Our Team

Stephen LunnSocial Affairs Editor

Stephen Lunn is The Australian’s Social Affairs Editor, covering social policy issues including ageing, population, disability, welfare, and migration. He has previously been the paper’s environment writer and Tokyo correspondent. He has also worked in public policy advocacy in the private sector, and practised as a lawyer in Australia and the UK. Stephen has a Masters degree in law from the London School of Economics.

@lunns

Latest

Calculate your ‘health age’Health

What is your ‘health age’?

Want to know your ‘health age’? Use our ‘health age’ calculator to find out.

Stephen Lunn

ExclusiveMedical

Bacteria medical illustration - 3d rendered microbiology image. Illustrate of Lactobacillus Bulgaricus Bacteria, Microbacterium Tuberculosis Bacteria (MTB). Medical research, health-care concept. SEM (TEM) scanning view

The ‘silent global pandemic’ that will undermine healthcare systems and food safety

If the danger of drug-resistant superbugs is not addressed there could be a return to the medical dark ages, where a superficial scratch could be life-threatening.

Stephen Lunn

EXPERT TIPSHealth

Senior woman has a fun in turquoise sea water top view.

What you need to be doing at a minimum to age well

Want to know how to live better for longer? We all do. Here are the latest tips from Australia’s experts on how to improve your chances of ageing well – and it’s not just diet and exercise.

Stephen Lunn

Exclusivewellbeing

Young adult woman with depression sitting at home alone

The age that life satisfaction begins

You’re not imagining it. A wellbeing faultline is emerging in Australia, as satisfaction with life slumps to the worst level it has been in two decades. There is an age when it gets better, though.

Stephen Lunn

LONGEVITYHealth

beautiful pregnant woman dressed in white standing on the shore of the beach looking at the sea

Covid-19 deaths push life expectancy lower

Life expectancy in Australia has recorded its second drop in a row, with more deaths from Covid behind the bad news.

Stephen Lunn

FertilityNation

Maternity sunrise showing belly abdomen with baby birth due soon. Sunrise pregnancy waves ocean and sandy shorefront at dawn.

Baby drought ‘generated by cost of living’

Australia has hit its lowest fertility rate on record, with cost-of-living pressures and house prices being blamed.

Stephen Lunn and David Tanner

treatmentNation

Portrait of a Woman looking through the window. She looks contemplative or sad lonely and depressed. She is holding her hand against the glass longing to go outside.

Youth mental health a worry for families

Concerned about a young loved one’s mental health? You’re not alone, and starting a conversation about it with them is challenging. Here’s some advice on what do.

Stephen Lunn

ageingwellbeing

A new study has found mental health-related drug use and suicide is to blame for the stagnating life expectancy of Australians under 50.

‘Deaths of despair’, obesity hit under-50s

Australia has one of the highest life expectancies in the world, but like other high-income English-speaking countries such as the US and Britain, there’s a serious problem for those under 50.

Stephen Lunn

ExclusiveNation

schoolboy crying in the hallway of the school, negative emotion

‘Give kids the tools to deal with bullies’

Teaching kids how to have positive thoughts and reminding them of their self-worth is key to handling bullying behaviour, a leading child educator says.

Stephen Lunn

InfrastructurePolitics

The Metro Tunnel Melbourne Picture: Vic Gov

Taxpayers hit with $800m blowout for Metro Tunnel

Victorian taxpayers will stump up at least another $800m to fund cost blowouts in Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel train project, which will now come in at more than $15bn.

Stephen Lunn

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/stephen-lunn/page/5