Positive sentiment towards the Liberal-National Coalition and leader Peter Dutton has significantly declined in the past four months, dropping 10% nationwide, new data from Search Intelligence data platform Captify has revealed.
The statistics, released today by Captify, the largest independent holder of onsite search data outside of the walled gardens, aim to provide deeper insights into consumer sentiment in the lead-up to the federal election on May 3.
The data, which was captured between November 2024 and February 2025, takes the temperature of the nation, deep diving into the positive and negative sentiment towards the Labor Party and the Coalition, as well as the topics that are top-of-mind for Australians heading into the election.
Overall, negative sentiment towards the Coalition has jumped from 55.9% in November last year to 67.9% in February, representing a 12% increase in the negative rating. Similarly, positive sentiment has dropped from 42.6% in 2024 to just 32.1% nationwide so far in 2025.
Even Queensland – Dutton’s home ground – has seen a drop in approval ratings for the Coalition, from 40.4% last year to 32.9% in February.
Currently, positive sentiment for the Coalition is highest in Western Australia, sitting at 37.3%, despite the Labor Party’s recent success in the WA election. The ACT is also set to be a significant battleground for Dutton, with positive sentiment sitting at just 26.6% – the lowest in the nation.
Despite the swing in Coalition sentiment, Australians’ feelings towards the Labor Party have remained relatively stable in recent months, with just a 2% shift in the data nationwide.
The Labor Party’s win in the WA election, held on March 8, helped to significantly boost positive sentiment for the party in Western Australia with a jump from 41.6% last year to 46.9% in February.
According to onsite search data, positive sentiment for the Labor Party is highest in the Northern Territory, sitting at 48.5%, followed by Western Australia (46.95%), South Australia (46.84%) and Queensland (44.8%). Tasmania and the ACT are set to be key campaign areas for the Labor Party in the coming weeks, with positive sentiment the lowest nationwide, sitting at 41.8% and 40.4% respectively.
Millennials and young professionals (aged 29-44) have more positive sentiment towards the Labor Party than any other age group, recording 45.1% positive feelings compared to 43.4% across all other age demographics.
“Captify’s recent data shows the Coalition has its work cut out for it in the lead-up to the May 3 election, with onsite search data showing positive sentiment for Dutton and the Coalition dramatically dropping in recent months. The next few weeks will be critical for both parties, as they aim to regain ground nationwide, while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese works to maintain his current position with Australians,” said Captify’s managing director Australia, Jaclyn Hadida.
“Onsite search data will be important for the parties, as they provide a deeper look into how Australians feel approaching the election cycle. Our data is unique in its ability to provide up-to- date, unpromoted insights into what consumers care about most.”
Prime Minister Albanese announced the Federal Election date last week on Friday, just days after releasing his fourth Federal Budget. Cost-of-living, climate, health and education are set to be key campaign issues as the parties race to the polls.
