Is the private hospital system collapsing? Here’s what the sector’s financial instability means for you

More private hospitals will face financial troubles, and some will be forced to close. Here’s what this means for patients, the public system and the budget, writes Professor Yuting Zhang for The Conversation.

Published 05 Jun 2025

Monthly Inflation Gauge and Cost of Living report

The Melbourne Institute Monthly Inflation Gauge recorded a decrease in monthly inflation during May, primarily influenced by price falls for recreation and culture.  The decrease in monthly inflation was largely offset by housing-related price rises. The monthly cost of living also decreased for each of the five selected household types (age pensioners, pensioners and beneficiaries and other government transfer recipients).

Published 02 Jun 2025

The price of power: How ‘energy poverty’ could have changed the outcome of the election

Without the Albanese government’s Labor’s energy policies, the recent federal election could have had a very different outcome.

Published 15 May 2025

New Research Links Economic Hardship and Voter Disaffection in Australia

Voting patterns are changing in Australia, following a global trend of disaffection which has challenged democratic stability in Europe and the United States.

Published 15 May 2025

Economic pessimism is behind the drift of voters to minor parties and independents

While minor parties lost seats this election due to preferences, their primary vote is the highest ever. This is largely due to voters’ frustration with poor economic management, write Associate Professor Viet Nguyen, Dr Ferdi Botha, and Dr Kyle Peyton for The Conversation.

Published 15 May 2025

The world’s financial system is highly vulnerable to Trumpism

The economic and financial impacts of Trump’s program are starting to become clear, with potentially dangerous consequences well beyond the US, writes Professor Stuart Kells for Pursuit.

Published 15 May 2025

The government has pledged $10 million for inclusive LGBTQIA+ health care. Here’s what that means

‘Inclusive, culturally safe’ care for LGBTQIA+ patients means more than just rainbow posters in the waiting room, writes Dr Karinna Saxby for The Conversation.

Published 29 Apr 2025

Think your specialist is expensive? Look at what others are paying

Seeing a medical specialist can leave you with significant out-of-pocket costs. Yet political parties have not adequately addressed this in their pre-election bids.

Published 14 Apr 2025

The rate of sports betting has surged more than 57% – and younger people are betting more

There’s an urgent need to protect younger Australians, and in particular men, at greatest risk of gambling harm. Here is one effective way this can be achieved, writes Dr Ferdi Botha for The Conversation.

Published 18 Mar 2025

We tracked the mental health of trans and gender-diverse Australians for over 20 years. And we’re worried

The mental health of trans, nonbinary and gender-diverse Australians is suffering and getting worse, writes Dr Karinna Saxby for The Conversation.

Published 13 Mar 2025

Economics

Could we be entering a new era in women’s health funding?

By listening to women’s voices and investing in targeted research, Australia is taking important steps towards creating a more equitable healthcare system, writes Martina Repetto for Pursuit.

Published 12 Mar 2025

HILDA data shows income inequality is at a 20-year high

With data from 2001 to 2022, in this year’s report we looked at issues including income inequality, household chores, and the impact of natural disasters on Australian households.

Published 11 Mar 2025

Could we be entering a new era in women’s health funding?

By listening to women’s voices and investing in targeted research, Australia is taking important steps towards creating a more equitable healthcare system.

Published 11 Mar 2025

Life for single-parent families in Australia is harsh

The daily routine of a single parent can be harsh due to higher child care responsibilities, housing stress, financial inequalities and poorer mental health, finds the latest HILDA Survey.

Published 11 Mar 2025

Australia’s weather-related disasters are getting costlier

The number of Australian homes damaged or destroyed by weather-related disasters is now the highest in ten years, shows the annual HILDA survey.

Published 11 Mar 2025

It’s getting easier to become a problem gambler in Australia

When it comes to gambling, Australia isn’t such a lucky country with the number of problem gamblers losing money on the rise, finds the latest HILDA survey.

Published 11 Mar 2025

The gap between the haves and have-nots in Australia is at a 20-year high

During the past two decades, inequality has grown to reach an all-time high and the current cost-of-living crisis isn’t helping, finds the latest HILDA survey.

Published 11 Mar 2025

Australians can wait at least 258 days for their first psychiatry appointment, our new study shows

Australians are waiting longer and longer for their first psychiatry appointment, especially outside major cities, write Professor Yuting Zhang and Dr Ou Yang for The Conversation.

Published 27 Feb 2025

The major parties want 9 in 10 GP visits bulk billed by 2030. Here’s why we shouldn’t aim for 100%

The evidence suggests there’s benefit to getting those on higher incomes to contribute a small amount to the cost of seeing a GP, write Professor Yuting Zhang and Dr Karinna Saxby for The Conversation.

Published 26 Feb 2025

Seven common myths about modern money

Money is important but widely misunderstood. Here are seven hard-to-bust misconceptions about modern money that might surprise you, writes Professor Stuart Kells for The Conversation.

Published 05 Feb 2025