Politically engaged – but ‘very much’ worried about buying a home: study reveals young Australians’ anxieties

Almost three-quarters of young Australians are concerned about being able to afford a house, the Australia" class="entity-link entity-topic" data-entity-id="165106" data-entity-type="topic">Growing Up in Australia study found. Photograph: Nick Gregory/Alamy View image in fullscreen Almost three-quarters of young Australians are concerned about being able to afford a house, the Australia" class="entity-link entity-topic" data-entity-id="165106" data-entity-type="topic">Growing Up in Australia study found. Photograph: Nick Gregory/Alamy Politically engaged – but ‘very much’ worried about buying a home: study reveals young Australians’ anxieties Australia" class="entity-link entity-topic" data-entity-id="165106" data-entity-type="topic">Growing Up in Australia report shows Gen Z are more anxious about housing affordability than climate change or following a chosen career path Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Far more young people are worried about being able to buy a home than about climate change or finding a job in their chosen field, according to a study that also reveals Gen Z’s deep distrust of politicians, political parties and the media. The latest insights from a major longitudinal study show high levels of participation in the political debate, challenging stereotypes that younger Australians are disengaged from public life. The federal government-run Australia" class="entity-link entity-topic" data-entity-id="165106" data-entity-type="topic">Growing Up in Australia study has tracked roughly 10,000 children and their families from across the country since 2004, surveying them every two years as they moved through childhood, adolescence and adulthood. The two groups in the cohort are now aged 19-20 years old and 23-24 years old, entering and navigating early adulthood at a time of major social and economic upheaval and a worsening climate crisis. The latest survey results, published on Wednesday by the Australian Institute of Family Studies, focus on civic engagement and politics, revealing housing affordability was clearly the most common source of anxiety when it came to social, economic and environment issues. Almost three-quarters of the 4,168 respondents reported they felt “quite a bit” or “very concerned” about being able to afford to buy a home. The next most common response was global economic problems (42%) and climate change (41%). Just under 40% were worried about finding a job in their chosen field. It was the first time the cohort was specifically asked about civic engagement and politics, meaning it was not possible to compare how their views might have shifted over time. The questions will, however, be an ongoing feature of future surveys. The scale of anxiety about housing affordability would appear to validate the Albanese government’s decision to wind back property investor tax concessions in an attempt to help more young people break into the property market. Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers also framed the changes as necessary to build trust and address a sense of disillusionment with the political system that was pushing voters toward One Nation and its rightwing populist agenda. The survey results laid bare the extent of the trust shortfall, with just 15% of respondents reporting “a lot of trust” or “some trust” in politicians and political parties. The respondents reported the same level of trust in news from social media, while trust in the traditional news media was only slightly higher at 18%. Hospitals (86%), scientists (75%) and police (66%) were the most trusted institutions, according to the survey. Only 11% of young Australians believed the political system allowed people to have a “meaningful say” in government decisions, while 38% felt politics was too complicated to understand. But while Gen Z might be sceptical about politics, it is not preventing them from participating in public debate in some form. More than 80% of 1,796 members of the cohort had signed an online petition about a government policy or decision in the past five years, while 31% had attended a protest, march or demonstration. Almost 60% had joined or followed a social media group campaigning about a social or political issue, while 45% had posted their views online. Dr Ebony Biden, the lead author of the study, said the findings challenged the stereotype that young people were disengaged from public life. “Young people have often been described as disengaged from civic life, but these findings show many are actively involved in ways that aren’t always expressed through what might be seen as traditional pathways,” she said. “Understanding how people, across all ages and diverse groups, engage with political and social issues is critical to building a society that remains inclusive and responsive.” Explore more on these topics Housing Australian politics Generational inequality Australian economy Young people news Share Reuse this content