A new report has shown an increasing number of Griffith children are living below the poverty line.
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The annual Cost of Living Report released by the Council of Social Service of NSW (NCOSS) indicated families were cutting back on essentials like healthcare and school holiday outings as families struggled to meet cost of living expenses.
Yvonne Wilson, chief executive officer (CEO) of Linking Communities Network said more middle income families were finding it tough than ever before.
“It’s not easy for people who have always managed all their lives to go and say to an organisation ‘I can’t afford to pay my power bill, it’s going to be cut off’,” Ms Wilson said. “They might be property rich but cash poor, and that’s an awful position to be in. In rural areas if farmers are doing it tough the whole town’s doing it tough, and they are doing it tough. The money’s not around as it used to be and it’s not only people who live in urban areas, it’s the farmers that are in poverty as well that can hardly make ends meet.
“People who’ve never had to seek any assistance to pay the telephone bill are having to do it now. and that makes them feel bad.
Pride was a major barrier for some people, preventing them from asking for help, and when they did seek help, it could be hard to know where to get assistance.
“Perhaps they’re having to get on some income support that they’ve never had to do in the past.”
“If farmers bring a crop out of the ground but it’s not worth anything, if it’s costing you to produce that crop or feed those animals or shear those sheep and you don’t get any return, then you’re living below the poverty line.”
NCOSS deputy CEO, John Mikelsons, said more low to middle income families were now struggling.
“Over the past ten years, basic household expenses like electricity have more than doubled”, he said. “To meet these costs, many parents are forced to cut back or delay paying for other essentials like going to the dentist, getting a haircut or buying new clothes. And during these school holidays, many parents simply can’t afford to take their kids on a trip away or for a fun day out.”
Mr Mikelsons also said that the report showed a number of issues impacted uniquely on families living in rural NSW.
“In many instances, regional families face more difficult cost of living pressures. For example, electricity bills are significantly higher in most parts of rural NSW. Our survey also revealed that regional families on low to middle incomes are more likely to report concern about meeting the costs of Internet”.