SUNDAY 18 OCTOBER 2026 - More than half of young Victorians have considered leaving the state, with debt and economic conditions threatening to drive away the generation Victoria needs to create its future jobs, businesses and wealth.
Research* commissioned by independent advocate AMPLIFY has found that 55% of Victorians aged 18 to 24 have considered leaving the state over issues including debt, business conditions and crime, the highest of any age group.
But young Victorians aren’t just thinking about leaving - many already have.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data shows almost half (48%) of Victorians who moved interstate in 2025 were aged 20 to 34, representing almost 36,000 young Victorians.
Many young Victorians already feel under pressure, with the latest ABS data showing Victoria’s youth unemployment rate now at 13% versus the national average at 10.9%. Young Victorians make up more than 40% of all unemployed people in Victoria and no state has a higher number of unemployed youth than Victoria – 84,000.
AMPLIFY Executive Director Martin Codina said with Victoria’s debt approaching $200 billion and interest alone costing $24 million a day, every dollar spent on interest is a dollar not invested in the jobs, homes and opportunities that give young people a reason to stay.
“Young Victorians are understandably lookingat this debt and wondering whether the burden of paying it back is going to landon them,” Mr Codina said.
“Our research shows far too many young people feel Victoria isn’t working for them. But these are the Victorians that are needed to start the next generation of businesses, to fuel the growth of the state and create the wealth Victoria needs to prosper.
“As the generation who risk being left with the bill, young Victorians have a lot at stake. Getting debt under control is key to making Victoria a state where young people choose to build their future.
“Only a credible plan to stop borrowing and pay down debt will show the next generation there’s a future worth staying for."
*WOLF+SMITH independently surveyed a representative sample of 1,500Victorian voters in September 2026.
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