The Pay Off with Sylvia Jeffreys It’s Tough Being A Young Person Right Now with Russel Howcroft
Dec 3, 2025
Russel Howcroft, an advertising executive and media personality, shares his insights on the challenges facing today's 30-year-olds in Australia. He discusses the financial obstacles young people encounter, from soaring HECS debts to stagnant wages. Russel reflects on Melbourne's cultural decline, the importance of optimism, and how past decades fueled innovation. He encourages parents to nurture creativity in their children and advocates for bold advertising as a means to reshape stories about Australia. His journey through media and insights on entrepreneurship provide listeners with valuable perspectives.
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Tokyo's Respect Culture Changed Behaviour
- Howcroft describes Tokyo's pervasive respect culture and lack of street bins that changes behaviour instantly.
- He contrasts that polite compliance with casual littering he sees in Australia to highlight cultural differences.
Why It's Harder To Be 30 Today
- Russel Howcroft proves it's harder for 30-year-olds today using data on HECS and stagnant wages versus rapidly rising housing costs.
- He argues one generation ago a single income could support a family while now similar earnings don't buy comparable living standards.
Regulation Has Curbed Modern Optimism
- Howcroft says decades of regulation and layering of good-intentioned rules have suffocated development and optimism.
- He links reduced optimism to slower technological and societal progress compared with mid-20th-century expectations.
