The Salvation Army survey: Victorians rate mental health most serious social issue

Leading up to the federal election, Victorians have revealed the one issue they worry about more than any other Australian.

Exclusive: Victorians are more worried about their mental health than fellow Australians living in other states.

Following years of fire, flood and a global pandemic, The Salvation Army asked 15,000 people across the country what the biggest social justice issues were in their electorate.

They were asked about their concerns for themselves, their families, loved ones and local communities – and how these issues would impact their personal decisions when they went to vote.

Mental health is the biggest social policy concern for Victorians.

The results found that in Victoria, 56.7 per cent believed mental health was the biggest social issue that politicians needed to address in their community, which was rated higher than the national average 53.9 per cent.

Housing affordability, alcohol and drug misuse, family violence and homelessness were identified in line with national results – housing affordability (50.4 per cent versus 52.4 per cent nationally); family violence (36.8 per cent versus 35.4 per cent nationally).

Stark figures revealed why housing was such an important issue in Melbourne in particular, with the median dwelling costs 7.1 times the median annual household income (up from 4.7 times in 2001).

Housing affordability is a major issue for Australians.

Victoria had a social housing shortfall of around 102,800 homes, and it was estimated that 24,900 people across Victoria were homeless.

Alcohol and drug misuse was an important concern for the residents of Victoria.

AODstat, which provides information on the harms related to alcohol, illicit and pharmaceutical drug use in Victoria, showed that, in 2019/20, there were 37,685 incidents of alcohol and drug-related ambulance attendances in Metropolitan Victoria and 14,003 in Regional Victoria.

Alcohol and drug misuse is another issue Victorians are concerned about in their communities.

In 2019, there were 4776 deaths related to alcohol and illicit drugs in Metropolitan Victoria and 2741 deaths in Regional Victoria.

“This is what the people of Australia are saying matters to them,” The Salvation Army’s Secretary for Mission, Captain Stuart Glover, said.

“If politicians are interested in knowing what people are thinking they should read this.

“This survey adds weight to issues, particularly around mental health and housing affordability.

“It’s not just in pockets, it’s everywhere.

Captain Stuart Glover from The Salvation Army. Picture: John McCutcheon / Sunshine Coast Daily

“Our hope is that all candidates will take note of what people in their electorates are saying and have a response to that.”

Nationally, the top five concerns were: Mental health (53.9 per cent), housing affordability (52.4 per cent), alcohol and drug misuse (42.6 per cent), family violence (35.4 per cent), homelessness (35.1 per cent).

To see all the results of The Salvation Army’s National Social Justice Stocktake Report (NSJSR), click here