Average commuting times for Australians have increased by 23% in 15 years. And those with long commutes are less satisfied with their work, working hours, work-life balance and even pay.
Things were improving until 2009. HILDA finds there’s been little improvement since.
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Peter Martin, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
The official figures show things are fine, but Australia’s most comprehensive tracking survey finds the typical household is worse off than ten years ago.
Work-family time and money challenges should be seen by governments as ideal opportunities for good policy-making.
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For families, the HILDA report has little good news – childcare costs, poverty and anxiety are rising, all while women are more involved in the labour market. But there is some reason to hope.
Women are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression or anxiety as men.
Eric Ward
Around 20% of young Australian women had a diagnosis of depression or anxiety in 2017 compared with 12.8% in 2009. But the proportion of people reporting significant symptoms has remained stable.
More than 60% of Victorian young adults live with their parents, followed by 56% in New South Wales and about 53% in the other four states. In Queensland, the proportion of young adults living at home rose from 31% in 2001 to 52% in 2017.
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In 2017, 56% of men aged 18 to 29 lived with one or both parents, up from 47% in 2001. And over the same period, the proportion of women aged 18 to 29 living with their parents rose from 36% to 54%.
Inter-ethnic couples not only connect two individuals, but entire families and communities of different ethnic backgrounds.
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