Securing the welfare of future generations seems like solid grounds for judging policies and politicians, especially during an election campaign. Political legacies are on the line because the stakes are so high.
There is a real possibility that today’s young people could become the first Australian generation to suffer lower living standards on some key measures than their parents. Unaffordable housing is the main flashpoint. But other challenges weigh heavily, including student debt, insecure work and climate change.
No political leader would want to preside over a society that leaves younger generations worse off than those that preceded them. Yet that possibility should be on voters’ minds as they prepare to pass judgement at the ballot box on May 3.
