When Eduardo Caceres-Sandoval was growing up in Perth, he recalls actively discussing the 2016 US election in primary school — but little was mentioned about the Australian election of the same year.
Despite this, the Chilean Australian went on to study Asia-Pacific security studies in Canberra, partly because his parents encouraged him to read books about Asia.
"As a teenager, it kind of made me realise the world is moving … it's moving away from Europe and US, it's moving toward Asia," says the 20-year-old university student.
Caceres-Sandoval is among a growing number of gen Z Australians concerned about Australia's interactions with the world, .
Polls have shown that scepticism about the US relationship is most common among Australia's diverse communities.
Since 2018, polls run by the Lowy Institute have consistently shown that Australians who had at least one parent born in an Asian country have lower trust in the United States, compared to those whose parents were both born in Australia.
Eduardo Caceres-Sandoval says his Chilean Australian parents encouraged him to read about the Asia-Pacific region when growing up. Credit: Supplied
These perspectives could become more important as Australia's diversity continues to grow. Around 31.5 per cent of , according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures from 2023. This is up from 17.7 per cent in 1911.
First-time voter Ria Verma, 19, says her Indian parents' migration journey to Australia two decades ago has "complicated" her opinion on the Australia-US alliance. She is also concerned that both the US and Australia .
Both Verma and Caceres-Sandoval want to see Australia's foreign policy become more independent, while maintaining the existing alliance with the US.
"I think it's already happening, but I would like Australia to just go all-in in terms of engaging with its Asian counterparts," Caceres-Sandoval says.
Ria Verma says immigration has been a life changing opportunity for many people, including her parents. Credit: Supplied
Nuanced shift of views on US between generations
There is generally a bipartisan approach to foreign and defence affairs in Australia, so the issue has had limited influence on voters in elections — only 5 per cent considered it the most important issue in the last election, according to the Australian Electoral Study in 2022.
But that could change at . The ABC's Vote Compass tool shows an increase in voters nominating foreign affairs as a voting priority compared to the 2022 election. The issue resonates most among voters aged 18 to 29.
Nineteen-year-old Canberra voter Regina Ng, who hopes to pursue a career in foreign policy, says the subject is among the top issues for her when considering her vote.
"I think foreign policy would be one of the highest things that I would rank in terms of how I view the election," says Ng, who studies international relations at the Australian National University.
Regina Ng says foreign policy is among the top issues she'll be looking at in deciding her vote. Credit: Supplied
He tells SBS News that he and his peers are "more aware" of the Australia-US relationship than their parents' generation.
I feel that our generation have grown up with the US and the influence of the United States, their popular culture, basically every aspect of their social life is integrated into our Australian cultural upbringing.
Adams says he's been an advocate for the Australia-US alliance in the past few years, but the new Trump administration made him "start to question the alliance".
But still, Adams says he's not "against" the alliance.
"I'm still supportive of our alliance [with the US], and and a lot of scientific developments that our nations make together — regardless of who’s the president of the US," he said pointing to the security partnership that will see Australia buy nuclear submarines from the US.
Dylan Rafel Adams says he considers national security as the most important election issue when considering who he will vote for. Credit: Supplied
Despite the trade disputes, the poll shows the majority of Australians still find the Australia-US alliance important for Australia’s security, with only 4 per cent considering it "not at all important".
But there is a generational gap — while 61 per cent of Australians aged 60 and above considered Australia’s alliance with the US "very important", only 41 per cent of people aged 18 to 29 considered it so.
Generational divide when it comes to trust
Ryan Neelam, director of the Lowy Institute's public opinion and foreign policy program, says there has also been a dramatic drop in trust in the US among Australians aged 60 and above.
In 2024, 72 per cent had "a great deal of trust" in the US, but this dropped dramatically to 39 per cent in 2025.
Among Australians aged 18 to 29, trust in the US fell by a smaller margin (just 4 percentage points) but they were already at relatively low levels, and this group has reported the lowest level of trust among all age groups since 2018.
The age divide can also be seen in differing views about .
Thirty-nine per cent of Australians aged 18 to 29 approved, compared with 61 per cent of those aged 60 and above who endorsed the policy.
The Lowy poll also shows Australians aged 18 to 29 have the highest level of trust in Anthony Albanese's competence at handling foreign policy (54 per cent), but the lowest trust in Peter Dutton (11 per cent), compared to other age groups.
Plans could 'hurt' young people
Sarah Ramantanis, who is the chief executive of the not-for-profit Young Australians in International Affairs, says young Australians are increasingly questioning how the strategic and trade relationships with the US could affect their job security and other economic prospects.
"For example … Trump's tariff policy naturally encourages an increase in domestic production within the US, [which means] less aluminium production and subsequent jobs within the sector in Australia," Ramantanis tells SBS News.
She says the war in Gaza has also led to "a significant shift" among young Australians as they lose respect for the US, while Trump's makes young people more concerned about climate change.
LISTEN TO
Climate Wars (Revisited): Party Time Ep 3
SBS News
26:41
There is also concern about the Coalition's election pledge to increase Australia’s defence spending to (GDP).
Opposition leader Peter Dutton says the funding boost will help Australia maintain its relationship with allies.
Adams says while it's "essential" for Australia to increase defence funding amid an "unstable global environment with increasing tensions", he's worried the Coalition's plan could hurt young people.
When food is expensive, wait times for doctors are long and universities are seeing mass course cuts, it scares me that the Coalition is willing to spend more money on defence than they would on health or education.
Caceres-Sandoval also believes it's necessary to enhance Australia's defence capabilities, but he is concerned the military spending could be complicated, amid the current US-Australia trade tensions.
"If 3 per cent of our GDP is going to the American military industrial complex, will we have good will and security guarantees in exchange?" he asks.
"As an Australian voter, I want honesty."
Cuts to public service raise fears about career pathways
Several young voters who are prioritising foreign policy in this election tell SBS News that they would like to pursue a career in the field, but say the cost of living crisis and intense job competition within the sector may turn them off.
In the past, a major pathway for graduates to become diplomats has been through joining the public service.
But Ramantanis says many young Australians now have their eyes on overseas international relations organisations.
I think a lot of youth lose sight of hope that working within government is going to be the way to create sustainable change — just given the current climate of inconsistent leadership and fear for the upcoming election in Australia and overseas as well.
Some tell SBS News they are worried the would mean fewer job opportunities when they graduate.
Ramantanis hopes the upcoming government will continue to support youth initiatives such as the New Colombo Plan, a scholarship program run by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to support university students to study in the Indo-Pacific region.
She also wants to see if the next government can help open up more jobs in the international relations sector that "align with young people's values, like sustainability technology or international affairs alike".
And for those who’ve already worked in the sector, they hope the upcoming election will see more culturally diverse Australians represented in the parliament.
"I think I would like to see more Asian Australians in the public discourse," says Caroline Wang, a Sydney-based China analyst in her early 30s.
"I would love to see more diversity in the foreign policy debate and national conversation.
"We would do ourselves a massive favour by bringing diversity into the public debate, especially [those] who have cultural and linguistic knowledge and can inform the debate with their experiences and their lens."
Visit the to access articles, podcasts and videos from SBS News, NITV and our teams covering more than 60 languages.
