Latest news with #youngAustralians
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Young Australians struggle to save amid cost-of-living crisis
The cost of living in a city is quickly making savings a thing of the past, especially for young Australians. Financial stability, or the luxury of a 'nest egg', is becoming less realistic as cost of living pressures continue to rise. According to an ongoing survey by financial comparison website Finder, half of Australians are living pay cheque to pay cheque. The Consumer Sentiment Tracker is a live, nationwide study which has so far polled over 78,000 people and expands monthly by 1000 participants. Of those surveyed, 43 per cent have less than $1000 in savings. This rings true for many young Aussies, with one bar worker simply blaming her lack of savings on 'living in Sydney'. 'I have no savings,' the 28-year-old told Coposit – a property app that runs a popular series where they stop people on the street and ask them how much they have in savings. 'Just like the cost of living is going up – rent is expensive, all the other bills and stuff.' The young woman, who is currently a renter and can't move back with family as they live 'in the country', said she would 'love' to own a property. '(The government) should be doing more to (tackle) cost of living … so people can have that opportunity if they want to, to own property,' she said. Another man, a 30-year-old IT worker, had a similar outlook and blamed the country's 'f**ked' cost-of-living crisis. He said he had $5000 in savings, with his biggest costs being general living expenses. 'You can tell how f**ked it is by how often I'm using the word f**ked', he said. 'You hear about it, your mates in the (United) States and they talk about they've moved out, living on campus with college mates. 'And us here, if we were to move out, we'd be eating noodles and then probably working three jobs on top. 'I'm lucky enough to have parents that bought their own house, and I can't imagine how f**cked it is for everyone else.' As of July, the average Australian has $47,624 in savings – up from $36,298 this time last year. Of those surveyed by Finder, men continue to have significantly larger cash reserve than women, coming in at $32,154 and $61,816 respectively. 'While Australians are, on average, feeling slightly more confident about their money than they were two years ago, not everyone is feeling flush,' Finder's head of consumer research Graham Cooke told 'Costs are coming down for homeowners, but not renters and this highlights a divide that's hard to ignore. 'Finder's Cost of Living Pressure Gauge has eased slightly but is still in the very high range, meaning many are continuing to struggle with everyday expenses.' Mr Cooke said the best thing to do is to take time to reassess your finances. 'Whether it's snagging a better deal on your home loan, finding a higher interest rate on your savings account, or cancelling those unused memberships and subscriptions, you could save thousands by making some savvy changes,' he said.
News.com.au
16-07-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
Inside the heartbreaking epidemic killing 100 people an hour
Amaleed Al-Maliki was surrounded by people when she hit bottom. She was in her twenties, educated, working, constantly texting, constantly posting. She had the kind of social life that looks, from the outside, like a shield against despair. And yet she felt adrift in a sea of surface-level connection that never quite touched her. 'I don't know if anyone really knows me,' she told an interviewer. 'I don't even know how to start that conversation.' Her loneliness wasn't about being alone. It was about invisibility. She is not unique. She is the chorus. It's the unspoken epidemic: young Australians, more connected than ever, but somehow more isolated, more adrift, more quietly undone. Last week, the World Health Organisation declared loneliness a public health threat on the scale of smoking or obesity. The numbers are staggering: one in six people on Earth now feels profoundly alone . The World Health Organisation estimates that it is responsible for more than 100 deaths every hour. That's nearly 900,000 a year. \We often talk about climate change as the defining crisis of our age. But maybe the real climate crisis is emotional. A spiritual drought. A generation raised online, surrounded by noise but starved of closeness, absorbing highlight reels while silencing their own pain. We are living through a global emergency. But it's not broadcast with sirens or televised briefings. It creeps quietly, almost politely, into bedrooms and buses, classrooms and cafes. What do you do with a crisis that doesn't announce itself? Loneliness doesn't show up on a scale or an X-ray. It masquerades behind smiles. It haunts crowded rooms. It whispers, 'You're the only one.' But the truth is, it's all of us. We are a world full of people scrolling past each other in search of something we can't name. Among teenagers, it's even worse. For millions of young people, the defining feeling of modern life is not excitement or hope, it is disconnection. Australia is no exception. One in four young Australians report struggling with loneliness. They are not alone, and yet they feel they are. They live with full inboxes and empty hearts, scrolling past curated perfection while wondering why the silence won't let go. Loneliness is not a mood. It's a wound. One that festers quietly in bedrooms and lecture halls and office cubicles. It disguises itself well, in jokes, in parties, in social media profiles and it grows in the absence of language. You can say you're stressed. You can say you're burnt out. But say you're lonely? That's different. That feels like admitting failure. This young generation was the first to grow up online. And in that great leap forward nto connectivity, into information, into self-expression we lost something primal. The quiet, nourishing texture of presence. Of being seen. Not just liked. We often talk about mental health in terms of brains and biochemistry. But loneliness attacks the soul. It leaves people doubting whether they matter. Whether their absence would be noticed. Whether they are, at core, lovable. And that kind of pain doesn't just