Almost 14 per cent of Australians – and almost 18 per cent of children in Australia – live below the poverty line, according to a report released on Sunday.
The Poverty in Australia report – commissioned by the Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) – found that an estimated 2.5 million people, or 13.9 per cent of the population, lived below the internationally accepted poverty line – 50 per cent of median income – while 603,000 or 17.7 per cent of all children were living in poverty.
The figures, which drew on ABS data, also showed that 36.8 per cent of children in sole parent families lived in poverty. Among those living in poverty more generally are the unemployed (62 per cent of whom live in poverty) and those living in households that rely on social security are its main source of income (40.1 per cent).
Dr Cassandra Goldie, ACOSS CEO, described the findings as “deeply disturbing” and said they highlighted the need for a “comprehensive national plan” to combat poverty. “In particular the child poverty rate should be of deep concern to us all…” she said.
The report also showed 18.8 per cent of people born in countries where the main language is not English lived in poverty compared with 11.4 per cent of those born overseas in an English speaking country and 11.6 per cent of people born in Australia.
The poverty line for a single adult was $400 a week and $841 a week for a couple with two children.
Tasmania had the highest level of poverty among the states at 15.1 per cent and the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory the combined lowest rate of 9.1 per cent
