There’s an urgent call to help those in poverty, as new figures reveal a soaring number of Australians living below the line. Source: 9News.com.au.
A new report from the Australian Council of Social Service and the University of NSW shows one in seven Australians lives below the poverty line. That’s 3.7 million people living on “less than half the median income”.
The study using data from 2023 illustrates a jump of nearly half a million people from the previous edition.
Two generations after then prime minister Bob Hawke’s pledge that “by 1990 no Australian child will be living in poverty”, the Australian Council of Social Services report says one in six children now face poverty hardships.
Since the survey period, JobSeeker and rent assistance rates have risen, but welfare groups say they need to go higher.
“We must fix the adequacy of social security that is the income floor that protects you,” ACOSS CEO Cassandra Goldie said.
Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek said a jobseeker was about $4000 a year better off since Labor came into government.
“That builds on cheaper medicines, more bulk billing, fee-free TAFE, five per cent deposits,” she said.
Keeping up with rents is the biggest challenge as housing remains the biggest driver of the cost of living.
One issue raised at the recent economic roundtable was how Australians struggling to find work can be matched with the many businesses crying out for workers
“We know that there are people looking for workers and we know people are looking for jobs – we need an employment services system that can get people into those jobs long-term,” Ms Goldie said.
FULLSTORY
Soaring number of Aussies living in poverty, study reveals (By Sarah Swain, 9news.com.au)
