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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Yes, men still read books, but reading rates for Australian women and children are declining too
The demise of men reading books has, once again, been greatly exaggerated. A recent ABC article about Australians' reading habits claimed 'Australians, especially men, are reading less than ever before' and 'the data showed females, on average, were reading more than males across all age groups'. This coverage was picked up by an opinion piece in the Age, with the headline 'Young men have stopped reading books – and these are the reasons why', which also said 'the percentage of men who would pick up any book at all is very small'. So have men actually stopped reading? Has there been a decline in reading overall? And how do reading rates compare between males and females? Both the ABC and the Age articles were largely based on figures from the ABS Time Use Survey – the proportion of people, by age group, who participated in reading in a two-day period in 2020-21: The key issue is the little black lines – the 'confidence interval' – a statistical measure of uncertainty that can be used when showing the average value of data from a survey (or other type of research). And what this means, which I have confirmed with the ABS, is that the reading rates are statistically the same for males and females within all generations with the exception of gen X. Equally fraught is claiming that reading has declined from this data as reading habits may differ by stage of life – perhaps people read more as they get older. The higher reading rates for older cohorts are likely affected by the survey methods, too – counting reading of a physical newspaper, but not reading of news online ('general internet and device use'). All of that said, we do know from other research that there has been a decline in reading rates, and that females do read more than males generally – though the difference is usually only somewhere about 7% to 11%. However, different surveys measure different things, in different ways, which makes it tricky to compare them. For example, the National Arts Participation Survey (Naps) measures any reading at all in the past 12 months and only counts reading as including 'novels, poetry, creative nonfiction and short stories'. In this data, younger people surveyed had a higher reading participation rate than several of the older demographics – the opposite of what we see in the ABS Time Use Survey. So what can we say about declining reading rates? Figures on this were surprisingly hard to find, however, thanks to the researchers at the University of Melbourne, I can share figures from the Hilda survey (which to the best of my knowledge haven't been published until now!). In 2012, 2016 and 2020 peoplewere asked how frequently they read either books or magazines and newspapers in the past 12 months. The gist is that they're reading books less frequently, and increasingly not at all: Splitting the data by gender shows the decline has been consistent for both males and females surveyed, and the gap in reading rates for males and females is consistent with other surveys: Males are, however, more likely than females to be frequent readers of news and magazines: The difference in reading rates by formats is something we see in other data, too. In the Naps data females read more in every category except for graphic novels and comics: Sign up to The Crunch Our data journalists showcase the most important charts and dataviz from the Guardian and around the web, free every fortnight after newsletter promotion And other reports cite higher audiobook usage in certain demographics. Finally, on age groups, we can see that reading has declined across the board, but it has declined the least in the oldest age group: So what are we to make of all this sometimes seemingly contradictory data? It looks like reading statistics vary greatly depending on how the question is asked. Multiple surveys show that a significant proportion of males are still reading books, though they're doing so less frequently than they used to. And it's clear that if there is a crisis of declining reading rates, it is affecting both men and women, boys and girls. Anna Burkey, the head of the reading research and advocacy group Australia Reads, agrees that focusing on men is something of a red herring. 'The problem to me is the downward trend across the population,' she says. 'And I think that when we get into conversations about [gender] we get into really unhelpful discussions about boy books and girl books – which don't exist. 'It's about finding material that is delivered in a format that is suitable for that person, and are we doing that well. And if we get too hung up on the gender divide we get really gendered in our responses, and that's not going to necessarily solve the core problems [with declining reading rates].' So, what can we do to boost reading rates? Burkey says there are two aspects to this – the personal response and the response from government. At the government level, Burkey says the lack of consistent, detailed and reliable data about reading behaviour is a real issue, and could be addressed by a government-led national reading strategy. 'We want a national reading strategy where we've got funds to do proper annual tracking around behaviour, and to see if what we're doing, all these things we're all trying to boost reading rates, is working,' she says. 'We need the funded national strategy and the campaigns that come with that, in a way like we do health advertising. This is a public good.' And at the personal level, Burkey wants everyone, from normal people to politicians and celebrities, to be talking more about reading and books. 'It's about taking the literature out of the book space and just say, what do you love at the moment? And make it as visible as we can. Read, ask people about reading, and try to make it visible.' Nick Evershed is the data and interactives editor for Guardian Australia
