The federal election has been called and campaigns are in full swing, but are young people really concerned about their vote?
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Ten per cent of Australians voting in the election on May 18 will be aged 18 to 24.
Nearly two million "Gen Zs" who are enrolled to vote will be swayed by a range of issues, as evidenced by some Charles Sturt University students' attitudes to politics.
Young voters have varying levels of interest in government and while some are excited to vote, others don't even know who Australia's prime minister is.
The biggest factor influencing their votes are climate change policies, closely followed by concerns over the future of their professions.
Paramedic student Julien Vincent, 22, engages with politics but doesn't have a preferred party when he votes based on what impacts him and every day working Australians.
"For the moment I'm only a student so something that matters is affordability of university fees," Julien said.
Younger voters tend to be swayed by issues, not parties. Youth Action found in 2016 that 57 per cent of young Australians reported no alignment to a party or candidate.
Paramedics student and first-time-voter, Miranda Rogers, 20, is left-leaning and looks towards the future when casting her vote.
"I vote for things that will impact me when I'm older like climate change and helping people less fortunate than myself," Miranda said.
Like many Australians, 20-year-old nursing student Samantha Conte is disengaged with politics altogether and for her first vote she'll decide which box to cross while holding the pen.
"I don't see how my opinion, even if I did have one, would make a difference," Samantha said.
The students believe the turbulent nature of politics and a lack of action towards young Australians' concerns pushes some away.
"There's a stigma that we're too young to have an idea, some reject that idea and still care," Miranda continued, "But I think it's been enforced to a point that a lot of kids just don't bother."
Having three prime ministers in one term alone has disheartened Julien, who believes the two major parties have let down Australians by failing to deliver on promises.
"There's a lot of inaction from the politicians themselves," Julien said.
Climate change, being a major concern among young people, has swayed many against the Coalition's conservative policies.
"A lot of young people believe in climate change and want action on that, but politicians don't deliver much, especially the Liberal Party," Julien said.
But the polls remain tight and young Australians' votes will make a difference.