A report in the Nine papers tells us the hit to wellbeing in Australia caused by increased mental illness during COVID-19 lockdowns has so far cost more than $13 billion.

This is modelling from a special edition of the Herald/Age-Lateral Economics Wellbeing Index and it estimates the pandemic-induced lockdowns of 2020 and 2021 resulted in a 6 percentage point increase in mental illness.

Luke Grant speaks with Nicholas Gruen, Lateral Economics’ CEO & Index author says the findings shine a light on some hidden costs of the pandemic and help to deepen our understanding of the ways it has affected the community.

Download this podcast here