Will’s Word: Why Australia’s election matters to us

This weekend Australians head to the polls to choose their next Prime Minister and while that might feel like something that only matters across the ditch, there are a few good reasons why here in Aotearoa we should be paying attention.

The race is close. Labor leader and current Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is hoping for a second term, while Liberal leader Peter Dutton is trying to take the top job.

So basically, after months of debating, door knocking, political point scoring, it's now up to Aussie voters.

Begs the question: why should we care? Well, the Pacific is becoming a lot more strategically important, there is no denying.

With rising tensions in the region and growing influence from powers like China, it's more important than ever that New Zealand and Australia are on the same page.

Who leads Australia will shape how the country engages with its Pacific neighbours and whether we face these challenges together or in parallel.

There's also the fact that thousands of Kiwis live in Australia now, and to Labor's credit, perhaps it has started making it easier for us to get citizenship and access services.

A change in government could shift that progress depending on the policies of the new leadership. And of course, our economies are pretty closely connected, cost of living is a big issue in Australia, just like it is here.

How the next government chooses to tackle inflation, energy costs, housing, we could perhaps take inspiration from when it comes to our next election. If we take a look at the polls, Labor's leading slightly, but it is still tight.

Listen to Will’s Word on Facebook below.

With Australia's system, a hung parliament is also a real possibility. So while it's tempting to switch off Aussie politics, especially when it gets noisy, this is one of those moments where it's worth tuning in, especially if you are considering a move to Australia.

It is important that we take note of what's about to take place this weekend. Will Australians choose Anthony Albanese, the incumbent Prime Minister?

Or will they take a turn to the right and put their faith in Liberal Party leader Peter Dutton, who, like Christopher Luxon, is promising to get his country back on track?

That's Will's Word.