Young people are falling behind, and likely to take their cost-of-living anxiety to the polls.
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Generation Z and millennials make up 39 per cent of NSW voters, and their ballots could decide the March 25 state election.
Youth Action CEO Kate Munro said the aftermath of COVID-19, rampant inflation and a seemingly constant chain of natural disasters weigh heavily on the minds of young Australians.
"The past three years have been tough for young people in NSW, with the pandemic, fires and floods, and the ongoing intergenerational inequity," she said on Thursday.
"The combination of these events has seen young people fall further behind.
"You've got a whole lot of other young people who who would have otherwise probably been doing OK, who have now joined this group that are really struggling."
A recent Youth Action survey of 1000 people aged 16 to 24 found living costs were front-of-mind as the NSW election approaches.
Like the rest of Australia, they are most worried about putting food on the table and keeping a roof over their heads.
But Trish Connolly from youth homelessness organisation Yfoundations said the situation is particularly acute for gen Z.
"We've all heard about the competition with private rentals," she said.
"A young person who is on low income, even if they are living with someone else, simply cannot compete with someone who is in that line earning good money."
Bridie O'Kelly, 19, said her friends have started moving out but most could never dream of owning a home.
"We do have fears. How are we ever going to be able to climb the housing market?"
Other key election issues include employment, climate change, health, the economy and education.
But 22-year-old Jack Walton said young people don't always trust politicians to help.
"I really hate it when political parties just stab at each other and don't make a point about what they're going to do to improve everyone's lives," he said.
"We're a bit sick of that and I've seen in this election cycle the same thing happening.
"It's really infuriating."
Australian Theatre for Young People chief executive Fraser Cornfield said young people can find hope if politicians show they are listening.
"I think we just need to figure out how to readjust and bring them back to a sense of community."
Australian Associated Press
