A fair future for Australia must include the wisdom of First Nations Peoples who have stewarded this land across millennia. The Intergenerational Fairness Coalition affirms that recognising and respecting the 65,000-year history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples – and supporting their rights and leadership – is essential to intergenerational fairness. We support self-determination and policies that empower First Nations communities and embed Indigenous perspectives in shaping our shared future, from caring for Country in the face of climate change to improving social and economic outcomes. By addressing past injustices and partnering with First Nations Peoples today, we create a stronger foundation for all future generations to prosper together on these lands.

Intergenerational fairness demands climate action to safeguard our environment for current and future Australians. The Intergenerational Fairness Coalition believes in steps to cut emissions and protect ecosystems so the next generation inherits a safe, liveable world rather than a climate crisis. Long-term policies must prioritise sustainability, ensuring we don’t pass on the costs of inaction to our children and their children. We must create a future where coming generations can prosper by urgently embracing effective climate solutions and a fair transition to a clean economy.

A fair go between generations means young and future Australians should have the same opportunity to attain secure housing as their parents did. Today’s Australians are increasingly locked out of home ownership and affordable rents, which undermines the promise of prosperity across age groups. The Intergenerational Fairness Coalition advocates for housing policies that boost affordability and supply, treating shelter as a basic need that underpins future security. By planning ahead, we can ensure that the next generation can put down roots and thrive, rather than being burdened by housing stress.

Every generation deserves access to quality education and skills development to reach its full potential. The Intergenerational Fairness Coalition supports policies that make education equitable and future-focused, from early childhood through universities and vocational training, so that young and future Australians are empowered to succeed. Intergenerational fairness in education means removing barriers like prohibitive costs that hold back learners today and treating education as a long-term investment in our nation’s future. By prioritising education and lifelong learning now, we equip the next generation with the tools to drive innovation, productivity and positive change for years to come.

A fair economic future requires that people have access to secure jobs, fair wages and meaningful careers. Intergenerational fairness calls for an economy where the prosperity enjoyed by older generations is not out of reach for future generations. The  Intergenerational Fairness Coalition champions policies to tackle underemployment and precarious work, invest in emerging industries, and ensure a just transition to new jobs in a sustainable economy. We strive to lift the economic burden on future Australians so that the benefits of growth are shared across age groups. By creating work and opportunity for all, we guarantee that the next generation can build stable livelihoods instead of inheriting an unequal or uncertain job market.

A wellbeing economy is essential for intergenerational fairness, prioritising long-term wellbeing over short-term profit and shifting the focus from GDP growth to genuine wellbeing outcomes. Guided by the four Ps (Purpose, Participation, Prevention, and Predistribution)it ensures economic systems serve societal and environmental goals, empower people in decision-making, address root causes early, and distribute resources fairly. By promoting sustainability, climate action, and equity, it prevents future generations from inheriting environmental and economic burdens. Achieving this requires a wellbeing approach to policy decision-making, where success is measured by improvements in health, education, social connection, and environmental sustainability rather than economic growth alone. This shift also involves new ways of working, increasing collaboration across sectors to create policies that support thriving people, communities, and ecosystems for generations to come.

The Intergenerational Fairness Coalition advocates for fiscal policies that are responsible and equitable between generations. Intergenerational fairness means today’s tax and economic settings should not unfairly enrich the present at the expense of the future. We support tax reforms and prudent budgeting that invest in long-term needs, like infrastructure, education and climate resilience, while avoiding unsustainable debt or deficits that would burden those to come.  Planning ahead for an ageing population and future challenges is essential to ease the financial load on younger and future Australians. By centering fairness in the tax system and ensuring long-term budget sustainability, we can deliver a future where coming generations inherit opportunities, not unpaid bills.

Healthy people are the foundation of a thriving future, so we must invest in health and mental wellbeing now to benefit all ages.




The Intergenerational Fairness Coalition calls for a preventative, long-term approach to health, tackling issues like the youth mental health crisis and chronic disease at their roots, before they become legacy burdens on coming generations. We support strengthening mental health services and preventive programs so young people today are not left with untreated problems that carry into later life. Promoting wellbeing across the lifespan and ensuring access to care for every generation will mean Australia’s future is one where longer lives are lived in good health, and the next generation isn’t mired in avoidable illness.

Digital technologies and transformative artificial intelligence could profoundly shape the wellbeing of future generations, either as a powerful force for good or a source of unprecedented harm. The Intergenerational Fairness Coalition believes that policymakers must approach digital technology with foresight and humility, treating its long-term risks as seriously as its transformative benefits. Leading experts and the public alike argue that challenging business models that monetise dopamine and preventing catastrophic AI outcomes should be a global priority, on par with other existential threats, such as pandemics and nuclear war. In the spirit of intergenerational fairness, governments should adopt robust ethical technology and AI governance, both domestically and internationally, that ensures we pass on safe, beneficial digital innovation, not unchecked systems that imperil us and our descendants.

For future generations to live free from the spectre of nuclear catastrophe, the Intergenerational Fairness Coalition believes we must sustain and strengthen global efforts to prevent nuclear war. While the annual probability of a nuclear conflict is low, experts warn that ongoing exposure to this risk over decades makes the eventual chance of occurrence unacceptably high, perhaps roughly equivalent to a coin flip by 2100 if nothing changes​. Intergenerational fairness demands that today’s leaders work tirelessly on disarmament, arms control, and diplomacy to steadily reduce the dangers of nuclear weapons.

Catastrophic pandemics threaten current and future generations, and prudence requires a long-term prevention mindset. There have been multiple pandemics in recent history, and their emergence is accelerating in our interconnected world​. At the same time, advances in biotechnology are increasing the potential for engineered outbreaks, with experts estimating a significant likelihood of a human-made pandemic within the coming decades​. The  Intergenerational Fairness Coalition believes Australia should strengthen its defences, including prevention and preparation. By bolstering pandemic preparedness and global biosecurity today, we safeguard future generations' health and stability.

Intergenerational fairness in democracy means giving all generations, including young people, a real voice in decisions that shape the future. The  Intergenerational Fairness Coalition believes Australia must overcome short election-cycle thinking by embedding an intergenerational lens in policymaking and inviting meaningful youth participation. We champion reforms like establishing a Commissioner for Future Generations and requiring future impact assessments for major policies to hold leaders accountable to those who will live with the results. By lowering barriers to civic engagement and bringing diverse voices to the table, we can create governance that plans beyond the next three years and truly represents both current and future Australians.

Intergenerational fairness means the next generation should inherit a more equal and inclusive society than the one before. The Intergenerational Fairness Coalition supports empowering marginalised youth today so that tomorrow’s leaders come from all backgrounds. We advocate for policies that close pay and opportunity gaps, protect the rights of vulnerable people, and promote diversity in leadership and decision-making. By tackling inequality and discrimination now – whether based on gender, race, disability or background – we give the next generation a fair chance to succeed. A future built on equal opportunity and inclusion will harness the talents of all its people and ensure no Australian is left behind.

The push for intergenerational fairness is a call for unity, not division. The Intergenerational Fairness Coalition emphasises that we must reject “generation wars” narratives and instead strengthen solidarity between future, young and old, recognising that each generation’s wellbeing is interconnected. Fairness involves renewing the generational contract: today’s decision-makers safeguard the world for those to come, and younger generations value the contributions of those who came before. Policies should foster mutual support and understanding between age groups, whether that means older Australians championing youth opportunities or young people engaging with the needs of seniors. By building social cohesion across ages and working together for our common future, we ensure no generation is left carrying unfair burdens and our society remains vibrant and compassionate for future generations.