The Shifting Landscape of Australian Life: Trends and Insights
New data from a long-running survey reveals trends in housing stress, relationships, mental health, and more. The findings show that Australians are experiencing changes in their daily lives, from shifting family dynamics to declining mental health in young women.
Australia's social landscape is undergoing significant changes, with new data revealing trends in housing stress, relationships, mental health, and more. The Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey has been tracking the lives of over 17,000 people since 2001, providing a unique window into how Australian life has evolved.
Changing Family Dynamics
New dads are taking slightly longer parental leave, with fathers taking an average of four weeks off in 2024, up from previous years. The report suggests that the federal government's extension of paid parental leave during this period may be a contributing factor. Women, on the other hand, took more than four months on average.
Mental Health Trends
Mental health has declined for young women, with self-reported mental health scores ranking from 0 to 100 showing a startling change over time. Women aged between 15 and 24 have seen a significant decline in mental health since 2001. In contrast, men aged 65 and over have bucked the trend, reporting an increase in self-reported mental health.
Living Arrangements
The proportion of young people living with their parents has climbed since the turn of the century, with 85% of 18- to 21-year-olds living with their parents. The researchers note that most of this growth occurred until the mid-2010s and has remained stable since.
Cognitive Abilities
Survey participants aged between 15 and 24 have shown a decline in cognitive abilities, as measured by two tests: backwards digits span and symbol digits modalities. However, older Australians are performing better on these tests compared to 2012, with those aged 45 and older showing improved cognitive abilities.
Income Support and Employment
Fewer people are receiving government income support payments, with about 13% of 18- to 64-year-olds receiving income support, down from 24% in 2001. The researchers attribute this decline to the tightening of eligibility and growth in employment.
Education and Earnings
The percentage of people with a university degree has risen across decades, for all ages and genders. However, the gender gap in education has widened, with women in the 35-44 age group having a higher percentage of university degrees. Men consistently earn more than women, with the gender pay gap persisting across the survey period.
Food Insecurity and Social Media
The share of Australians over 15 who experienced food insecurity has increased, with more people reporting they could not "obtain adequate food" in the past year due to a lack of money. The percentage of people above the "at-risk" threshold for problematic social media use was greatest for teenagers but declined with age.
Housing Stress and Relationships
Single parents with kids are experiencing the highest level of housing stress, while middle age is the roughest patch for relationships. Women consistently report a lower relationship quality than men across their lifetimes.