The upcoming federal election would need to re-engage young Australians with a growing distrust of political institutions amid cost-of-living pressures, a report shows.
The upcoming federal election would need to re-engage young Australians with a growing distrust of political institutions amid cost-of-living pressures, a report shows.
The Youth in Focus report by Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre, published today, shows young Australians were concerned of financial pressures, worsening mental health and declining trust in political parties.
The report, which included responses from Australians aged 14 to 25, found 56 per cent of young people surveyed identified cost of living to be top issue of national concern.
School or study problems was the top issue of personal concern, with 35 per cent of respondents identifying as their dominant concern.
Cost-of-living is listed as the second on the list of top issue of a personal concern at 34 per cent.
According to the report, only one in eight young Australians expressed trust in the political process.
“Approximately four in ten young people regard politics as important – an attitude that has remained relatively stable over time," the report reads.
“However, trust in the political process has fallen significantly over the past decade, with only one in eight young people expressing confidence in political parties.
“Notably, confidence in politics tends to decline during the mid-career and family formation years before recovering in later life."
Report co-author Mike Dockery said the upcoming federal election would be a critical moment to re-engage younger voters.
“If political leaders fail to address their concerns - on cost of living, education, mental health and climate action - they risk further alienating an entire generation system has drifted away from its original intent to provide fair and equitable access to higher education,” he said.
Confidence in political parties has declined over the past two decades among young Australians, from 18 per cent to about 13 per cent, the report said.
“Overall, younger people appear to have distinct policy preferences and their representation in politics may well matter,” the report reads.
“Yet, despite their vested interest in shaping the future, young people may encounter barriers to meaningful participation in politics.
BCEC principal research fellow and report co-author Astghik Mavisakalyan said the findings highlighted the urgent need for policies that better support young Australians.
“Young people today face financial stress, rising HECS debts, mental health struggles and uncertainty about their future,” she said.
“Mental health issues among young women have worsened significantly over the past decade, with three in ten experiencing high or very high psychological distress – double the rate of their male counterparts.
“At the same time, social connectedness is deteriorating, despite the prevalence of social media, which is leaving many young people feeling isolated and unsupported.”
The government’s Job-ready graduate and HECS packages have been limited, according to the report.
“Many graduates today face mounting debt, lower take-home pay and increased financial stress compared to previous generations,” Dr Dockery said.
“The Job-Ready Graduates Package, which determines course fees based on predicted workforce demand, is flawed and is creating a generational divide.
“Our analysis finds no real link between course costs and future employment outcomes, meaning students are being penalised for choosing courses that may actually be vital to Australia’s future workforce needs.”
The report revealed 27 per cent of young people surveyed in 2024 listed climate change as their top national concern, a stark difference to the 41 per cent recorded from 2020 and 2023.
