Queenslanders slip below the poverty line: QCOSS report Date November 25, 2013 - 3:15PM 7 reading nowComments 5 Read later Kim Stephens Kim Stephens Journalist View more articles from Kim Stephens Follow Kim on Twitter Email Kim submit to redditEmail articlePrintReprints & permissions Queenslands single parent families and unemployed singles are in for a grim festive season, with most unable to afford basic living costs, let alone Christmas goodies. The latest quarterly Queensland Council of Social Service cost of living report shows the average income of single parent families and unemployed singles is falling below the basic standard of living. Two parent families fare slightly better, though not much. Statistics compiled by QCOSS from Australian Bureau of Statistics data show two parent, low-income working families earn just $88 more than the basic living cost requirement each week. Advertisement QCOSS CEO Mark Henley said many families were being forced to choose between foregoing essential items or risk slipping further into debt. “Research shows that low-income individuals and families are still struggling to keep up with increasing costs-of-living, despite some reprieves from government concessions and income support measures,” he said. “Significant increases in the cost of electricity, transport and rent continue to leave households with little left over to put into savings, or cope with unexpected and expensive issues such as medical crises.” The statistics showed thousands of Queensland households were facing a difficult Christmas, Mr Henley said. The QCOSS report has shown the rapid rise in electricity, gas and fuel costs has placed the most pressure on family finances. Queensland electricity prices have risen 86 per cent in the past five years, while the consumer price index has increased just 12 per cent. In the same period gas prices have risen 44 per cent and the report warns with historically low priced domestic contracts all due to expire within the next few years, gas prices could rise even further. QCOSS has long advocated for the Newman Government to establish an independent body to comprehensively review the existing concessions system as a way to alleviate cost of living pressure on all low income families. It has also called on the Federal Government to raise the Newstart allowance by $50 per week and to index future payments to wages rather than CPI. Mr Henley said latest cost estimates, based on ABS data from the September 2013 quarter, clearly showed low-income earners were at risk of slipping below the poverty line and finding themselves and their families entrenched in intergenerational poverty and disadvantage. Read more: brisbanetimes.au/queensland/queenslanders-slip-below-the-poverty-line-qcoss-report-20131125-2y5kj.html#ixzz2leKE6cZ2
Posted on: Mon, 25 Nov 2013 09:49:54 +0000
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