Australians are a generous mob when it comes to charity, donating more than two billion dollars each year. There’s a long tradition of helping those less fortunate than ourselves in this country and it’s something we can be proud of.
Times are tough, and with a nearly $30 billion state budget deficit expected to blow out to $40 billion in 2018-2019, things are going to get even tougher.
The release today of the Salvation Army’s fifth national Economic and Social Impact Survey makes for some shocking reading. The survey sampled more than 1600 of the agency’s clients and discovered some sobering results.
Almost all of the respondents (91%) reported experiencing housing stress, where rent or mortgage payments are between 30 and 50% of income, and 68% report extreme housing stress where accommodation costs are more than 60% of income.
A shocking number of households with children – 58% – report severe deprivation and must make do without five or more basic items.
The households surveyed represent 1172 children, and it is these who suffer most, often having to change schools when moving house, something that happens most often because of domestic violence.
One in five respondents cannot afford medical treatment or medicines prescribed for their child and 42% cannot afford a yearly dental check-up.
Six out of ten families cannot afford an internet connection, something which is no longer a luxury these days, putting kids at risk of social exclusion and unable to fully participate in schooling.
Sporting, after-school and club activities are vital parts of childrens’ lives in Australia, and we rightly encourage participation to teach strengths and values like courage, teamwork, resilience, and fair play. But many families under stress cannot afford such activities and children suffer not just economic hardship but the cognitive and developmental disadvantages that can result from this exclusion.
On Tuesday the WA Council of Social Services and Shelter WA, an independent community-based organisation committed to the principle of accessible and affordable housing for low income and otherwise disadvantaged people, issued a press release saying that homelessness services will face cuts from June this year “as a result of the Commonwealth’s failure to provide the funding necessary to support organisations’ salary obligations.”
More grim news, but we need to keep in mind that the hardships being reported in the Salvation Army survey are not just those of homelessness, which affects 17% of respondents. The majority of respondents are regular families doing their level best to keep a roof over their heads.
We should take care that we don’t allow unfortunate circumstances to define who these people are. Many of us are one medical emergency away from financial hardship and it can be nothing more than luck that keeps us out of trouble.
The Salvos’ report makes a number of recommendations which it is impossible not to support, including the development of a national plan to address persistent poverty and inequality in Australia.
Continued financial support must ensure that emergency relief, financial counselling, and community support services are maintained and strengthened, and that affordable housing is increased along with support for families escaping violence.
Long-range preventative measures are key, and the report calls for additional early intervention and prevention programs that both support vulnerable parents and aim to increase social inclusion and connectedness for children born in poverty.
The Salvation Army’s 2016 Red Shield Appeal is this weekend, May 28 and 29. Anyone wishing to donate or help can contact the Salvos by visiting salvationarmy.org.au
Dig deep when the door-knockers visit. The community we help is our own.
– Jem Hedley