sit in the mind. It shows up in the body. In inflammation. In heart disease. In diabetes. In early death. I recently spoke to a young woman who, on the surface, had it all: friends, followers, a steady job. And yet she said the most honest thing I've heard in years: 'I don't know if anyone really knows me. I don't even know how to start that conversation.' Her loneliness wasn't about absence—it was about invisibility. One study found that loneliness is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. And yet, where is the national outcry? The emergency summit? The hotline? We are a country that prides itself on mateship. But mateship is not just a beer after work. It's what we do when someone in the group hasn't spoken in a while. It's what we say when someone admits they don't want to be here anymore. It's the way a society tells its members: you matter. Right now, too many Australians aren't hearing that. They are students on campuses full of people, yet without a single confidante. They are teenagers with group chats but no real conversation. They are elderly neighbours we used to wave to, now seen only through a window. They are all around us. They are us. And what makes loneliness so dangerous is that it doesn't just cause pain, it changes behaviour. It makes people suspicious. It makes them angry. It drives them toward echo chambers, where belonging is offered in exchange for bitterness. In that sense, loneliness isn't just a health risk. It's a civic one. It corrodes trust. It hollows out empathy. So what do we do? Start small. We do not need a billion-dollar task force to start saying hello to strangers. To invite someone for a walk. To text the friend who's gone quiet. We need churches, mosques, and synagogues to be open even when there's no service. We need schools to teach not just math and science but connection. We need workplaces where small talk is not a sin but a lifeline. We need to stop pretending that connection will come through bandwidth alone. And we need to hear from people like Amaleed. Not just because her story is brave but because it's common. Because every silent commuter, every crowded party, every unread message may be carrying someone through a storm they can't name. The WHO has sounded the alarm. Now it's our turn to listen. We will not fix this with hashtags. But we can start to fix it with each other. Australia is not the loneliest country. But right now, we are lonelier than we admit. And the most urgent thing we can say to each other may be the simplest: I see you. I'm here. Let's talk.
Daily Mail
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Aussie construction boss reveals the huge problem with younger workers - and it's stopping many from becoming tradies
A frustrated Australian construction boss says he's finding it hard to take on more apprentices because many young Australians don't have a driver's licence. Scott Challen, who heads Brisbane-based home renovator The QHI group, said he was recently asked to take on a 19-year-old apprentice and was happy to help, until he discovered the applicant didn't have a licence, something he considers a basic requirement for the job. He also criticised the Albanese Government's $10,000 incentive payment for hiring construction apprentices, saying it's ineffective if young people can't even drive to job sites. 'Let me tell you what the real problem with getting apprentices on board in the construction industry,' he said. 'A good friend rings me up and says would I consider putting her son on as a carpentry apprentice and I'm like absolutely, always looking for good kids. 'She goes, he hasn't got a driver's license and I'm like what do mean he hasn't got a driver's licence.' The builder was told the young man had completed the required lessons and logged enough hours, but had failed the driving test three times. Due to long wait times, there was a three-month gap between each attempt. He explained that having a car and licence is essential, as apprentices need to travel to multiple job sites across the state. 'It's not practical for this kid to be an apprentice,' he said. The Aussie builder revealed the problem ran deeper than that one teenager. 'I did a bit more digging around on this and apparently there's a whole generation of kids out there who can't get their driver's licences which means they can't get a job,' he said. 'If you really want to fix the problem of getting kids into apprenticeships why aren't we making driving lessons in high school mandatory. 'Why aren't we helping these kids leave school with their driver's licence - wouldn't that make sense. 'These Aussie kids got to go through all these hoops and barriers and hit all these friction points just to get a driver's licence.' Several studies over the past decade have shown a decline in the number of teenagers and young adults getting their driver's licences compared to previous generations. In South Australia, one study found that licensing rates among 17 to 19-year-olds fell from 62 per cent in 2009 to 55 per cent in 2018. In Victoria, the proportion of people under 25 with a licence dropped from 77 per cent in 2001 to 66 per cent in recent years. Australians responded to the construction boss's comments by sharing their own frustrations about how difficult it is to progress from taking a first driving lesson to actually getting a licence. 'Add driving lessons to the long list of life ready skills they don't teach in school,' one said. 'The cost of the test and licence is expensive - finding time to get the hours up between long work hours is not easy.' 'Imagine disadvantaged kids trying to actually pay for 120 hours of lessons,' a second said. 'We need a solution. No money to pay for lessons because parents couldn't afford it.' Others suggested that not being able to hire the teenager might have been a blessing in disguise. 'If he's failing three times he doesn't have the capacity to follow orders and maintain instructions, he also has his mother speaking for him,' one said. 'He is not the kind of person you want working for you in the first place.' A second said: 'If they're failing to just get a driver's licence, they're probably going to struggle with an apprenticeship too and you're going to have to carry them.'
