What are the big issues that matter to you?
Your priorities compared to CEDA’s Commmunity Pulse 2018 poll.
Key insight
Australians care most about having access to affordable, quality healthcare. This includes basic health services, quality public hospitals, chronic disease services and mental health services.
More insights
Reliable, low cost basic health services
These relative importance scores were consistent across age, location (urban, regional, remote) and financial status, and reinforced by the fact that a strong private hospital system was seen as ‘widely unimportant’.
The challenge for governments is to meet community expectations across the spectrum of healthcare services, against the backdrop of fiscal constraints, escalating costs and rising expectations. Greater focus on outcomes and innovation in service delivery are key factors.
Other issues Australians most care about are:
Reliable, low cost essential services
The price of administered services including electricity, gas, child care, health and education climbed by almost five per cent in 2017. The challenge for governments is to provide better incentives for improved efficiency and innovation in service provision and improved regulation of essential services with greater focus on consumer needs.
Affordable housing
The importance of affordable housing is a well-known matter of priority. It is estimated that Australia needs 20,000 new dwellings each year that are affordable to low-income people.
The poll found renters are among those least likely to see themselves as benefitting from recent economic growth. This is clearly an area of significant frustration for the community.
Reduced violence in homes and communities
Australians want to be safe and secure. They place importance on reducing violence in homes and communities at a personal level.
