Greens housing crusade fails to sway most tenant voters

Despite the Greens pivoting towards the plight of renters ahead of the election, tenants are giving more backing to the major parties, polling has revealed.

YouGov polling provided to AAP shows Labor enjoying the most support from renters and while the Greens have campaigned on issues facing tenants, the minor party has even failed to leapfrog the coalition among that demographic.

The January survey shows 22 per cent of renters would back the Greens at the next election, compared to 26 per cent for the coalition and 35 per cent for the government.

The Greens have led calls for rent freezes and building more affordable properties as political debate raged over housing in the current term of parliament.

The next election is due to be held by May 17 at the latest, though a date has yet to be set.

Housing will be a significant factor when voters head to the ballot box, YouGov director of polling Amir Daftari said.

“Our data and modelling show that the strongest factors influencing how people will vote in this election are whether they rent or own their home and how they have fared financially under the Labor government,” he said.

“There is little to no ideological contest in this election and people may vote the current government out simply to see if it improves their situation.”

More renters believe incumbent Anthony Albanese would make the best prime minister, with 45 per cent backing the Labor leader over Opposition Leader Peter Dutton (34 per cent).

Across all 1500 voters surveyed for the poll, 44 per cent backed Mr Albanese as best prime minister, compared to 40 per cent for Mr Dutton.

While the net satisfaction for the prime minister among renters was minus 13, it’s even lower for the opposition leader at minus 23.

Meanwhile, nearly 50 per cent of homeowners who own their property outright would give their primary vote to the coalition, compared with 26 per cent to Labor and six per cent to the Greens.

The contest is closer for those still paying off their mortgage, with 40 per cent supporting the opposition compared with 33 per cent for Labor.

Issues surrounding interest rates and the fallout from future Reserve Bank decisions are set to help shape the race to the Lodge.

“The coalition has opted for a dead-cat strategy, now introducing the nuclear proposition, which they may come to regret losing the greater opportunity to appeal to more voters,” Mr Daftari said.

“This is evident with Dutton’s uninspiring personal rating and Albo still topping the preferred PM.”

It comes as a consumer sentiment survey released by Westpac and the Melbourne Institute on Tuesday showed renters were significantly less confident about their finances than mortgagors or outright homeowners.

Consumer confidence among tenants increased 8.9 per cent in the year to January, while homeowner confidence climbed 12.6 per cent and mortgagors’ improved 16.6 per cent.