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Entitled generation: what adult kids are doing to ensure an inheritance
With the cost of living soaring and home ownership out of reach for many of the younger generations, some are hell-bent on protecting an inheritance they believe should be theirs. Over a quarter of Australians are not sure if they will have enough money for their retirement, according to Finder and with the average cost of a house now $1.002 million across the nation, many are hoping an inheritance will save them. But there are concerns an entitled attitude can lead to elder abuse and The Senior has already reported on "Inheritance Impatience", when family members pressure a person for early access to their money. And as the cost of health care for pensioners is set to rise on November 1 and an entry deposit into aged care soared up to $750,000 on July 1, some beneficiaries are trying to cut down their parents' costs. Council on the Ageing (COTA) NSW CEO Gohar Yazdabadi told The Senior the Government's changes to aged care mean that retirees will need to tap into more of their "savings, super and assets" so they can age "safely". "We're seeing more instances of 'inheritance protection', where family members stop older people from spending money on care, so there's more left to inherit, which is clearly a form of elder abuse," she said. "The idea that inheritance is a right, rather than a possibility, is shifting the dynamics of ageing." Ms Yazdabadi said the rise in inheritance impatience is making families forget or not care that retirees need their money to live and age well. "Older people are finding themselves in the difficult situation of having to navigate these expectations along with managing their own financial needs." she said. Eastern Community Legal Centre Managing Lawyer in Elder Abuse Paul Were said the chances of elder abuse can increase when choosing someone to make your medical decisions if you are incapacitated - and they are also in the will. "There's a chance that they might go and make bad decisions, potentially cheaper decisions, so they can try and retain their inheritance," he said. "Some of those medical decisions might be things like how to prolong someone's life. "If that person is also a beneficiary in the will ... they actually may benefit from the death of the person they're supposed to be caring for." The Victorian lawyer said it is hard to know if someone you love and trust might make a decision in their favour to speed up their inheritance, and if retirees are unsure who to appoint, they always have the option to not name anyone. The lawyer said the clients he usually sees are retirees who have discovered their adult children have been mishandling their funds. "Taking money from their bank accounts," he said. "Perhaps they're forcing them to sign documents against their wishes, or transferring their property into their own name." The lawyer also said adding to the problem is when older Australians are being blamed for the housing crisis and the younger generation "develop a sense of entitlement" because they think they also deserve a house. "There's really strong links between elder abuse and ageism," he said. Mr Were did say that despite the risks, many parents feel a sense of "pride" knowing they will be able to gift an inheritance to their family members, which he thinks is "lovely". "It's just the crossover when there's this expectation of that happening ... which is what often leads adult children to take advantage of their parents when they are deteriorating." With the cost of living soaring and home ownership out of reach for many of the younger generations, some are hell-bent on protecting an inheritance they believe should be theirs. Over a quarter of Australians are not sure if they will have enough money for their retirement, according to Finder and with the average cost of a house now $1.002 million across the nation, many are hoping an inheritance will save them. But there are concerns an entitled attitude can lead to elder abuse and The Senior has already reported on "Inheritance Impatience", when family members pressure a person for early access to their money. And as the cost of health care for pensioners is set to rise on November 1 and an entry deposit into aged care soared up to $750,000 on July 1, some beneficiaries are trying to cut down their parents' costs. Council on the Ageing (COTA) NSW CEO Gohar Yazdabadi told The Senior the Government's changes to aged care mean that retirees will need to tap into more of their "savings, super and assets" so they can age "safely". "We're seeing more instances of 'inheritance protection', where family members stop older people from spending money on care, so there's more left to inherit, which is clearly a form of elder abuse," she said. "The idea that inheritance is a right, rather than a possibility, is shifting the dynamics of ageing." Ms Yazdabadi said the rise in inheritance impatience is making families forget or not care that retirees need their money to live and age well. "Older people are finding themselves in the difficult situation of having to navigate these expectations along with managing their own financial needs." she said. Eastern Community Legal Centre Managing Lawyer in Elder Abuse Paul Were said the chances of elder abuse can increase when choosing someone to make your medical decisions if you are