In June, the Commonwealth Treasurer released the fifth Intergenerational Report – in the calm just before the storm of Covid-19’s Delta strain hitting Australian shores. After acknowledging the ravages caused by Covid-19, the report is upbeat: “Australia remains very well placed to overcome [long-term] challenges and to take advantage of opportunities in the future.”
Australians disagree. Only four in ten (39%) are confident Australia will be a better country in 5-10 years.
The Overview of the first report, in 2002, states that to “maintain a strong, fair, and resilient Australia we need to plan for the future now.” It asserts that the Government wants future Australians to be able to “look forward to: a higher standard of living; opportunities to improve their own circumstances; and sustainable management of natural resources.”
Almost 20 years on, the public agrees with many of these priorities, especially in relation to fairness and the environment (Next25 Navigator).
However, only one in three Australians (34%) are confident the government takes future generations into account when making decisions. Our research shows that for Australians under 30, this is the worst tracking of 39 important aspirations. And this is not driven by self-interest: it is also the third poorest tracking for Australians overall.
At the same time, leaders from a diverse range of sectors tell us they worry that future generations will not experience an improved quality of life (Next25 Recoded). They point to a future-making system that has not been kept up-to-date and is now not fit for purpose.
The 2021 Intergenerational Report states that: “The COVID-19 pandemic has not displaced the pre-existing […] trends that will continue to shape the long-term economic and fiscal outlook. Indeed, the pandemic could accelerate some of those trends.”
Worryingly for Australia, after initial optimism to the contrary, the pandemic has also not displaced the pre-existing malaise in government that continues to hamstring Australia’s present and future.
To set the foundations for a more positive sixth Intergenerational Report in 2025, Next25 sees three imperatives:
Listen to young people. Compared to Australia as a whole, issues that young people believe need more attention include the environment, talking out disagreements, respecting First Nations people, empathy for the disadvantaged, and accepting those with different views. When thinking about intergenerational fairness, it is instructive to listen to and engage with young Australians about what is important.
Empower the public. Two-thirds (66%) of Australians believe it is important to have a say (beyond voting) in the decisions made on their behalf. However, just 34% believe Australia is doing a good job at this, and only 43% believe they as individuals can contribute to Australia’s success. In a democracy with rights and obligations, it is important that citizens not only have a say but also can contribute to the future.
Improve the national conversation. Many of the challenges and opportunities facing Australia are complex with no clear right and wrong answers, or implementation pathways. To constructively discuss and assess options, Australia needs to limit the power of vested interests, move away from hyper-partisanship, reduce polarisation of media and social media, and address the public’s perception that powerful institutions do not act in the public interest. Only with diverse and respectful engagement can our country make the future it wants.
As we emerge into a new normal after this pandemic, the rallying cry in the first intergenerational report to “plan for the future now” has become even more critical in 2021 than it was twenty years ago.