The 2025 Federal Australian Election, held in May 2025, marked a defining moment in the country’s political and social trajectory. While the campaign posters have come down and the polling booths have been packed away, the impact of this election continues to ripple through classrooms across the nation. Whether you’re studying Politics, Legal Studies, History, or Economics, the 2025 election offers a rich, relevant and timely resource to deepen your understanding of complex topics. It connects textbook concepts to current events, making your studies more practical and meaningful—especially as exam season approaches.

What Is the Federal Election?

In Australia, a federal election is held approximately every three years to determine who will represent citizens in the Commonwealth Parliament. Voters elect Members of Parliament to the House of Representatives as well as Senators to the Senate. The party or coalition of parties that secures a majority in the House of Representatives forms government and its leader becomes Prime Minister.

This process reflects Australia’s representative democracy and ensures that those in power are chosen directly by the people. The Senate, often referred to as the upper house, plays a vital role in reviewing legislation, scrutinising government activity and representing the interests of each state equally. The 2025 election determined not only who would lead the country but also what kind of policies and priorities would guide the next three years of national governance.

Why Do Elections Happen?

• Democratic Foundation: Australia’s constitutional democracy requires regular elections to ensure governments remain accountable to voters.
• Constitutional Requirement: The Australian Constitution (Section 28) mandates elections for the House of Representatives at least every three years. The Prime Minister can call an election earlier, but May 2025 marked the latest possible date for the next vote.
• Policy Direction: Elections allow citizens to shape national priorities, from climate action to economic policies.

How the Election Ties Into Your Subjects

1. Politics and Legal Studies

The 2025 federal election is a goldmine for students studying VCE Legal Studies, HSC Legal Studies, or QCE Modern History because it offers a fresh real-world example of how democracy functions in practice.

In VCE Legal Studies Unit 3: Law Making, the election result affects the composition of Parliament and therefore the passage of legislation. A party with a clear majority can usually pass laws more easily while a minority government or one with a slim majority may need to negotiate with independents or smaller parties. The 2025 election highlighted this dynamic, with independents and minor parties like the Greens and the Teal movement wielding significant influence in legislative negotiations, particularly around housing affordability and climate targets.

In HSC Legal Studies Part II: Law and Society, students explore the electoral process including compulsory voting and its impact on democratic participation. The 2025 election was an opportunity to observe Australia’s unique voting system in action and to critically examine whether it truly leads to fair and equitable representation.

For QCE Modern History Unit 2: Movements and Change, the election can be used to analyse how legal and political outcomes are shaped by activism and public pressure. For example, the ongoing debate surrounding the Indigenous Voice to Parliament gained renewed attention in the election campaigns and continues to influence national discourse and legal reform.

Sample Assessment Question:

Analyse how the Senate’s role as a house of review ensures accountability in law making.

💡 Tip: Use the Senate’s 2025 review of controversial housing reform bills or proposed changes to tax legislation as concrete examples of this reviewing function in action.

2. History

From a historical perspective, the 2025 election joins a long list of transformative moments in Australian democracy. Comparing past and present elections helps students understand the evolution of public values, social movements, and government priorities.

In VCE Australian History Unit 4: Transformations, students can trace the impact of elections on Australian society. For example, the Whitlam government’s 1972 victory was marked by the powerful slogan It’s Time and ushered in major social reforms including free university education and the establishment of Medicare. Similarly, the 2025 election offered insight into shifting social priorities such as the urgent need for climate adaptation, housing security, and education equity.

In HSC Modern History: Power and Authority, students are asked to compare different electoral systems. The preferential voting system used in Australia minimises the chance of extremist parties gaining power and encourages broader representation. This can be compared with Germany’s proportional representation system to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each.

Key Historical Link:

The 1967 Referendum, which led to Indigenous Australians being counted in the census and enabled the federal government to make laws for them, was a direct result of sustained public pressure and political advocacy. The 2025 election further demonstrated the power of democratic processes in shaping national identity with continued calls for Indigenous constitutional recognition and representation.

