Calls for energy debts to big companies to be wiped
As parts of the country feel the bite of a cold snap a new report is warning hundreds of thousands of Australians are in debt over energy bills.
Anglicare has released a new report finding households on minimum are struggling with as little as $33 for left over after paying for rent, food and transport.
They're now calling for more to be done including debt forgiveness for those doing it tough.
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News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
‘The death of the shout': Aussies ditch round-buying at the pub
The Aussie pub shout – the sacred social tradition of 'buying a round' for your mates – has long been a staple of Australian night-life. But new data on how Aussies are spending their money reveals that this beloved custom is on the way out. Rising living costs mean a full round for a table can now easily top $100, while changing drinking habits and technological advances are encouraging punters to skip the shout altogether. Instead, Aussies are increasingly choosing to split the bill or simply pay for their own drinks. The latest research comes from Tyro Payments, a payments platform company, and revealed a huge generational spending divide is unfolding at the pub. Using data collected from over 1000 participants and more than 30 million food and drink orders, the report reveals that nearly half of Aussies (49 per cent) have changed their drinking habits due to cost pressures, with one in 10 cutting out alcohol altogether. The report also found that the traditional 'shout' is dying, as Aussies are now 35 per cent less likely to buy rounds for their friends than they were last year. Instead, they're opting to order via QR codes and sidestep the age-old question of 'whose turn is it?' The trend is most prominent among millennials, with 42 per cent saying they'd use a QR code to order drinks specifically to avoid a shout. Among Gen Z, 38 per cent said they use QR codes for the same reason, while 37 per cent of Gen X and 33 per cent of Baby Boomers are also embracing this tech-driven approach. The ease of sending a quick bank transfer to a mate has also made it simpler than ever to settle up the bill without the awkwardness of unpaid drinks or unclaimed rounds. Brian Sarkis, General Manager of ArtHouse Hotel in the Sydney CBD and co-owner of East Village Hotel in Darlinghurst said he's noticed this shift playing out in his bars. 'At East Village, we mainly see customers buy individual drinks when they're with a group of friends,' he told 'Even for birthdays or celebrations, they are more likely to just buy the birthday person a drink rather than shout the whole table.' Mr Sarkis says he's noticed that people are still keen to come out and enjoy a fun night, but they're definitely being more conscious about their spending. 'Buying a round for six people in today's market, that's a big hit to the wallet. The whole 'shouting' thing has pretty much disappeared,' he admits. 'The QR system has eliminated both the generosity and the guilt of round-buying. No one has to be the generous one, but no one has to be the tight one either. Buying someone a drink used to be a gesture, now it's just more efficient to order your own.' He's also noticed that people are much more strategic about their spending now. 'They'll calculate exactly what they want to spend before they even sit down,' he explains. 'The days of 'let's see how the night goes' spending are pretty much over. People have a budget and they stick to it.' This trend isn't unique to Australia. A recent article in The New York Times reported that a similar thing is happening in the US. Gen Z in the States are far less likely to open up a bar tab than they were a few years ago, preferring instead to swipe their cards after every drink, no matter how many rounds they end up having. While bar tabs are more common in American culture than in Australia, the reasons for this change in spending habits remain the same. Having to pull out your card each time you buy a drink serves as a reminder that you're spending money, which helps to curb overspending amid cost-of-living pressures. Gen Z is also favouring 'one-and-done' transactions, mainly using Apple Pay and tapping their phones for a purchase, as they would for a coffee at a cafe. So, it appears that not only is the Aussie shout coming to an end, but mindless pub spending in general.
Sky News AU
2 hours ago
- Sky News AU
‘No heat, no hygiene, no healthcare': Salvos reveal ‘shocking' statistics as Australians go without basic necessities
Australians suffering financial hardship are going without heating, basic hygiene products, and healthcare services in order to make ends meet, the Salvation Army has revealed. The Salvation Army's latest research survey shows half of all people seeking their assistance are avoiding heating their homes, with 37 per cent forgoing hot showers in order to save on utility bills. The research, released as part of the Salvo's Red Shield Appeal, found 43 per cent of those who accessed their services were unable to afford basic hygiene products such as soap, toilet paper or menstrual products, while 58 per cent were unable to visit a doctor, dentist or optometrist due to lack of money. Bruce Harmer, the Salvation Army's head of external communications, told Sky News Australia the findings were 'quite shocking', even for the Salvation Army. 'Although we know that there are many people in need, the need seems to be deepening, and people find themselves in what I class as a prison of poverty, and they're unable to escape no matter how much they try,' he said. An Australia Institute survey released in October found more than 52 per cent of Australian households were in a somewhat worse or much worse financial situation compared to two years earlier, while only 15 per cent said they were doing somewhat better or much better. Mr Harmer said the Salvos' own findings showed things were getting worse for many people, and the Salvation Army was also beginning to see different groups coming to them for assistance. 'Those who have supported our red shield appeal in the past are now having to come to us for support. And you know, they're people with a great deal of pride,' he said, before encouraging those who need help to reach out. 'If you're finding it difficult to make ends meet, even if you've been a supporter or you have employment, come and see the Salvation Army. 