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VICTORIANS’ online searches for political parties have fluctuated significantly in recent weeks, leading up to the November state election.
One Nation has recorded the most pronounced spikes in search interest.
Google Trends search data for the major parties shows One Nation attracting the highest level of search interest during September, including a peak indexed at 100 around the middle of the month.
The figures measure relative search interest rather than votes or voter support. 100 represents the peak level of interest during the selected period.
Search interest in One Nation was also high at the beginning of September, reaching the mid-80s before rising again to about 100 in the middle of the month.
It subsequently fell, although it remained above the Liberal, Labor and Nationals searches at the end of the period shown.
The Greens showed a different pattern, with search interest rising towards the end of September.
Their index reached about 47 on the final day shown, making the Greens the most searched of the parties in the chart at that point.
Labor's search interest was more variable, reaching a peak of about 51 early in September before falling back.
It rose again briefly later in the month but ended the period at about 31.
Searches for the Liberal Party were generally lower than those for One Nation, Labor and the Greens, although they showed a modest increase towards the end of the month.
The Nationals recorded the lowest overall search levels of the five parties.
Google Trends search activity should not be treated as an opinion poll.
A person searching for a party may be researching its policies, a candidate, a controversy or something else, and a search does not indicate whether that person intends to vote for the party.
Campaigning is beginning to intensify ahead of the Victorian election on Saturday, November 28, and voters are reminded that enrolment closes at 8pm on November 3.
Recent opinion polling also shows a fragmented Victorian political landscape. A RedBridge Group and Accent Research poll conducted from September 1 to 14, involving 2371 Victorian voters, recorded primary support of 29 per cent for the Coalition, 25 per cent for One Nation, 24 per cent for Labor and 15 per cent for Greens.
In rural areas, a larger proportion were supportive of One Nation, on 33 per cent, compared with Labor on 21 per cent and the Coalition on 28 per cent.
There was also less support for Greens in rural areas, on 10 per cent compared with 18 per cent in inner metropolitan areas.
Only 13 per cent of people with a university degree are likely to vote One Nation.
Renters and Gen-Z were also less likely to vote for One Nation, on 19 per cent and 15 per cent respectively.
This content is part of a paid partnership with Google to promote Google Trends. It uses Google Trends data to explore Victorian search interest in political parties. Google Trends data is aggregated and anonymous. Search interest is measured on a relative scale and does not represent total search volume.