How Gen Z and Millennials Are Reshaping Australian Politics
The headlines are finally catching up to what many of us have known all along – young Australians are a political force that can no longer be ignored being the biggest voting bloc! With recent reports from The Guardian and Cheek Media confirm that Gen Z and Millennials will make up nearly 50% of voters in the upcoming federal election, the political landscape is shifting beneath our feet.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
According to The Guardian’s reporting, almost half of all voters in the 2025 federal election will be Generation Z and Millennials. For the first time, we’ll significantly outnumber Baby Boomers, who will make up about 33% of the electorate.
This isn’t just a demographic curiosity – it’s a massive transfer of electoral power that has politicians scrambling to adapt their strategies.
The TikTok Election?
The major parties are certainly taking notice. The Guardian reports that the Liberal Party has been outperforming Labor on TikTok, gathering 333,000 views compared to Labor’s 6,000 in December alone. This digital battleground shows that at least some political strategists understand where young voters’ attention lies.
But while politicians may be figuring out how to get views, there’s a bigger question at play: are they actually listening to what matters to us?
Beyond the Social Media Numbers
Getting likes and views is one thing. Actually addressing the issues that keep young Australians up at night is another entirely.
For many of us, these issues are clear: a housing market that’s locked us out, climate inaction that threatens our future, rising cost of living that eats away at our already stretched incomes, and mental health challenges exacerbated by all of the above.
The parties that succeed in the coming election won’t just be the ones with the best TikTok strategy – they’ll be the ones who demonstrate that they understand these pressures and have concrete plans to address them.
Our Vote, Our Power
For years, political commentators have dismissed young voters as disengaged or apathetic. But that narrative is quickly falling apart as more media outlets recognize the sheer electoral power we hold.
The Tomorrow Movement and other youth-led organizations have been building this power from the ground up, creating spaces for young people to get involved politically outside traditional party structures. These grassroots efforts have been preparing for this moment, when our demographic weight finally matches our determination to create change.
What Happens Next?
As we approach the election, both major parties will likely intensify their efforts to court the youth vote. We’ll see more TikTok campaigns, Instagram stories, and carefully crafted appeals.
But we should be asking ourselves – and our potential representatives – the tough questions. Which candidates have a track record of fighting for issues that matter to young Australians? Which parties have platforms that address the systemic inequalities we face? And who is just throwing filters on the same old policies?
Your Voice Matters
The Guardian is currently asking young voters to share what issues they care about in this election. This kind of outreach from major media outlets signals a growing recognition that understanding young voters isn’t just important – it’s essential to understanding the future of Australian politics.
Whether it’s through formal channels like voting and contacting representatives, or through movement building with organizations like the Tomorrow Movement, this election represents an unprecedented opportunity for young Australians to shape our country’s direction.
The headlines are clear: Gen Z and Millennials are now the biggest voting bloc in Australia. The question is – what will we do with that power?