Cost of living remains clearly the number one issue as Australia prepares for a national election campaign and the economy continues to be weighed by pessimism despite the big focus this week on the RBA’s interest rates decision. In the first True Issues public opinion survey for 2025 we have tested a range of policies announced by the parties soon putting themselves forward to the electorate. We also look at some additional policy approaches that further illuminates the debate around how to respond to cost of living pressures and national perceptions around an ongoing crisis of affordability.

As the national policy and political debate heat up as the year draws towards its end and talk of a Federal Election in the first half of next year increases, we have examined some important influences on the broader debate in a series of questions that extend beyond our regular and well-known issues tracking. Reaching beyond cost of living, we have taken a close look at the more complex and nuanced economic and social theme of living standards. A special report also unpacks public attitudes and reactions to the recent Presidential election results in the United States and how it has been received here in Australia.

Given our ongoing desire to contribute meaningfully to national public policy debates, we have again put together two additional special releases. One following up on our budget work earlier this year by now looking more closely at a range of potential tax and economic reforms. A separate report looks carefully at evolving public attitudes around the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Related research insights from these special reports and True Issues have been recently covered in the AFR, The Age and SMH newspapers, The Australian and on ABC’s Insiders program.