incapacitated - and they are also in the will. "There's a chance that they might go and make bad decisions, potentially cheaper decisions, so they can try and retain their inheritance," he said. "Some of those medical decisions might be things like how to prolong someone's life. "If that person is also a beneficiary in the will ... they actually may benefit from the death of the person they're supposed to be caring for." The Victorian lawyer said it is hard to know if someone you love and trust might make a decision in their favour to speed up their inheritance, and if retirees are unsure who to appoint, they always have the option to not name anyone. The lawyer said the clients he usually sees are retirees who have discovered their adult children have been mishandling their funds. "Taking money from their bank accounts," he said. "Perhaps they're forcing them to sign documents against their wishes, or transferring their property into their own name." The lawyer also said adding to the problem is when older Australians are being blamed for the housing crisis and the younger generation "develop a sense of entitlement" because they think they also deserve a house. "There's really strong links between elder abuse and ageism," he said. Mr Were did say that despite the risks, many parents feel a sense of "pride" knowing they will be able to gift an inheritance to their family members, which he thinks is "lovely". "It's just the crossover when there's this expectation of that happening ... which is what often leads adult children to take advantage of their parents when they are deteriorating." With the cost of living soaring and home ownership out of reach for many of the younger generations, some are hell-bent on protecting an inheritance they believe should be theirs. Over a quarter of Australians are not sure if they will have enough money for their retirement, according to Finder and with the average cost of a house now $1.002 million across the nation, many are hoping an inheritance will save them. But there are concerns an entitled attitude can lead to elder abuse and The Senior has already reported on "Inheritance Impatience", when family members pressure a person for early access to their money. And as the cost of health care for pensioners is set to rise on November 1 and an entry deposit into aged care soared up to $750,000 on July 1, some beneficiaries are trying to cut down their parents' costs. Council on the Ageing (COTA) NSW CEO Gohar Yazdabadi told The Senior the Government's changes to aged care mean that retirees will need to tap into more of their "savings, super and assets" so they can age "safely". "We're seeing more instances of 'inheritance protection', where family members stop older people from spending money on care, so there's more left to inherit, which is clearly a form of elder abuse," she said. "The idea that inheritance is a right, rather than a possibility, is shifting the dynamics of ageing." Ms Yazdabadi said the rise in inheritance impatience is making families forget or not care that retirees need their money to live and age well. "Older people are finding themselves in the difficult situation of having to navigate these expectations along with managing their own financial needs." she said. Eastern Community Legal Centre Managing Lawyer in Elder Abuse Paul Were said the chances of elder abuse can increase when choosing someone to make your medical decisions if you are incapacitated - and they are also in the will. "There's a chance that they might go and make bad decisions, potentially cheaper decisions, so they can try and retain their inheritance," he said. "Some of those medical decisions might be things like how to prolong someone's life. "If that person is also a beneficiary in the will ... they actually may benefit from the death of the person they're supposed to be caring for." The Victorian lawyer said it is hard to know if someone you love and trust might make a decision in their favour to speed up their inheritance, and if retirees are unsure who to appoint, they always have the option to not name anyone. The lawyer said the clients he usually sees are retirees who have discovered their adult children have been mishandling their funds. "Taking money from their bank accounts," he said. "Perhaps they're forcing them to sign documents against their wishes, or transferring their property into their own name." The lawyer also said adding to the problem is when older Australians are being blamed for the housing crisis and the younger generation "develop a sense of entitlement" because they think they also deserve a house. "There's really strong links between elder abuse and ageism," he said. Mr Were did say that despite the risks, many parents feel a sense of "pride" knowing they will be able to gift an inheritance to their family members, which he thinks is "lovely". "It's just the crossover when there's this expectation of that happening ... which is what often leads adult children to take advantage of their parents when they are deteriorating." With the cost of living soaring and home ownership out of reach for many of the younger generations, some are hell-bent on protecting an inheritance they believe should be theirs. Over a quarter of Australians are not sure if they will have enough money for their retirement, according to Finder and with the average cost of a house now $1.002 million across the nation, many are hoping an inheritance will save them. But there are concerns an entitled attitude can lead to elder abuse and The Senior has already reported on "Inheritance Impatience", when family members pressure a person for early access to their money. And as the cost of health care for pensioners is set to rise on November 