ST VINCENT DE PAUL CALLS FOR ANTI-POVERTY WEEK ACTION AS QUEENSLANDERS STRUGGLE

A St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland program launched to help keep vulnerable residents from falling into homelessness is hearing from desperate Queenslanders with housing costs comprising of up to 100% of their income – sometimes more. 

With the return of Anti-Poverty Week (13 to 27 October), State President Patricia McMahon said the organisation’s Keeping Queenslander’s Housed program had heard from Queenslanders living in mould-infested houses or staying in violent relationships just to avoid homelessness. 

“Many of the people we support in this program are spending, on average, 66% of their income on rent,” Ms McMahon said. 

“Some have rental costs that are actually higher than their weekly income. 

“There’s no amount of budgeting you can do to survive in that situation, but what can you do when the alternative is homelessness?” 

Ms McMahon said most Queenslanders requesting help through the program were on disability or carers pensions. 

“We can’t afford to leave anyone behind – no one should be one emergency expense away from living on the streets in Queensland,” she said. 

Ms McMahon said with the State Election later this month, the Society was calling for both major parties to alleviate rising rates of poverty in Queensland. 

“While we welcomed both parties’ commitment to a 53,500 social housing build by 2046, we hope to see further commitment to immediate housing – 5000 social homes annually over the next four years,” she said. 

“We also want to see rental inflation moderated, as we continue to hear from Queenslanders with weekly rent increases in the hundreds. 

St Vincent de Paul Queensland is also calling for: 

- A $15m boost in financial counselling services

- Increased support for education costs

- Free two years of preschool for all Queensland children

- Further funding mental and physical health support for people experiencing or escaping homelessness.

In the last financial year, St Vincent de Paul Queensland Queensland supported 245,000+ people across the state, including providing over 128,000 nights of accommodation for people in need.