Last year’s Australian federal election produced surprising results. The Labor Party, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, won at least 91 seats, or more than 60% of the total seats in parliament. Meanwhile, its main rival, the Liberal and National Party coalition, which had previously been predicted to win, only won 40 seats in parliament. Its leader, Peter Dutton, even failed to retain his seat in his own constituency.
In fact, the Albanese administration is under intense scrutiny due to soaring commodity prices, the housing crisis, and its permissive stance towards Israel’s genocide in Gaza. However, the public preferred the Labor Party. Why?
This is a story about the political sophistication of voters in a country with a good democracy score. This political story in Australia may inspire efforts to reform political education in Indonesia. Political sophistication relies on how a person makes political decisions based on complex information that is critically analyzed and examined. This ability is crucial in a democracy to prevent populism and re-authoritarianism. This article will examine the complex process of political decision-making by the Australian people, the reasons behind it, and what we can learn for political education in Indonesia.
The Trump Effect
The main cause is the Trump Effect. The right-wing coalition led by Dutton has adopted much of Donald Trump’s political style in the United States: populist rhetoric, protectionist policies, and anti-immigrant sentiment. However, this strategy has backfired. Amidst Trump’s negative image, the Liberals and other right-wing factions have been affected.
A similar phenomenon occurred in Canada earlier this year. The incumbent Liberal Party, led by Mark Carney, won by a narrow margin against the Conservatives. In fact, the party’s government performance was no better. However, the negative sentiment of Canadian voters after Trump’s annexation plan was exploited and turned the tide.
The Trump effect spread to another Commonwealth country, Australia. On social media, Peter Dutton was mockingly referred to as “Temu Trump,” a combination of Trump and the cheap e-commerce platform, Temu. This mockery illustrates how the public rejects cheap populist politics.
Choosing Democracy
The Australian public’s choice can be interpreted as a rejection of the threat of democratic regression. Citizens faced a dilemma: allow a less-than-satisfactory government to remain in power, or elect an opposition that could potentially lead the country toward authoritarianism, as in the case of Trump in the US. They chose the former option.
This choice cannot be separated from Australia’s long history of democratization. In 1902, women began to gain the right to vote, albeit still restrictively. In the 1970s, the racist White Australian Policy was abolished. And in 1992, the Mabo Decision marked the beginning of recognition of indigenous lands, and subsequently the integration of Aboriginal people and other ethnic groups. Australian democracy was built gradually and over a long period of time, so it is not surprising that the public is reluctant to see a decline in democracy.
On the other hand, interactive formal political education has been implemented for students in grades seven through ten, equivalent to junior high and high school. This education covers government and democracy, as well as civil rights and multiculturalism (ACARA, 2015). In fact, the perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been taught in eighth grade.
Meanwhile, political education on campus is also more advanced. In addition to regular political debates, campuses are also home to students who are party sympathizers. It is not uncommon for party organizations to be present at campus orientation events without restrictions.
Political Sophistication
The Trump effect has had a serious impact on the Australian political constellation. This is interesting because the public is able to read political information coming from faraway Uncle Sam’s country and translate it into their political preferences.
This phenomenon is quite reasonable and illustrates the political sophistication of voters. This classic concept refers to the ability of individuals to understand and organize political information, then relate it to political preferences and personal and community interests (Larkin et al., 1980).
According to Luskin (1990), political sophistication depends on three factors: access to political information, cognitive ability, and motivation to understand politics. The key to these three factors is the quality of education (Rapelli, 2018).
In Australia, political sophistication is reflected in the quality of education. V-Dem data (2024) shows that Australia’s Education Equality Index is 3.19, while its Liberal Democracy Index is 0.81, well above the global average. This shows a positive correlation between education and democratic resilience.
Australia’s electoral system also contributes to its political sophistication. The preferential system used requires voters to rank candidates. This demands a fairly complex electoral strategy and technical understanding. This is because voters are required to understand how to cast their votes and how their votes are converted into seats.
In addition, the election cycle is quite dense, with federal elections every three years, as well as state and local elections. The dense electoral calendar provides citizens with regular political experiences.
Lessons
Australia’s experience provides important lessons for Indonesia. First, formal political education needs to begin in secondary school, when students are preparing for their first election. Young people must be equipped with an understanding of the political system, voting rights, and the ability to filter and process political information.
Second, equal access to education must be a priority. This is an important foundation for enabling the public to critically understand political information and make rational choices.
Third, the stigma surrounding politics must be changed. Politics is not just a battle between elites, but also a forum for the interests of citizens. Campus organizations, public discussions and debates, and voter participation need to be fostered as part of the political culture of citizens.
The erosion of global democracy, including in Indonesia, needs to be taken seriously. The response depends on the political sophistication of citizens. Democracy is not just a matter of institutions. More than that, democracy is also about the capacity of voters to recognize and reject the dangers of populism. It is important to build a strong foundation through education and political experience for citizens. []
KAHFI ADLAN HAFIZ
Researcher at the Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem)