Summary of reporting by Ryan Heath, Paul Karp, Finn McHugh and Miriam Webber, published by POLITICO on 22 September 2026 (AWST).
Kate Chaney has welcomed the long-term focus of Treasury’s Seventh Intergenerational Report while questioning how confidently it can predict Australia’s future over four decades.
Speaking to POLITICO, Kate highlighted the enormous uncertainty surrounding artificial intelligence and its potential to reshape the economy. She and fellow independent Monique Ryan also argued that national progress needs to be assessed more broadly, with greater attention to climate, natural resources, mental health, social connection, fairness and infrastructure.
The report prompted concern across parliament about its productivity assumptions and whether projections alone can guide reform. MPs also linked falling birth rates to the financial pressures facing younger Australians, including housing costs, debt and the expense of establishing an independent life.
The article explores a shared appetite for thinking beyond election cycles, alongside disagreement about the forecasts and the policies needed to improve future living standards.