Relationships Australia conducts research and evaluation to improve our services and inform our advocacy on issues affecting Australian communities
Advocacy
Relationships Australia national office advocates on the importance of respectful relationships at all levels, and regularly makes submissions to a range of inquiries and consultations to influence the policy, services and systems that impact our clients and the broader community.
You can review our Submissions below.
Advocacy
February 20, 2026
Submission to Treasury regarding access to super for victims of child sexual abuse – draft legislation
Advocacy
December 19, 2025
Submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission regarding Discussion Paper 89 – Review of surrogacy laws
Advocacy
December 2, 2025
Submission to the Department of Social Services regarding “A new approach to programs for families and children”
Advocacy
October 22, 2025
Submission to the Attorney-General’s Department on its review of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)
Research
Relationships Australia is committed to evidence-informed practice. We are involved in a variety of research projects that support our advocacy efforts. We are committed to integrating the best available research and data evidence across our service offerings.
You can view our key research topics below
Reports
June 6, 2024
Relationship Indicators Full Report
Relationship Indicators Full Report
Research
October 27, 2023
The rise of online dating and open relationships
We asked our website users about their relationship with their partner to gain insight into two growing trends in Australia – open relationships and online dating. Results suggest that online dating is a growing in popularity, especially for younger Australians and those in newer relationships. Open relationships are also more common than once thought, with […]
Research
September 27, 2023
Feeling unsafe in your most important relationship
Feeling unsafe disagreeing with someone does not always equate to violence; however, it can be indicative of risk factors associated with family and domestic violence and is used as a screening tool by Relationships Australia. National statistics demonstrate 9% of people in Australia feel unsafe disagreeing with the most important person in their life. Our […]
Research
June 28, 2023
How do relationship struggles affect loneliness?
We asked our website users a series of questions that, when analysed together, provide insight into whether someone is feeling lonely. We found that the people using the Relationships Australia website felt lonely at more than twice the rate of the general Australian population. 1 in 2 (56%) website users are socially lonely, while 43% […]
Research
May 26, 2023
What is the most common relationship problem? Pressures affecting relationships today
Key Findings We asked our website users about the pressures affecting the most important relationship in their life – Almost 1 in 2 (49%) people said mental health was affecting their relationship. When compared with national data, mental health appears to affect our website users at twice the rate of the general population. Other key […]
Publications
March 31, 2026
Research report: Preserving Dignity, Overcoming Conflict – Adelaide’s Eldercaring Coordination Project
Overview This research report by Associate Professor Ben Livings, Professor Eileen O’Brien, Adjunct Professor Dale Bagshaw and Dr Pen Roe, all of Adelaide University, discusses the findings of a pilot study to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of eldercaring coordination in South Australia. Abstract This pilot study set out to assess the feasibility of implementing […]
Reports
June 18, 2024
The ongoing effects of partnered relationship breakdown
The ongoing effects of partnered relationship breakdown
Reports
June 6, 2024
Relationship Indicators Full Report
Relationship Indicators Full Report
Research
March 7, 2023
Including youth voices in community services
What is the project? The latest project from Relationships Australia’s National Research Network, in collaboration with the Australian National University, explores how to better include the voices of children and young people in the design, delivery, and evaluation of community services. Results The project is in the development phase. More information will be made available […]
Infographics
April 17, 2024
Cost Effectiveness of the NED campaign Explainer
Cost Effectiveness of the NED campaign
Reports
February 26, 2024
Neighbours Every Day Cost Effectiveness Evaluation
Neighbour Day Cost Effectiveness Final Report
Reports
March 17, 2023
Remembering and recovering from COVID-19 | Multicultural experiences in Melbourne during the pandemic
Journal articles
June 2, 2022
Boosting neighbourhood identification to benefit wellbeing: Evidence from diverse community samples
Emerging research has suggested the importance of neighbourhood identification for supporting community wellbeing, especially in disadvantaged areas. However, these relationships have not been tested across diverse neighbourhoods, nor in experimental studies that might establish causal links. To address this, we recruited a diverse community sample of over 3700 participants across two studies. Study 1 was […]
Infographics
March 18, 2022
Infographic – Neighbour Day 2019-2020 Findings – Key Outcomes explained
