit and avoid mortgage insurance.
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Continue the $10bn Housing Australia Future Fund to help build 30,000 affordable homes within five years, with two-thirds of new developments designated for social housing.
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Construct 1.2m homes by 2030 via deal with states and $90m allocated to train more builders.
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Help to Buy scheme allows the government to loan 30% of the purchase price, or 40% on new builds, for those who earn less than $90,000, provided money is paid back upon sale.
Coalition
Greens
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Wind back negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts for investors with more than one investment property.
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Impose a rent freeze and establish a national renters protection agency.
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Create a government-owned developer to build and sell or rent affordable housing stock.
Health
Labor
Coalition
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Will match Labor’s $8.5bn program to improve bulk billing rates as well as its $573m women’s health policy.
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Will open at least four new urgent care clinics but say they will announce more details on this policy during the election.
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$500m to double the amount of subsidised mental health sessions, extending a pandemic era policy. Provide an extra $400m for youth mental health services.
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Will pay for these promises by cutting thousands of public service jobs.
Greens
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Cover dental and mental health under Medicare.
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Ensure GP visits are free.
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Build 1,000 new public healthcare clinics where you can see a GP, dentist, nurse or psychologist at no cost.
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Pay for this expansion of Medicare by taxing big corporations more.
Tax
Labor
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$1,000 tax deduction for workplace expenses on your annual return without having to produce receipts or paperwork.
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Reduce the lowest tax rate from 16% to 15% from the middle of 2026, leaving taxpayers $268 better off, and then again to 14% from 2027, taking the benefit to $538. The policy will cost $17bn and has been passed by parliament but the Coalition has vowed to repeal it if they win.
Coalition
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Low and middle-income earners will get a one-off tax refund of up to $1,200 to help with the cost of living, at a cost of $10bn.
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Allow interest fees on mortgages to be offset against tax, for up to five years for the first $650,000 of a loan for first home buyers purchasing new builds. It would be available to single people earning up to $175,000 and joint applicants with a combined income of $250,000.
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Cut the tax on fuel by 25c a litre for one year.
Greens
Education
Labor
Coalition
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Wants universities to focus on core academic instruction and research “rather than political agendas”, including an Australian Universities Performance Index.
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Implement an antisemitism taskforce led by the Australian federal police and a national higher education code to prevent and respond to antisemitism.
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Reinstate the 50% pass rule for student loan eligibility, which was scrapped by Labor.
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Implement a “tougher international student cap” than what was proposed by Labor.
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Reverse changes to the Australian Research Council’s grants processes.
Greens
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Provide 100% of the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) to every public school by July 2025.
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Create a capital grants fund that will disperse $1.25bn in its first year, and $350m annually after that, for public schools to invest in infrastructure.
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$388m for schools to buy and install an air ventilation system and Hepa filter, as well as a carbon dioxide monitor, in each classroom and indoor communal space.