Female voters are three times more likely than men to be wavering voters at this late stage of the 2022 election campaign and thus better targets for the leaders, according to election analysis by the Australian National University.
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The ANUPoll analysis of a survey, which was undertaken between April 11 to 26, found 8.4 per cent of female respondents are still to determine their final vote, compared with 2.8 per cent of men.
And if women's issues may get voters over the line, the survey of more than 3500 Australians asked the level of confidence in the parties regarding gender equity, finding the greater level for Labor and the Greens and less for the Liberal Party and Nationals.
The director of the ANU's Global Institute for Women's Leadership, Professor Michelle Ryan, told The Canberra Times that female votes are still "up for grabs" and they are looking for leadership.
"I think that there is something in the political air for women, which has been brewing since the March for Justice in 2021," Professor Ryan said.
"Women are looking for change and they are looking to the parties for that change.
"I think a smart leader, and smart candidates, would be counting the large number of undecided women - 8.4 per cent of women is a large number that has the potential to shift the outcome of the election."
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The analysis also found significant differences between male and female voters over who they intended to vote for.
Male voters were polled as more likely to vote for the Coalition at 34.5 per cent over female voters at 29.2 per cent. Men were also more likely to say they would vote for Labor at 36.5 per cent than women at 33.4 per cent.
Women were more likely to vote for the Greens at 19.8 per cent. Male Greens voters were polled at 12.2 per cent. Men also were more likely (14 per cent) to say they would vote for another party or independents compared to women at 9.2 per cent.
Professor Ryan said the analysis suggests that female voters could hold the power to decide who is elected Prime Minister, with their votes "still up for grabs".
"I would be campaigning around the issues that are important to women, such as issues and gender equality and issues of climate change," Professor Ryan said.
Voter confidence in the parties differ greatly when it comes to gender equality with the Coalition falling well behind both the Greens and Labor. Half the respondents said they had some level of confidence in Labor to deliver on gender equity, while 46.8 per cent of respondents had similar confidence in the Greens.
Less than a third of respondents had confidence in the Liberal party delivering on gender equity, while just over 20 per cent had any confidence in the Nationals.