{
  "id": 15259842,
  "title": "Labor and the Coalition need the Indian diaspora vote, but the immigration debate has many feeling bruised",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/labor-and-the-coalition-need-the-indian-diaspora-vote-but-the",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-17T19:00:39.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Guardian Australia",
    "slug": "the-guardian-australia",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/oct/18/indian-australians-vote-victorian-state-election-immigration-debate-ntwnfb"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Indian diaspora in Australia is the largest migrant group, and both the Coalition and Labor parties see their votes as crucial ahead of the upcoming Victorian election. However, many within the Indian community feel that politicians often offer little more than empty promises. Kusum Mirchandani, a high school teacher in Melbourne, has been living in Australia for over two decades and has noticed a shift in how the anti-immigration rallies, which often single out Indian migrants, are targeting her community. This has made her feel hurt and upset, despite having lived in Australia for so long.\n\nThe immigration debate has intensified recently, with all three major parties unveiling plans to cut the country's net overseas migration intake. Redbridge polling shows that state Labor has a marginal lead over the Liberal party among Indian Australian voters, which widens when voters choose between the incumbent party and One Nation. One Nation's hardline immigration policy, which targets family members of skilled migrants, could make it harder for Indian Australians, who often have family back home.\n\nSatish Devarakonda, a technology consultant, believes the immigration debate is a short-term kneejerk reaction and is more concerned about the state of the Victorian economy and the cost of living. He has yet to decide who he will vote for in the state election but leans towards the Liberal party. Kos Samaras, a director at Redbridge, says that Indian Australians provide a base that will enable Labor to protect their safest seats. The Victorian Coalition's recent announcement to expand select-entry high schools in the outer suburbs is seen as targeted to the Indian constituency, a group that is over-subscriber of private healthcare and likely to send their children to these schools.",
  "summary": "While Victorian Labor holds a marginal lead with Australia’s largest migrant group, many feel politicians only offer platitudes Get our new political email , free app or daily news podcast Melbourne-based high school teacher Kusum Mirchandani has called Australia home for more than two decades. So when the nationwide anti-immigration March for Australia rallies were first held last year – using…",
  "key_points": [
    "Indian diaspora crucial for Coalition and Labor in Victorian election",
    "Anti-immigration rallies hurt Indian community's perception of politicians",
    "Immigration debate intensifies with plans to cut net overseas migration intake"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}