Natural disasters like bushfires, floods and cyclones aren’t rare or unpredictable. They’re inevitable and should be planned and budgeted for accordingly. But currently, the federal budget only includes disaster recovery spending for events that have already happened. This paper argues that estimated future disaster costs should be included in existing budget lines.

The paper groups financial wellbeing responses into two broad categories: 'comfortable' and 'struggling', focusing on the role of housing. It finds that younger Australians have been hit particularly hard, with multiple sources of financial difficulty. The paper proposes that without targeted policy intervention, financial security becomes increasingly dependent on home ownership status and inherited generational...

Small business owners are facing concerning rates of mental ill-health, prompting calls for greater investment in tailored mental health supports. This policy brief outlines the further work needed to ensure mental health support programs are visible, accessible, and useful to small business, including through their trusted and familiar channels.

This note presents the number of student visa holders present in Australia from 2006 to 2024. Over this period, the international student population grew by 191%, while Australia’s estimated resident population grew by 33%. The paper finds that the number of international students studying in Australia reached a record high in 2024.

This paper reviews the evidence on working from home including who benefits. It finds working from home is a flexible work option that has benefits for workers and organisations, contributing to more inclusive and gender-equal workforce participation and a more productive economy. Working from home arrangements may require some workplace adaptation, but these challenges should...