Recent data indicates that economic concerns, such as the cost of living, inflation, and stagnant wages, dominate the priorities of adults, with 23% identifying these as their primary issues.
This percentage significantly surpasses other major worries, including employment, political instability, and public safety.
Interestingly, only 3% of respondents expressed primary concerns about essential needs such as food and shelter. Notably, seven out of ten countries where these issues were most pressing are located in sub-Saharan Africa.
Australia, however, ranks third on the list of nations where basic needs like housing are a critical concern, alongside other affluent countries facing similar crises, such as Ireland and Canada.
The report highlights that “all three countries are grappling with well-documented housing crises, with younger adults particularly likely to view the affordability of basic necessities as the nation’s foremost problem.”
It further elaborates that “the widespread dissatisfaction with housing in these nations underscores how struggles to meet basic needs can impact perceptions of the broader economy, even in wealthy countries.”
“The scale of dissatisfaction with housing in these three countries shows how people’s struggles to afford basic needs like housing may colour their perceptions of the national economy, even in prosperous nations.”
The research found Australians’ satisfaction with the availability of good and affordable housing has significantly dropped over the decade to 2025, falling from just under 50 per cent to 25 per cent.
It comes as data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics today showed living costs rose for all household types in the 12 months to the December quarter due to the rising cost of housing, food and non-alcoholic drinks.
“Rises in annual living costs ranged from 2.3 per cent to 4.2 per cent in the December 2025 quarter, depending on the expenditure patterns of the different household types,” ABS head of price statistics Michelle Marquardt said.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has defended the government’s spending levels and cost-of-living measures, saying temporary factors like the energy rebate and rising travel costs and persistent factors like housing were to blame.
“I take responsibility for all aspects of my job, including my part in the fight against inflation, but more than that, we’re taking action,” he told reporters yesterday.
“We know that Australians are under pressure.”
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