Former WA Labor premier Carmen Lawrence says the Albanese government must listen to voters and more directly engage with what they want or face its own demise from community-minded independents at the next election.

The Emirita Professor at UWA’s School of Psychological Science said the new PM was signalling he wanted to do things differently, which was critical given the further rise of independents this election.

“People want to feel involved now, they don’t want to sit on the sidelines and see a handful of people decide what happens,” Ms Lawrence told Liam Bartlett on 6PR Mornings about the electorate.

She said 40% of Australians don’t have an affiliation with either of the political parties in today’s climate, while membership of the actual parties was at new lows.

“There are more scouts than members of the Liberal party, and more Freemasons than members of the Labor party,” she said of the shift in voter sentiment away from the main parties.

Press PLAY below to hear her full chat with Liam.