Media Release: Policy and Programs Out of Step

MEDIA RELEASE

POLICY AND PROGRAMS OUT OF STEP WITH PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR REFORM FOR AUSTRALIA’S CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

10 November 2025: The Australian public overwhelmingly supports a program of reform that would put Australia’s children and young people on track, as shown in new evidence published in the Medical Journal of Australia.

The first progress report of the Future Healthy Countdown 2030 initiative measures the progress of outcomes for children and young people against 22 indicators. It paints an alarming picture, with progress stalled, unclear or going backwards on 21 of the 22 measures.

Key findings include:

• An increasing number of children and young people do not have the basics
• One in four children start school developmentally vulnerable.
• Rates of overweight and obesity are high
• The education equity gap is not improving.

However, Future Healthy Countdown 2030’s policy platform would directly address these issues and help reverse the trajectory that too many young Australians are being left on.

It’s a platform that is overwhelmingly supported, as shown by a nationally representative survey of nearly 10,000 Australians conducted by Deakin University and included in the progress report.

This demonstrates the disconnect between current policy and programs for children and young people, and what the public wants to see implemented.

Comments attributable to Centre for Community and Child Health Director, Professor Sharon Goldfeld AM

“The first progress report of the Future Healthy Countdown shows that the progress of children and young people on almost all health and wellbeing measures has stalled or gone backwards.

“It’s disappointing that in a modern nation like ours we are unable to achieve better outcomes for our children and young people.

“But the good news is we know what needs to be done to reverse these trends. Policy solutions are within grasp and the public wants to see them implemented- now that’s a reason to be optimistic for the future.”

Comments attributable to report co-author and young Australian, Angelica Ojinnaka-Psillakis:

“Australia has the tools to help every child and young person thrive, but too many of us are being left behind.

“My fellow authors, and Australia’s children and young people are calling on all governments to step up and take action to reverse this trajectory.”

ENDS

Future Healthy Countdown’s policy platform.

• Establish a federal Future Generations Commission with powers to protect future generations.
• Provide financial support to address poverty and material deprivation in the first 2,000 days of life.
• Invest in sustained, culturally relevant, maternal and child health and development home visiting services for the first 2,000 days of life for all children facing structural disadvantage and/or adversity.
• Implement a dedicated funding model for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled early years services across the country.
• Properly fund public schools.
• Protect children from the marketing of unhealthy and harmful products.
• Amend the Electoral Act to extend the compulsory voting age to 16 years.
• Legislate an immediate end to all new fossil fuel projects in Australia.

Future Healthy Countdown’s policy platform survey results: