Young Territorians more concerned with cost of living than environment, survey reveals

Here’s why young Territorians no longer list the environment as their top concern, and how their views on alcohol and drugs are different than other Australian teens.

Cost of living has overtaken the environment as the number one concern for young Territorians, Australia’s largest youth survey has found.

The Mission Australia Youth Survey Report canvassed the views of 17,480 teens aged 15 to 19 across the country, including a representative sample of 185 from the NT.

It revealed half of the young Territorians surveyed named cost of living as their top national issue, pulling ahead of violence, safety and crime (33 per cent) and climate change and the environment (21 per cent).

Young Territorians named cost of living as the top issue facing Australia. Picture: Unsplash/Kevin Laminto

This year is the first-time cost of living has featured as the number one issue, doubling in the past two years and overtaking last year’s leader – the environment.

Respondents were asked an unprompted, open-ended question about the biggest personal challenge they have faced or experienced in the past year.

The most common personal challenges cited by young people in the NT were school and study (47 per cent), personal relationships (18 per cent) and mental health (16 per cent).

Three in 10 respondents said they personally experienced discrimination in the past year, with the main reasons being race/cultural background (45 per cent) physical appearance (33 per cent) and personal views (31 per cent).

NT teens were more concerned about drugs and alcohol than the average young Australian.

Compared with the average Australian teen, young Territorians were more concerned with the harms of drugs and alcohol.

Less than a third of respondents nationally agreed alcohol was a problem in their communities, compared with 62 per cent of Territory teens who said it was.

A NT boy, 15, told the survey the more restrictions put on drugs and alcohol, the more young people wanted to try them.

“Because it is human nature for us to want what we can’t have,” he said.

Nationally, top issues raised by Indigenous youths were cost of living (39 per cent), violence, safety and crime (26 per cent), and alcohol and other drugs (23 per cent).

Mission Australia regional leader Paul Royce said more financial support was needed to support young people struggling to make ends meet.

“It is clear financial struggles are considerably impacting young lives and their views about our country,” he said.

“Boosting the rates of Jobseeker, Youth Allowance and Commonwealth Rent Assistance is the best way to ensure help reaches those who need it most.”

Dr Royce said listening to young people and addressing the issues they raised was important to “build a more inclusive and supportive Australia to grow up and thrive in”.

“Empowering young people to start their journey to adulthood on a solid footing can transform lives.”