What are South Australia’s biggest problems?
A new report from Flinders University reveals the top concerns Australians face today, with healthcare access a bigger concern for SA than the rest of the country.
Cost-of-living topped the lists of concerns in South Australia and nationally, followed by housing unaffordability.
This was found by the inaugural “Wicked Problems Report” from Flinders University, released today, which surveyed more than 30,000 Australians to determine the issues that matter most to them.
Though cost-of-living prevailed across income groups, Baby Boomers had less concern for cost-of-living than the national average, instead prioritising healthcare, the environment and global stability.
In South Australia, the third major concern was access to quality healthcare, which 31 per cent of South Australians ranked as a priority for them.
Tasmania also ranked healthcare access higher than the national average, which indicated 26 per cent of Australians worried about healthcare.
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Some of the most pressing healthcare issues included long waitlists for medical procedures and specialist appointments, limited public healthcare access, emergency and mental health services, regional services and access to aged care.
In April 2025, South Australian ambulances spent 3700 hours ramped, which has decreased from March’s 4134 hours. This graph: SA Health
Ramping was one of the central promises of the Malinauskas Labor Government at the last state election and continues to dominate South Australian politics in 2025.
Following healthcare, 27 per cent of South Australians ranked crime and safety as one of their major concerns.
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The report found that people living in rural areas are more worried about crime and safety and healthcare access compared to metropolitan residents.
Environment ranked fifth in the list of major concerns, both for South Australians and nationally, with 23 per cent of SA respondents concerned with climate change, and apprehensions about natural disasters such as floods, fires and droughts.
This largely aligns with the promises that came out of the recent federal election, with Labor deemed to have won off the back of cost-of-living measures like tax cuts, cheaper healthcare and energy bill relief rather than environmental spending.
The report found environmental concern varies by location, with ACT residents the most concerned, and Queenslanders the least.
SA is the third most concerned about environmental issues after the ACT and Tasmania.
In sixth place nationally, 18 per cent of respondents ranked family, domestic and sexual violence as a major concern.
Women were more likely to identify domestic violence as a concern than men, who were more concerned with trust in government and global crises.
Compared to the national averages, South Australians are slightly less concerned about crime and safety, family, domestic and sexual violence, trust in government, and infrastructure and transport.
Flinders University Vice-Chancellor Colin Stirling said the landmark survey indicates the university’s community-driven approach to research.
“By identifying the issues that matter most to ordinary Australians, our researchers can then seek to understand the root causes of these issues and help to deliver solutions that bring the most benefit to our community,” Stirling said.
“Australians have told us clearly what is keeping them awake at night. Now it’s our job to turn that concern into action by researching solutions that make a real difference.”
