Concerns as poverty increases to one in seven people

The number of people living in poverty in Australia has increased to 1 in 7, according to a new ACOSS and UNSW report released today at the start of Anti-Poverty Week. Using the most recent figures, researchers found 3.7 million people, 14.2 per cent of the population, were living in poverty in 2022–23. That marked an increase from 12.4 per cent of the population, or 1 in 8 people, in 2020-21. The study found the poverty rate for children is 1 in 6, equalling 757,000 children. “This research shows that 1 in 7 people are now living in poverty," Senior Research Fellow at UNSW Social Policy Research Centre Dr Yuvisthi Naidoo said. "This is unacceptable in one of the wealthiest countries in the world. “The number of people living in poverty decreased in 2020 due to the temporary effective doubling of JobSeeker through the Covid supplement, but has since sharply risen to be now above pre-pandemic levels, with the removal of the Covid payments and dramatic rising housing costs. “The steep increase in rents in recent years has had a particularly severe impact on people with the lowest incomes.” The report found that from June 2021 to June 2023, the median advertised rent for units rose 40 per cent in Sydney, 34 per cent in Melbourne and 41 per cent in Brisbane. ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie AO said the findings showed much greater action is needed to tackle poverty. “While the Albanese Government has taken some steps to reduce poverty, such as supporting minimum wage increases, and small income support increases, it must do so much more to turn this trend around,” Dr Goldie said. “The Government must fix woefully inadequate income support payments, set targets and boost social housing and commit to full employment. "It should also adopt time-linked targets for poverty reduction to hold us all to account." The report, Poverty In Australia 2025: Overview, by the ACOSS and UNSW Sydney-led Poverty and Inequality Partnership, used the latest available data from the HILDA survey. The research found the poverty line, based on 50 per cent of median household after-tax income, is $584 a week for a single adult and $1,226 a week for a couple with two children. People in households below the poverty line had household incomes averaging $390 per week below the line. Families with children in poverty were on average $464 below the poverty line. “More people in Australia are now living in poverty, and this confirms what our frontline staff see every day: individuals and families are being pushed to the brink by soaring housing and living costs, combined with inadequate income support," Sharon Calister, CEO of Mission Australia, said. "Far too many are at risk of or experiencing homelessness as a result. “Poverty and homelessness are deeply interconnected. "Without adequate income support and access to safe, affordable homes, people can’t meet basic needs or plan for the future. "We urgently need real increases to income support payments, greater investment in social and affordable housing, and early intervention services that keep people safely housed.” Acting CEO of Jesuit Social Services, Michael Livingstone, said the report shows that the rate of people living in poverty decreased during the pandemic, but has since risen above pre-pandemic levels. "When the JobSeeker payment was temporarily doubled, our participants told us they no longer had to decide between buying warm clothes in winter or essential medication, they could finally afford both," Mr Livingstone said. "Everybody deserves to live a dignified life, and we urge our political leaders to urgently lift income support to support this.”

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