1 and an entry deposit into aged care soared up to $750,000 on July 1, some beneficiaries are trying to cut down their parents' costs. Council on the Ageing (COTA) NSW CEO Gohar Yazdabadi told The Senior the Government's changes to aged care mean that retirees will need to tap into more of their "savings, super and assets" so they can age "safely". "We're seeing more instances of 'inheritance protection', where family members stop older people from spending money on care, so there's more left to inherit, which is clearly a form of elder abuse," she said. "The idea that inheritance is a right, rather than a possibility, is shifting the dynamics of ageing." Ms Yazdabadi said the rise in inheritance impatience is making families forget or not care that retirees need their money to live and age well. "Older people are finding themselves in the difficult situation of having to navigate these expectations along with managing their own financial needs." she said. Eastern Community Legal Centre Managing Lawyer in Elder Abuse Paul Were said the chances of elder abuse can increase when choosing someone to make your medical decisions if you are incapacitated - and they are also in the will. "There's a chance that they might go and make bad decisions, potentially cheaper decisions, so they can try and retain their inheritance," he said. "Some of those medical decisions might be things like how to prolong someone's life. "If that person is also a beneficiary in the will ... they actually may benefit from the death of the person they're supposed to be caring for." The Victorian lawyer said it is hard to know if someone you love and trust might make a decision in their favour to speed up their inheritance, and if retirees are unsure who to appoint, they always have the option to not name anyone. The lawyer said the clients he usually sees are retirees who have discovered their adult children have been mishandling their funds. "Taking money from their bank accounts," he said. "Perhaps they're forcing them to sign documents against their wishes, or transferring their property into their own name." The lawyer also said adding to the problem is when older Australians are being blamed for the housing crisis and the younger generation "develop a sense of entitlement" because they think they also deserve a house. "There's really strong links between elder abuse and ageism," he said. Mr Were did say that despite the risks, many parents feel a sense of "pride" knowing they will be able to gift an inheritance to their family members, which he thinks is "lovely". "It's just the crossover when there's this expectation of that happening ... which is what often leads adult children to take advantage of their parents when they are deteriorating."
9 News
an hour ago
- 9 News
Embarrassing reason Aussies are wasting hundreds of dollars every year
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here As Australians continue to battle the cost-of-living pressures caused by years of high inflation and interest rates, plenty are wasting hundreds of dollars a year on subscription services they never use, with many even having forgotten about signing up in the first place. Research released by Westpac this week revealed three in every 10 Aussies lose $600 a year on duplicate apps and services they don't use. It also found the average consumer spends an extra 20 per cent on subscriptions than what they realise – the equivalent of about $14 a month or $168 a year. Three in every 10 Australians waste $600 a year on apps they don't use. (Nine / Janie Barrett) "Convenience is clearly appealing to Australians and they're willing to pay for it. But our research has found these services might be running away from them a little bit," Westpac acting chief executive, consumer, Carolyn McCann said. "When we compared total estimated spend against customer transaction data, we could see customers are spending about $14 more each month than they think they are on subscriptions. "While subscription costs might not seem like much in isolation, they can quickly add up – especially if these are apps or services you no longer use. "This is hundreds or even thousands in potential savings that could be redirected elsewhere." Westpac also found its customers are spending more than $2200 a year on takeaway food. (Dominic Lorrimer) The research found that failing to cancel a service during a trial was the main reason people were spending more than they thought, while just under a third of consumers said they'd paid for a subscription they'd forgotten about. A similar proportion (31 per cent) said they found it too difficult to cancel certain services. Westpac also found Australians are spending $141 extra a year on subscriptions, an increase of 11.3 per cent from 2024. That comes as a number of popular streaming providers, including Spotify and Netflix , have increased their prices in consecutive years. Gaming services are the biggest money sinks for Australians, costing the average consumer $55.50 a month ($666 a year), followed by video streamers ($21.63 per month/$260 a year) and music ($16.98 a month/$204 a year). At the same time, Westpac also found its customers are spending a whopping $2200 a year on takeaway food. "Our data suggests customers are willing to spend on what makes life easier, with a significant uplift in spend on food services," McCann said. "But there's also growing awareness around value. "While spend on home and utility subscriptions recorded the second-highest spend growth, customers also said these services delivered the least value." Consumer national Australia finance money Cost of Living Westpac CONTACT US Property News: Rubbish-strewn house overtaken by mould asks $1.2 million.
