Economic pessimism has set in – but there are reasons for Australians to be hopeful

By Kate Griffiths, Democracy Deputy Program Director, Grattan Institute

Feeling gloomy about the future? You’re not alone. New data shows economic pessimism is growing in Australia, and the implications reach far beyond the hip pocket.

The latest Lowy Institute poll shows a sharp decline in economic optimism, with just 41% of Australians feeling optimistic about Australia’s economic performance in the world over the next five years. This is the first year in which pessimism has outstripped optimism since the question was first asked in 2005.

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