Only Government can help address childhood poverty

Marking Anti Poverty Week 13-19 October 2024

Eliminating poverty is a complex challenge but the Australian Government is responsible for providing support to those most in its grip, not least the 774,000 children – one-in-six of all Aussie kids – who are living below the poverty line. 

‘Households living in poverty have limited access to proper housing, healthy food and educational opportunities for their children. This causes social and developmental problems in the short term and limitations as the children grow up,’ said St Vincent de Paul Society’s National President Mark Gaetani 

‘Around 3,240,000 Australians, more than 13 per cent of our total population, are now living below the poverty line. The great majority rely on the Government as their sole source of income and at present this is grossly inadequate. Australia’s poverty rate has steadily increased over the past two decades, with survey data suggesting the rate of poverty is at its highest since 2001. 

‘Poverty is also intergenerational. Children who experience poverty are at increased risk of facing poverty as adults’, he added. 

Mr Gaetani stressed that the rate of JobSeeker and other support payments is below the poverty line and the result is that young children are failing to thrive because their needs cannot be met. Further, they are unlikely to go on to escape the poverty trap and to pursue their life goals. 

‘It is unimaginable that this situation continues in a well-off country like Australia. But that’s the reality our members see every day when they are in touch with people seeking help. Households must decide between buying essential medicine or paying a power bill, putting food on the table or paying the rent, with the ever-present threat of homelessness.’  

Mr Gaetani said St Vincent de Paul Society continues to advocate for the Australian Government to address a range of key social inequities. These include halving child poverty by 2030, increasing the base rate of working age payments to lift recipients out of poverty, and doubling the earnings threshold of income support recipients to $300 a fortnight, as some householders have paid work, although often at low casual rates.  

‘Children’s wellbeing must be a national priority. The Society supports the National Children’s Commissioner’s calls to establish a National Taskforce for Child Justice Reform, to appoint a Cabinet Minister for Children and establish a Ministerial Council for Child Wellbeing,’ Mr Gaetani said. 

‘These processes will help ensure that children are positioned at the centre of policymaking and service delivery.  

‘Children are our future, and those responsible for their protection and nurturing must be lifted above the poverty line. The ability to do this is in the hands of the Australian Government. At a time of Budget surplus, we urge our elected leaders to implement measures that will help households in the greatest need and enable our children to have a better chance of a meaningful life, now and in the future.’