Latest news with #AnglicareAustralia
The Advertiser
02-07-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
The average home is now worth $1 million. This boom is blowing up in a bad way
More than two decades ago, former prime minister John Howard said, "I don't get people stopping me in the street and saying, 'John you're outrageous, under your government the value of my house has increased".' The nation's home owners would have been pleased by recent news from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) that the national mean price of residential dwellings had risen to $1,002,500, the first time it has passed the million-dollar mark. Of course, that level was exceeded long ago in many city suburbs, with prices in regional areas also going sky-high as sea and tree changers took real estate windfalls and relocated. Around 66 per cent of Australian households own their own home with or without a mortgage. Home ownership, with a consistent rise in values, is Australians' most important asset, along with superannuation, which ticks over in the background, accessible only in later years. Renters, numbering one-third of Australian households, have also experienced the impacts of the ongoing property boom, except not in a good way. They are mostly dependent on the one-in-five households that own residential properties other than their usual domicile. For the record, one in 25 of these owners has four or more properties. Yet very few are affordable to low-income earners. Anglicare Australia's 2025 Rental Affordability Snapshot surveyed 51,238 rental listings across Australia and found that just 352 rentals (0.7 per cent) were affordable for a person earning a full-time minimum wage. Almost none was affordable for a person on JobSeeker wanting a room in a share house, and none for a person on Youth Allowance. Median advertised rents have risen 35 per cent since this government came to office, more than three times the rise in wages. Another recent report, Rights at risk: Rising rents and repercussions, by ACOSS and the University of NSW, carries further alarming findings. Almost seven in 10 people who rent privately worry about asking for repairs in case they face a rent increase, with 56 per cent fearing it would lead to eviction and 52 per cent fearing being placed on a blacklist that would prevent them renting another property. Half of all renters live in homes that need repairs, one in 10 urgently. Almost one-in-five bathrooms has mould, which is a major health risk. Some 82 per cent of renters would find a 5 per cent rent hike "difficult or very difficult". A significant problem, and a major eyesore, is that many potential rentals are left empty - around a million Australia-wide. If occupied, these so-called "speculative vacancies" could greatly assist would-be renters. St Vincent de Paul Society calls for taxation reform to incentivise the use of long-term vacant residential properties and land. Homes that are rented have the added benefit (to owners) of generous tax concessions, both during ownership and at point of sale. This creates a considerable loss to the Treasury, with the Parliamentary Budget Office calculating that tax revenue foregone over the decade to 2034-35 due to negative gearing deductions and the capital gains tax (CGT) discount on residential investment properties will total a massive $165 billion. This is money lost to healthcare, education, housing and other social essentials. St Vincent de Paul Society regards housing as a basic human right and we firmly believe all Australians deserve a secure place to live. Properties should be treated primarily as homes, not investment opportunities. The Society supports reducing CGT concessions from 50 per cent to 37.5 per cent to generate revenue that could be used to improve social services, plus a review of negative gearing. The government should increase needs-based funding of homelessness services and permanent supportive housing, including client-led support services. If not now, when? The last census recorded 122,494 people experiencing homelessness, and that was four years ago. Governments should fund and perhaps mandate policies that improve energy efficiency in low-income households, including apartment buildings. This goes hand in hand with funding and legislating national minimum standards for renters. The package known as "A Better Deal for Renters" was endorsed by national cabinet in 2023 with the promise that, "These changes will make a tangible impact for the almost one-third of Australian households who rent". The plan is yet to be fully implemented. Meanwhile, rent increases have accelerated, and pests are the most common tenant complaint, affecting one-third of premises. We're urging for a compassionate review of the base rate of working-age payments to lift recipients above the poverty line. So many people simply cannot afford decent housing. Achieving this basic goal is fundamental to Australia's future and for our much-prized social harmony. As the Human Rights Law Centre puts it, "every person should have a safe, secure and healthy place to call home, regardless of your postcode or bank balance. Yet too many Australians are homeless, live in inadequate, insecure or unsafe housing, or need to sacrifice other necessities - from food to school uniforms - to keep a roof over their heads." Our members see these challenges every day, and while we can offer assistance within our means, structural change to the national housing market is needed urgently. More than two decades ago, former prime minister John Howard said, "I don't get people stopping me in the street and saying, 'John you're outrageous, under your government the value of my house has increased".' The nation's home owners would have been pleased by recent news from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) that the national mean price of residential dwellings had risen to $1,002,500, the first time it has passed the million-dollar mark. Of course, that level was exceeded long ago in many city suburbs, with prices in regional areas also going sky-high as sea and tree changers took real estate windfalls and relocated. Around 66 per cent of Australian households own their own home with or without a mortgage. Home ownership, with a consistent rise in values, is Australians' most important asset, along with superannuation, which ticks over in the background, accessible only in later years. Renters, numbering one-third of Australian households, have also experienced the impacts of the ongoing property boom, except not in a good way. They are