ABC News
08-07-2025
- Health
- ABC News
How to check your eligibility for early cancer screening programs
Data provided to Four Corners by Cancer Australia has painted a concerning picture for young Australians. Between the years 2000 and 2024 — in 30–39-year-olds — early onset prostate, pancreatic, liver, uterine and kidney cancer diagnoses increased dramatically in varying percentages. Some increases, such as prostate cancer, might be explained by changes in the way they are diagnosed — but most cannot. Screening still is one of the most effective ways to detect early signs of cancer and there are several national programs that test eligible Australians for various forms of cancer. Eligibility for some programs has recently been expanded to reflect the increasing cancer rates among younger Australians, while other programs have just rolled out this month. These are the eligibility details for each. Women aged 25–74 are able to participate in Australia's cervical screening program, which is to be repeated every five years. The cervical screen test is straightforward and checks for the human papillomavirus, a common virus that can cause cervical cancer. You can either self-collect or book an appointment with your GP. Self-collection allows a person to collect their own vaginal sample in a private space in a primary healthcare setting, potentially reducing barriers to cervical screening. Previously, self-collection was only available to people who were 30 years of age or over and had never participated in the National Cervical Screening Program (NCSP) or who were overdue for cervical screening by two years or longer. You can contact your GP to talk about what the most suitable option for you is. If you are aged between 45 and 74 you are eligible for a free bowel cancer screening kit. The test is for people who have no signs or symptoms of bowel cancer. This is because bowel cancer can develop without you noticing the early signs. Australians between the ages of 45 and 49 can request a bowel cancer screening kit, which will be sent to them via mail. People aged 50 to 74 years old will receive a kit every two years. The screening age was lowered from 50 to 45 last year due to increasing rates of colorectal cancer in Australia among people under the age of 50. If you are outside the age range for a free screening but wish to receive one, speak with your GP. Your doctor may recommend bowel screening available via Medicare. Bowel screening kits are also available for purchase at pharmacies or online. If you have signs, symptoms, or a family history of bowel cancer, this test may not be suitable for you. If you are under screening age, you may not need to do the test if you have had a colonoscopy in the last two years or are seeing a doctor about bowel problems. Breast cancer screening is recommended for women aged 50–74 and should be repeated every two years. Once an eligible individual turns 50 they will be sent an invitation to receive a free mammogram. Women aged 40–49 and those aged over 74 are also eligible to receive a free mammogram if they don't have symptoms of breast cancer but they will not receive an invitation. For women under 40, breast screening isn't offered for free and is less effective, the Breast Cancer Network of Australia says. If you're concerned you may have a higher risk of breast cancer, you should talk to your GP as a breast ultrasound or MRI may be better. If you have an increased risk of developing breast cancer because of family history, for example, you may be offered free mammograms each year. You can find your closest BreastScreen clinic here. A national lung cancer screening program was introduced as of July 1 this year. The program screens for lung cancer in high-risk individuals using low-dose computed tomography (low-dose CT) scans. People are eligible for the program if they are aged between 50 and 70 years and: Prostate cancer, ovarian cancer and skin cancer are commonly diagnosed among Australians, but we do not yet have population-based screening programs for those cancers. The Australian Standing Committee on Screening has found the harms of offering tests for these cancers to large target groups outweigh the benefits or do not result in fewer deaths. Instead, it's recommended you speak to your doctor if you have a family history of ovarian cancer about options for managing your risk and your concerns. You can book a skin check with your GP and the Australian Cancer Council provides guidance on how to check your skin here. And men with a family history of prostate cancer or symptoms that could indicate problems (difficult or frequent passing of urine) should speak with their doctor. Keep an eye out for any unusual changes to your body, such as: All of these symptoms do not necessarily indicate cancer. Speak to your GP about any health concerns. You can also sign up to the National Screening Register, which provides program information and reminders to participants. It acts as a single electronic record for each Australian taking part in the bowel, cervical and lung cancer screening programs. You can register here.
