Following on from the inaugural Wicked Problems Report earlier this year, Flinders University has checked in on South Australians and Northern Territorians and for the first time measured their levels of happiness and optimism about what lies ahead.
Drawing on insights from almost 3,000 South Australians and 350 Territorians, the Flinders Wicked Problems SA and NT Pulse Reports show that while people are happy and optimistic about their state and territory's direction, younger cohorts are noticeably less optimistic and happy compared to older generations.
Flinders University Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Raymond Chan, said the survey adopts a new approach to shaping research priorities at Flinders by measuring participants wellbeing and outlook.
"This latest survey continues to put the voice of Australians at the centre of our research agenda, so our experts can seek to understand the root causes of these issues and help deliver solutions that bring the most benefit to the community," says Professor Chan
"It's now our job to understand the reasons behind this and address it with practical evidence-based solutions. We're already acting by bringing together a broad range of experts, working in collaboration with government, industry and community, to tackle the problems that South Australians and Territorians care about the most."
The SA survey found on optimism for the state's direction:
- 37% of all residents are fairly optimistic.
- 40% of Interwar and 38% of Boomers are fairly optimistic.
- 35% of both Millennials (Gen Y) and Gen Z are fairly optimistic.
- 29% of rural residents are fairly optimistic, compared to 38% of metro-based people.
The NT had polarising results between age groups:
- 47% of Interwar respondents are fairly pessimistic.
- 26% of Gen Z are not sure about the Territory's direction.
- 20% of Gen X are fairly optimistic.
Both reports highlight further differences in generational happiness:
- 41% of South Australians, across the generations, are fairly happy.
- In SA, 14% of Gen Z, 11% of Gen Y and 10% of Gen X are fairly unhappy
- 7% of Boomers and 5% of the Interwar cohort reported being fairly unhappy.
- In NT, 60% of Interwar participants are very happy.
- 33% of Baby Boomers are very happy.
- 27% of Millennials are very happy, while 11% are fairly unhappy.
Results from the updated Pulse Report show that across demographic and income groups, there was no major change to the greatest issues in SA and NT, since Flinders' original survey in June.
Chief Investigator Professor Ian Goodwin-Smith says the Pulse Report results reflect the resilience of Australians.
"Even with the rising cost of living, global uncertainty, and the impacts of climate events, 69% of people told us they're still fairly to completely happy. Many remain optimistic about the state's direction," he said.
"It's a powerful reminder that, despite challenges, we have a remarkable ability to adapt and stay hopeful. That's exactly why it's so important for us to keep listening and to research the issues that matter most to our communities, so we can be a part of that hopefulness and help to create solutions that genuinely make a difference in people's lives."
The full report SA and NT reports are available at: flinders.edu.au/wicked-problems
About the Pulse Check
In November 2025, Flinders University conducted a one-off 'Pulse Check' report with 3,000 South Australians to identify evolving priorities in the community and measure satisfaction with the state's current and future direction. The survey is based on a larger national online survey of 30,000 Australians first conducted in December 2024, the Flinders University Wicked Problems Report, which identifies the most pressing challenges facing individuals and communities across the country. Participants ranked their top three concerns from a curated list developed through stakeholder interviews, focus groups and pre-testing. The survey sample was representative by age, gender and geographic location to ensure a diverse cross-section of views. The Flinders Wicked Problems Report will be conducted annually, providing a longitudinal view of Australia's evolving challenges and shaping Flinders University's research efforts.
