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.

Unprompted, a majority (58%) of adults continue to name cost of living in their top three most important issues or concerns, and eight in ten (80%) select cost of living in their top five from a prompted list.

Despite interest rates remaining on hold over the summer, even those who consider themselves ‘on a reasonable wage’ express concern about meeting increased costs for essentials like food, fuel, utilities and housing.