Despite government subsidies, childcare is still a significant cost for many families. This paper reviews available data on expenditure and affordability, and presents new analysis of household expenditure data to understand how much Australian families are spending on early childhood education and care, as a proportion of their disposable income.

This briefing uses the latest data to examine the impact of a third academic year of no international student arrivals on Australia's economy. The report also examines the impact of online learning.

This report explores preschool policies, enrolment and costs around Australia, finding a patchwork of programs and costs across the country. The report makes the case for immediate action to increase funding and consistency to ensure that all Australia children can access two years of high-quality preschool and benefit from a strong start to their educational...

This report explores the current decline in international students in Australia following COVID-19 restrictions, and models potential further falls that could occur if Australia's borders remain closed.

Since the global financial crisis (GFC), young people have been facing a particularly challenging labour market compared with other age groups, characterised by higher levels of unemployment and underemployment than in the previous decade and relative difficulty in obtaining jobs. This paper makes the case for a national Job Cadet program to avert an escalating...