A new report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) looks at how Australian generations spend their time on recreation and leisure – with some concerning statistics for reading for pleasure.

The report draws on findings from the 2020-21 Time Use Survey (TUS) in which people in the survey completed a diary of their activities.

The findings reveal worrying trends for reading for pleasure, with low levels of participation across all generations, particularly when compared to other forms of leisure activities and media.

Key findings with regard to reading include:

• People from the Interwar Years were the biggest readers, with nearly half of the Interwar generation reportedly spending time in their day reading (47%).
• 30% of Baby Boomers participated in reading on any given day, coming in as the second-highest generation.
• Reading participation for Generation X showed a significant gender imbalance, with nearly one in four (23%) Generation X females participating in reading on any given day compared to around one in eight Generation X males (12%).
• Millennials (Gen Y) showed the second lowest levels of participation in reading at 14.1%. They also had the lowest percentage of participation in leisure and recreation on any given day compared to other generations.
• Generation Z showed the lowest levels of participation in reading than any other generation at 11.2%, with this generation spending higher proportions of time on digital gaming and internet and mobile device use.

The ABS’ definition of reading includes reading newspapers, books, magazines, e-books, and excludes reading online news, social media, emails, texts, paperwork and mail, study texts and participating in a book club. 

The report echoes recent studies which showed that a quarter of Australians did not read a single book over the course of a year, and children’s participation in reading for pleasure has been trending downwards. New research from Deakin University showed that 29% of school students did not engage with reading in their free time.

The consistent reporting around falling reading rates points to a critical need for investment in a coordinated national strategy to increase reading participation, backed by research and investment.

Reading for pleasure has a broad range of benefits for individuals and Australian society at large. It supports literacy, decreases loneliness and stress, strengthens family bonds, helps children understand the world, and increases empathy for others. Readers are even more likely to live longer. 

To ensure that more Australians have access to the life-changing benefits of reading, the book sector must continue to present a unified approach to the benefits of boosting reading participation.

Australia Reads and partners will continue to advocate to Government for investment in a reading nation. 

Sign-up to our enews to stay up to date with our work, and explore more reading research findings via our website. You can read the full ABS findings here.