Panel: Political engagement among Asian Australians
The Indian diaspora (971,020) is Australia's fastest-growing migrant community and, for the first time, has surpassed the English-born population (970,950) (ABS, 2026). Recognized as a national asset, approximately 51.4% of Indian-born residents have acquired Australian citizenship, representing around half a million eligible citizens (ABS, 2021). As migrant citizens gain political consciousness, they are more likely to participate in elections, engage in community organisations, and contribute to public debate. While the Indian diaspora's social and economic contributions are well documented, less is known about its political participation across Australia's three levels of government. Drawing on the 2018/2019 and 2022/2023 Victorian and New South Wales state elections, and the 2019 Australian federal election, this paper examines whether Indian Australians understand Australia's political institutions – which differ significantly from those of India – and how this understanding shapes their civic engagement and sense of belonging in the country they now call ‘home’.
