This report is informed by a review of over 900 complaints to the Australian Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman about financial hardship received between April 2024 and March 2025. It makes three findings and provides three recommendations. It finds that telecommunications providers are contributing to financial hardship.

The report provides an update on the banking sector’s progress on addressing fees charged to low-income customers. This included how each bank was reviewing transaction data to identify low-income customers and addressing fee harm for low-income customers in high-fee transaction accounts. The report found even larger numbers of low-income Australians paying too much.

The report examines the performance of the Australian mental health system, the prevalence of mental health challenges and the drivers behind it. It shows a steady rise in financial stress and the number of Australians delaying mental health care due to cost.

This paper highlights the inadequacy of the Australian welfare system for some groups and analyses how certain taxation and superannuation reforms could fund significant improvements in the financial position of Australians most in need. It proposes four budget-neutral policy options ranging from increasing working age payments through to a system-wide Guaranteed Minimum Income.

The study adopted a public health approach, examining tangible and intangible costs associated with gambling problems in all gambling forms in Victoria. The study sought to quantify the cost of gambling harm to Victoria in financial terms. The total cost of gambling to Victoria in 2022-23 was estimated to be $14.1 billion.