3. Economics

The 2025 election campaigns focused heavily on economic issues from wage growth and inflation to housing affordability and government spending. These debates offer students studying VCE Economics Unit 3: Australia’s Living Standards and HSC Economics: Economic Policies tangible case studies to support their learning.

In VCE Economics, election promises are directly linked to indicators such as GDP growth, employment rates, and inflation control. The winning party’s commitment to renewable energy investment, infrastructure expansion, and small business support was aimed at stimulating economic productivity and long-term growth. Students can analyse these policy measures to explore how macroeconomic goals are pursued in practice.

In HSC Economics, parties often diverge on the best methods of achieving economic stability and fairness. The 2025 campaign presented competing strategies for managing cost of living pressures, with the Coalition focusing on tax offsets and Labor emphasising social spending and support for low and middle income households.

💡 Exam Hack:

If your exam includes a question on economic inequality, reference the 2025 debates surrounding stage three tax cuts, housing affordability, and wage subsidies. Discuss how each policy may affect wealth distribution, consumer spending, and economic participation.

How Elections Are Taught and Assessed

Teachers use elections to bring textbooks to life through engaging and practical learning tasks. Common assessment formats include:

• Short Answer Questions:
  • Explain how compulsory voting strengthens Australia’s democracy.
  • Describe one advantage of the preferential voting system.
• Essay Topics:
  • To what extent do minor parties influence policy outcomes in Australia?

💡 Tip: Use the role of the Greens in shaping post-election environmental legislation or the Teal independents’ influence on integrity and transparency measures as examples.

• Data Analysis Tasks:
  • You may be asked to interpret voting patterns or demographic shifts. The rise of independents in formerly safe seats and the voting trends among young Australians in 2025 are particularly relevant topics for analysis.
• Class Debates and Simulations:
  • Mock elections and parliamentary role-plays can help students understand the intricacies of policy development, debate, and negotiation. Issues like education funding, the cost of groceries, and housing prices are all suitable for classroom simulations informed by the 2025 campaigns.

Why This Still Matters for Your Studies and Life

The 2025 election is more than just a chapter in Australian political history. It is a practical resource that can help you score higher in exams, develop deeper critical thinking skills, and become an informed citizen.

• Exam Relevance: Using real examples in essays and SACs helps you stand out and adds sophistication to your answers.
• Critical Thinking: Breaking down political promises teaches you to assess sources, motives, and impacts—skills you can apply across many subjects.
• Civic Literacy: Whether you voted this year or not, the more you understand the system now, the better equipped you’ll be to engage in democratic processes in the future.

How to Use the 2025 Election for Exam Success

• Follow Credible News
  • Sources like ABC News and The Conversation provide in-depth analysis that you can use in essays and assessments.
  • Podcasts like Party Room and Democracy Sausage simplify complex issues and keep you up to date with political developments.
• Compare Party Platforms
  • Create a comparison chart of major party positions on topics like climate policy, healthcare, education, and taxation. This is a helpful revision tool—especially for Politics and Economics.
• Use Primary Sources
  • Explore Hansard transcripts or parliamentary debate videos to understand how policies are argued, refined, and implemented. This adds substance and authenticity to your written responses.
• Practise with Past Exam Questions
  • In VCE Legal Studies, try revisiting the 2020 exam question: Evaluate the effectiveness of Parliament in responding to community demands. Now apply it to the 2025 government’s proposed legislative agenda on housing, tax, and youth mental health.

Final Thoughts

Although the 2025 federal election is now behind us, its consequences and case studies will shape classroom discussions throughout the year. From legislative reforms to voter engagement, it offers a treasure trove of material for students of Politics, Legal Studies, History, and Economics. By weaving current events into your studies, you’re not just preparing for exams—you’re equipping yourself with the knowledge and insight to participate meaningfully in Australia’s democratic future.

If you found these tips helpful, I’d personally love to support you as your tutor this year. You can view my profile here on Learnmate and contact me to discuss tutoring.

Alternatively, you can also engage other Politics tutors, Legal Studies tutors and more on Learnmate to help you refine your extended response skills, boost your confidence, and receive tailored guidance to ace your WACE Economics exams.