Cost of Living

Mr GREG PIPER (Lake Macquarie) (14:29): Along with many members of this place, I am in despair at the cost of living and the impact it is having on our communities. I fear that low-income families and those living below the poverty line are going to be doing it even tougher in the very near future. The New South Wales Government has numerous rebates, voucher schemes and cards on offer to help ease the financial burden, but those measures are nowhere near enough to make a real difference to many households. The NSW Council of Social Service released a report this September entitled Impossible Choices: Decisions NSW communities shouldn’t have to make. The report looks at the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on low-income households. The CEO's message simply states:

The relentless surge in living expenses has pushed countless people in New South Wales to the brink. From soaring interest rates to increased rents and the escalating costs of essentials, the financial strain is becoming unbearable for many.

The report's regional snapshot of Newcastle and Lake Macquarie over the past 12 months paints a grim picture for low-income households in the area. The following are just some of the statistics. Eighty-one per cent of low-income households are under housing stress, spending more than 30 per cent of their income on housing. That is an extraordinarily high number, and it is higher than the New South Wales average of 68 per cent. In fact, it is the highest level of housing stress of any region in New South Wales over the past 12 months. Fifty-five per cent of low-income households experience food insecurity, meaning they went without meals because they were short of money; 53 per cent of low-income households could not afford their prescription medication or health care; 60 per cent of low-income households could not afford the cost of essential travel, for example, going to work or getting an education—again, that is higher than the New South Wales average of 44 per cent; and 60 per cent of low-income households were late paying their utility bills at least once, compared to the New South Wales average of 50 per cent. Those figures are scary and show that low-income households are under incredible pressure.

As previous data has shown, single parents, First Nations people, carers and households with disability are the hardest hit in this cost-of-living crisis. Children are also feeling the impact. Their parents are unable to afford, among other things, nutritious meals, essential hygiene items such as nappies, extracurricular activities or educational resources. That is obviously having a negative impact on their wellbeing, including their physical and mental health, social inclusion and education. In Lake Macquarie we are lucky to have some amazing charities and not-for-profit organisations that provide literally life-saving services to so many in need, but even our largest charities are feeling the pressure of the rising cost of living. Southlakes Incorporated has helped over 1.5 million people over the past decade by providing various services, including emergency food relief, a food bank, Christmas hampers and a few items for kids aged up to 16. The founder, Christine Mastello, has said they are having to scale back some essential services, such as the number of bags of food they are able to give away, due to the increased cost of grocery items. Southlakes Incorporated also has had to say no to some public schools that have requested food for their school breakfast programs.

Another great local charity, Survivor's R Us, has recorded a 400 per cent increase in the number of people asking for help this year. Founder and CEO, Maria Martin, says last year Survivor's R Us helped a total of 17,000 people. This year it has already helped 23,000 people, and the year is not over yet. The following is a snapshot of what Survivor's R Us is dealing with. It is seeing around 100 people each month who are in utter crisis. Over just two days, 25 people experiencing homelessness and domestic violence came to the charity for help. Volunteers did what they could for them but, with a shortage of crisis accommodation, they had to be told to continue to sleep in their cars—that is, if they had cars. Those who were not fortunate enough to have cars were faced with rough sleeping or other insecure accommodation options. As part of the greater demand for services, Survivor's R Us is also seeing an increase in people seeking help who have severe mental health conditions. They see people recently released from hospital with no medication, no help and nowhere to go. Remember, there is currently a shortage of crisis accommodation.

Volunteers have also experienced recent threats to their safety, highlighting the stress of those working at the coalface of the cost-of-living crisis. I do not know where to go from here. Frontline services report being unable to keep up with the demand for help and having to scale back food provision services. It is just terrible. As I have previously stated, while there is no easy solution for this huge problem, the New South Wales Government is better placed to help more people than the charities themselves, and it must do more to help those organisations that give so much to so many. Lives are quite literally depending on it.