Justice Stocktake 2025
Welcome to the Social Justice Stocktake 2025
Working for justice is at the heart of what The Salvation Army does in Australia. It is integral to our ethos, our mission and our vision.
In our inaugural Stocktake, The Salvation Army wanted to get to the heart of what people were seeing in their local communities, and from there build a map of social justice priorities across Australia. We found surprising agreement about the issues affecting communities right across Australia, regardless of where they are and how they vote. We heard that many people feel overwhelmed, even hopeless, when asked how Australia can address the issues they see in their local communities.
In 2024 we again checked in across the nation – with almost 16,000 Australians across every state and territory and in every electorate. This time there was even more consensus about the top issues affecting individuals and communities. An extraordinary 71 per cent of survey respondents reported that housing affordability and homelessness was a key issue in their community. The majority of respondents also agreed that mental health, financial hardship, and access to health care were in the top five issues facing their communities.
The sentiment of respondents was different this time. In 2021 we heard a sense of helplessness about addressing social injustice. This year there was also an overwhelming sense of urgency in response to perceived governmental inaction – many respondents left messages calling on decision-makers to put politics aside and prioritise action.
So instead of just providing our findings, we’ve tried to arm readers with practical solutions and pathways towards the changes they want to see in their communities. We firmly believe that every social justice issue can be addressed. Every person can make a difference. Together, we can make an even greater difference.
Results at a glance
| Top 5 issues for community | Total |
|---|---|
| Housing affordability and homelessness | 71.0% |
| Mental health | 57.6% |
| Financial hardship and inclusion | 53.2% |
| Access to health care | 50.4% |
| Alcohol and drug misuse | 43.4% |
| Top 5 issues for self | Total |
|---|---|
| Mental health | 40.3% |
| Housing affordability and homelessness | 36.5% |
| Financial hardship and inclusion | 32.31% |
| Climate change | 30.3% |
| Access to health care | 30.1% |
The National Report
Social Justice in Australia in 2025
The sentiment of respondents was different this time. In 2021 we heard a sense of helplessness about addressing social injustice. This year there was also an overwhelming sense of urgency in response to perceived governmental inaction — many respondents left messages calling on decision-makers to put politics aside and prioritise action.