Australia Reads August 5, 2024
New research by Australia Reads and BehaviourWorks Australia looks to understand the motivations and barriers around reading for pleasure – and how we can get more Australians reading.
Reading for pleasure has immense benefits for our society. People who read regularly report higher self-esteem, are less lonely, and are 58% more likely to empathise with others.[1] Physiologically, reading slows the heart rate, reduces stress[2] and can even extend our lives.[3] High reading rates are globally acknowledged as a sign of a healthy, democratic society. With the rise of misinformation, building a culture of reading is more important than ever.
While there is a sizable population in Australia who reap the benefits of regular reading for pleasure, research confirms that recreational reading rates are in decline.[4] As of 2022, there were more than 12 million infrequent and non-readers in Australia aged 15 and over,[5] with more than a quarter of Australians having not read or listened to a single book in the space of a year.[6]
We want to understand, and ultimately change, this story.
Read here