Daily Mail
04-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Pauline Hanson's warning for Australia: 'We need to act NOW'
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has accused both major parties of ignoring the plight of young Australians battling to ever afford a house by presiding over high immigration. Record-high immigration levels under Labor have worsened Australia's housing affordability crisis, with the median house price in capital cities now above $1million - putting it well beyond the reach of an average, full-time worker earning $102,742. Senator Hanson said both Labor and the Coalition were more focused on winning votes in marginal seats rather than making housing affordable. 'Young Aussies want to own a home, start a family, and live in a nation they can be proud of, but both major parties are standing in the way,' she said. 'Labor buys votes with handouts, then dumps the debt on the next generation. 'The Liberals skirt around the real issues, too afraid of losing votes to fight back against the decline. 'Meanwhile, mass immigration keeps driving up housing demand, straining services, and undercutting wages. Australians are being pushed to the back of the queue in their own country.' Last year, 340,800 migrants moved to Australia on a permanent and long-term basis. This net figure, factoring in departures, was lower than the record-high levels approaching 550,000 in 2023. But it was significantly higher than the 194,000 who came to Australia in the lead-up to Covid in 2020. As a result, house prices in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide have outpaced wages growth since the pandemic, even though the Reserve Bank of Australia raised interest rates 13 times in 2022 and 2023. The average-full time worker can now longer afford the median-priced house in any major capital city market, except Darwin, and now working couples are struggling to get into the property market. Senator Hanson wants annual immigration levels capped at 130,000, where it was two decades ago before the mining boom. 'It's time to put Australians first, with affordable housing, fairer tax for families, and a government that backs the people who built this nation,' she said. 'If we want to create a future worth inheriting, we need to act now.' Labor is promising to build 1.2million homes over five years, or 240,000 a year. Record-high immigration levels under Labor have worsened Australia's housing affordability crisis, with the median house price in capital cities now above $1million - putting it beyond the reach of an average, full-time worker on $102,742 (pictured is a Sydney auction) But in the year to May, just 182,894 new homes were approved, new Australian Bureau of Statistics data released this week showed, leading to building activity failing to keep pace with rapid population growth. Anthony Albanese 's Labor government was re-elected in a landslide with a $16billion plan to slash student debt by 20 per cent, saving a graduate an average of $5,520. But Senator Hanson said cutting Higher Education Contribution Scheme debt amounted to a form of generational pork barrelling to get the youth vote, along with a government guarantee enabling all first-home buyers to get into the property market with a small, five per cent deposit. 'Labor has bought a lot of the young votes with the HECS debt, so getting rid of that and also propping up their deposit on their house, which I think is going to see a lot of the young ones fall over with that because they've still got to make the repayments too to their debt,' she told Sky News host Caleb Bond. 'Their vote's been bought. People have become so self-centred these days, it's all about me. What is in it for me?' Hanson said Labor was letting Australians down on key issues, including failing to get an exemption from 50 per cent tariffs on Australian steel and aluminium from Donald Trump. 'First, Albanese gets cold-shouldered by Trump. No real relationship, no respect. Penny Wong flies over for 'diplomacy' and comes back empty-handed. No tariff deals. No progress. Just headlines and handshakes. Australians deserve better,' she said. 'Then there's the so-called green energy transition. Wind farms scrapped. Transmission lines delayed. Farmers ignored. Power bills up 9%, and we're told to just cop it. The real cost of Labor's renewables fantasy? It's paid by households and small businesses.' She also warned of 'nation within a nation' as a result of the current government, citing Cricket Australia's reluctance to hold Test matches on January 26. 'That's exactly what we're seeing. Division, not unity. Woke politics over common sense. 'While I'm in Parliament, I'll keep pushing back because if we don't stand up now, we risk losing the country we love. 'Cricket Australia, our own national sport, won't play matches on Australia Day. Again. Because they're scared of offending someone.
