Search the news, stories & people Personalise the news and stay in the know Emergency Backstory Newsletters 中文新闻 BERITA BAHASA INDONESIA TOK PISIN By Cindy Wockner Topic:Government Renee Johnson has two daughters and fears they may never have the resources to buy their own homes. (ABC News: Sean Murphy) Hairdresser Renee Johnson hears a lot in her Muswellbrook hair and beauty salon.  But one thing she has not heard, in the two weeks since the federal election campaign kicked off, is anything from either major party that would cement her vote.  She is still undecided. But as a small business owner in a traditional mining town, her biggest fear, and one that she shares with her customers, is job insecurity.  "It's fair to say that I haven't heard [anything] from either party to sway me. "I get scared of the unknown," she said of the future of Muswellbrook in the NSW Hunter Valley, where the coal mine is moving to closure by 2030.  Federal election 2025 live: Stay across the latest updates from the campaign trail  Catch the latest interviews and in-depth coverage on ABC iview and ABC Listen Ms Johnson is not alone in her indecision. Nor is she alone in feeling that neither of the major parties has put forward anything that would definitively earn their vote.  The ABC's Your Say project has heard from thousands of audience members since the start of the campaign.  Rebecca Webb would like to see evidence that political leaders understand the struggles of everyday people. (ABC News: Peter Sanders) Many lament a lack of long-term political vision and express fear for the future. They question where the bold and brave politicians are, who are willing to make hard decisions for the long-term betterment of the nation.  In Toowoomba, a regional city west of Brisbane, university student Rebecca Webb has questions for both leaders: "Have you tried living like the average Australian?   The ABC's Vote Compass can help you understand your place in the political landscape. The 21-year-old balances her full-time criminology and criminal justice study load with working part-time as an administrative assistant and lives at home with her parents. She can't afford to rent.  And she has some sage advice for the leaders. "I am getting frustrated by the politicians bagging each other out.  Nothing so far has swayed how she would vote.  She wants to see strong commitments and vision – such as concrete measures to help young people afford their HECS debts rather than turning them into a mortgage they can't pay, and rental support.  It's a view echoed by many voters who say there has been a vacuum of brave policy so far in the election campaign.  Megha Vashisth wants to know from both parties where they plan to take Australia for the next 20 years. (Supplied: Megha Vashisth) Megha Vashisth has her own business consulting to local government in Melbourne. The 39-year-old mother of two has one question she would like to ask both leaders.  Political leaders, she said, should act as custodians of people's long-term vision and shape policy that aligns with community values and aspirations, not just focusing on short-term wins in an election campaign.  "Our policy landscape has become alarmingly inconsistent – from immigration and international student intake to housing, employment and even flexible work arrangements. "This volatility is undermining our ability to plan for the long term.  "If our leaders are serious about long-term prosperity, they must not only craft visionary policies but also have the courage to listen, truly listen, to the voices of everyday Australians."  Ms Vashisth is not alone in despairing at a lack of any vision.  While both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton argue they are presenting long-term plans for the country, this has not resonated with some voters.  Shan Haines is concerned about what she says is a lack of visionary education policies from both parties. (Supplied: Shan Haines) In Brisbane's south-west, retired high school teacher Shan Haines wishes politicians would focus more on what unifies the community than divisions, like pitting people against each other.  "Just like Dutton is doing with international students," Ms Haines said, of the Coalition's policy to limit the number of overseas students able to start at public universities each year to 240,000.  This is 30,000 less than a cap of 270,000 which the ALP tried to impose before it was voted down by the Coalition and Greens.  And she is not impressed by the Coalition's backflip on its work from home policy for public servants.  After saying public servants would need to work in the office, the Coalition, in the face of backlash, now says it will not change flexible working arrangements.   Want even more? Here's where you can find all our 2025 federal election coverage "As a business owner, I have to justify every cent to the government that I spend or earn," Broken Hill cafe owner Abigail Hughes said.  "I am the one working 75-80 hours a week.  "Show me where my tax dollar is going, actually show me how it is being put to use." Brad Smith says he has questions about deals done when Peter Dutton was home affairs minister. (ABC News: Max Tillman) Tamworth hotel manager Brad Smith has a very specific question he would ask Opposition Leader Peter Dutton: explain the deals behind offshore deportation centre contracts being awarded while he was home affairs minister.  A 2024 report found the Department of Home Affairs did not do due diligence before awarding contracts for regional processing centres in Nauru and Papua New Guinea.  Up in Mt Isa, in the seat of Kennedy, held by Bob Katter since 1993, business owner and former school teacher Chris Kuhne wants to know: Chris Kuhne cleans pools in the Queensland mining town of Mount Isa, an area long held by Bob Katter. (ABC News: Zara Margolis) A School of the Air teacher for more than 25 years, Mr Kuhne now has a swimming pool servicing business.  He is seeing the effects of the cost of living. Customers are cutting back on the frequency of their pool services as they seek to save money.  Rodney Smith is professor of Australian politics at The University of Sydney. He is currently researching trust and mistrust in Australian politics.  Rodney Smith says there's now an incremental approach to change. (Supplied: Rodney Smith) So what is political vision and do we have it in 2025 Australia? That depends, Professor Smith said, on how you define it.  "I think it is having some kind of long-term goal and being able to articulate this clearly. How do we want to live in 10 or 15 years?  "It is more than just responding to events or incremental change along the same lines that has been tried in the past."  Professor Smith says there have been leaders in Australia's political past who have set out a vision: Paul Keating in 1993 who managed to win an election despite an unpopular tax policy. Bob Hawke and John Howard had vision. What we have now is a more incremental approach, with small changes to the tax system and health, rather than big picture issues, Professor Smith said.  "I think we have seen a campaign that was to be expected to be honest.  In Broken Hill, in the far west of NSW, Abigail Hughes is undecided about who will get her vote. The seat of Parkes is held by the National Party on a healthy margin.  Broken Hill cafe owner Abigail Hughes questions how her tax dollars are being spent.  (ABC News: Bill Ormonde) Ms Hughes said her decision would depend on which party offered the best opportunity for her cafe business, which has 12 staff, and what was best for her as a parent of three children.  She said it felt like no matter how hard you worked and how much you made, you could never get ahead.  Rommy Gill came to Australia from India 20 years ago and now runs a cafe in Wodonga and a restaurant in Albury, the twin cities on the NSW–Victorian border. The seat of Farrer is another safe one, held by the Liberals.  Rommy Gill is concerned about the reduction in bulk-billing in his region. (ABC News: Annie Brown) Mr Gill said he was still undecided about which way he would vote.  "I don't really want to vote for any of them," he said, candidly.  The big issue for him is Medicare and availability of bulk-billing. Mr Gill says when he first came his doctor bulk-billed. Now that's finished.  He is not convinced Labor's pledge, matched by the Coalition, to make nine out of 10 GP visits free of out-of-pocket expenses by 2030, will work or benefit him or his family.  Back in Muswellbrook, Renee Johnson is waiting to see how the next three weeks of the campaign play out before deciding who gets her vote.  Having trouble seeing this form? Try this link. 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