'We can help you with budgeting. We can talk to creditors, advocate on behalf of you, and ensure that you don't slide down that slippery slope any further. 'We have a range of services. We have our money care service, which helps with budgeting and advocacy. We have our doorway service… it's the doorway through which anyone from the community can come and receive support from the Salvation Army and referrals to our other agencies and partner agencies. 'We can help with hampers, and vouchers, and electricity bills, and all those kinds of things. But also offer wrap-around services. We want people not just to have a transaction with the Salvation Army… We want their situation to be changed because of their engagement with us.' The Salvos' research found that one in four people who reached out for help had had their electricity disconnected in the past year, while 46 per cent said their mental health had worsened over the past year. Of those who suffered with a disability or chronic health condition, 27 per cent could not afford necessary aids or equipment such as a wheelchair or hearing aid. 'The lengths that Australians are having to resort to in order to survive is truly heartbreaking. Behind every stat in this Salvos research are real people who we have supported, many of whom are trapped in a prison of poverty and feel they do not have any hope,' Mr Harmer said. One 37-year-old woman surveyed as part of the research said she had to choose between medical treatment and being able to afford food. 'I haven't been able to access the mobility aids I need and therefore been restricted in my movements and ability to access the communities. I had to suffer through rent increase because I couldn't afford to move,' the woman said. Another woman, aged 52, said she was living from pay cheque to pay cheque and often went without food. 'My clothes are falling off me as I have lost weight, and I can't afford to buy ones that fit. I can't afford fuel for my car, so that leaves me isolated at home, affecting my mental health even worse than it already is.' The research surveyed 3,586 community members who had received food, financial assistance or material aid from The Salvos. Of those, 90 per cent said they wouldn't have managed without the support of The Salvation Army. The well-known charity and religion organisation is aiming to raise $38 million by June 30 to ensure their 2000 services across the country can continue to support Australians doing it tough. In the past year, the Salvos provided assistance to one person every 17 seconds, with more than 1.76 million sessions of care given to over 250,000 people in need. The organisation provided more than 1.1 million bed nights and more than 1.5 million meals to people who accessed their homelessness services.
News.com.au
4 hours ago
- News.com.au
Foul sight insight house for sale as housing crisis deepens in WA
A dilapidated house complete with a dead mouse squashed into the carpet and syringes on the bathroom sink has been snapped up half an hour after its first and only home open. The property in Armadale, about 40 minutes east of Perth, sold on May 31 for $480,000 with no clean-up and its backyard resembling a stinky communal rubbish tip. The home's sale came as yet another brutal reflection of how broken Australia's housing market has become, particularly in Western Australia where properties were formerly relatively cheap. And it's not like the three-bedroom wreck at 12 Cambell Road was up for one of those 'worst home on the best street' awards either. Graffiti artists had taken liberties on fences after fence, there were front verges that looked more like car yards than residential homes, and let's just say the neighbours didn't exactly have a welcoming presence about them. Of course, none of these factors matter in a market starved of affordable supply where even houses that look like crime scenes attracted interest from dozens of keen buyers. For millennials and first-home buyers it's yet another slap in the face. If this is what your life savings can buy, you have to start asking yourself what hope is left. Andrew Byl, one of the agents representing the property, told Brooko Moves during the property's home open he didn't even know there was a dead mouse inside, nor that syringes had been left in the bathroom. 'I didn't look that far,' he said while laughing, then agreed it added to the home's 'character'. Mr Byl was rightly confident the house would sell, rodent corpse or not. 'It will be sold in the next half-hour,' he said, as upwards of 30 groups of people poured into the property, mindful not to step on the ample junk splayed throughout it. 'Well we've had it on the market for a few days and the phone hasn't stopped,' he added. A few years ago, the same house wouldn't been 'lucky to sell for $300,000', Mr Byl said. Now, he claimed that if it was cleaned up, it could easily sell for at least $600,000. The agent went on to confess he knew nothing about the home's history, apart from the fact it looked to be 'a solid home'. Beneath a massive mound of rubbish, on closer inspection, turned out to be a backyard pool. It was so heavily disguised Mr Byl hadn't realised that was there either. His projection was proved correct and the house was snapped up shortly after the inspection. It was an unbelievably quick transaction, especially considering the house was a genuine safety hazard and had more dead animals than functional lights and doorknobs (one door was being held shut with a knotted electrical cable). Still, properties like this hit the market almost every day across Perth as locals look to cash in on the house price boom. Median house prices across Perth have skyrocketed to more than $700,000 and outer suburbs like Armadale, which were once considered affordable, are surging as desperate buyers fight for scraps. The Real Estate Institute of WA recently revealed housing stock was at a record low, with fewer than 4000 properties listed for sale. This was a 40 per cent drop from the five-year average. On a national scale, the story's just as grim. CoreLogic data showed house prices in capital cities have climbed by over 35 per cent since the pandemic, while wages have barely budged. The great Australian dream isn't just slipping out of reach, it's now in full-blown free fall. Young Australians have been left competing for homes with rotting carpet, graffiti-tagged fences and biohazards in the bathroom. A full-length video of the Armadale house is available at brookomoves on YouTube.