mostly dependent on the one-in-five households that own residential properties other than their usual domicile. For the record, one in 25 of these owners has four or more properties. Yet very few are affordable to low-income earners. Anglicare Australia's 2025 Rental Affordability Snapshot surveyed 51,238 rental listings across Australia and found that just 352 rentals (0.7 per cent) were affordable for a person earning a full-time minimum wage. Almost none was affordable for a person on JobSeeker wanting a room in a share house, and none for a person on Youth Allowance. Median advertised rents have risen 35 per cent since this government came to office, more than three times the rise in wages. Another recent report, Rights at risk: Rising rents and repercussions, by ACOSS and the University of NSW, carries further alarming findings. Almost seven in 10 people who rent privately worry about asking for repairs in case they face a rent increase, with 56 per cent fearing it would lead to eviction and 52 per cent fearing being placed on a blacklist that would prevent them renting another property. Half of all renters live in homes that need repairs, one in 10 urgently. Almost one-in-five bathrooms has mould, which is a major health risk. Some 82 per cent of renters would find a 5 per cent rent hike "difficult or very difficult". A significant problem, and a major eyesore, is that many potential rentals are left empty - around a million Australia-wide. If occupied, these so-called "speculative vacancies" could greatly assist would-be renters. St Vincent de Paul Society calls for taxation reform to incentivise the use of long-term vacant residential properties and land. Homes that are rented have the added benefit (to owners) of generous tax concessions, both during ownership and at point of sale. This creates a considerable loss to the Treasury, with the Parliamentary Budget Office calculating that tax revenue foregone over the decade to 2034-35 due to negative gearing deductions and the capital gains tax (CGT) discount on residential investment properties will total a massive $165 billion. This is money lost to healthcare, education, housing and other social essentials. St Vincent de Paul Society regards housing as a basic human right and we firmly believe all Australians deserve a secure place to live. Properties should be treated primarily as homes, not investment opportunities. The Society supports reducing CGT concessions from 50 per cent to 37.5 per cent to generate revenue that could be used to improve social services, plus a review of negative gearing. The government should increase needs-based funding of homelessness services and permanent supportive housing, including client-led support services. If not now, when? The last census recorded 122,494 people experiencing homelessness, and that was four years ago. Governments should fund and perhaps mandate policies that improve energy efficiency in low-income households, including apartment buildings. This goes hand in hand with funding and legislating national minimum standards for renters. The package known as "A Better Deal for Renters" was endorsed by national cabinet in 2023 with the promise that, "These changes will make a tangible impact for the almost one-third of Australian households who rent". The plan is yet to be fully implemented. Meanwhile, rent increases have accelerated, and pests are the most common tenant complaint, affecting one-third of premises. We're urging for a compassionate review of the base rate of working-age payments to lift recipients above the poverty line. So many people simply cannot afford decent housing. Achieving this basic goal is fundamental to Australia's future and for our much-prized social harmony. As the Human Rights Law Centre puts it, "every person should have a safe, secure and healthy place to call home, regardless of your postcode or bank balance. Yet too many Australians are homeless, live in inadequate, insecure or unsafe housing, or need to sacrifice other necessities - from food to school uniforms - to keep a roof over their heads." Our members see these challenges every day, and while we can offer assistance within our means, structural change to the national housing market is needed urgently. More than two decades ago, former prime minister John Howard said, "I don't get people stopping me in the street and saying, 'John you're outrageous, under your government the value of my house has increased".' The nation's home owners would have been pleased by recent news from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) that the national mean price of residential dwellings had risen to $1,002,500, the first time it has passed the million-dollar mark. Of course, that level was exceeded long ago in many city suburbs, with prices in regional areas also going sky-high as sea and tree changers took real estate windfalls and relocated. Around 66 per cent of Australian households own their own home with or without a mortgage. Home ownership, with a consistent rise in values, is Australians' most important asset, along with superannuation, which ticks over in the background, accessible only in later years. Renters, numbering one-third of Australian households, have also experienced the impacts of the ongoing property boom, except not in a good way. They are mostly dependent on the one-in-five households that own residential properties other than their usual domicile. For the record, one in 25 of these owners has four or more properties. Yet very few are affordable to low-income earners. Anglicare Australia's 2025 Rental Affordability Snapshot surveyed 51,238 rental listings across Australia and found that just 352 rentals (0.7 per cent) were affordable for a person earning a full-time minimum wage. Almost none was affordable for a person on JobSeeker wanting a room in a share house, and none for a person on Youth Allowance. Median advertised rents have risen 35 per cent since this government came to office, more than three times the rise in wages. Another recent report, Rights at risk: Rising rents and repercussions, by ACOSS and the University of NSW, carries further alarming findings. Almost seven in 10 people who rent privately worry about asking for repairs in case they face a rent increase, with 56 per cent fearing it would lead to eviction and 52 per cent fearing being placed on a blacklist that would prevent them renting another property. Half of all renters live in homes that need repairs, one in 10 urgently. Almost one-in-five bathrooms has mould, which is a major health risk. Some 82 per cent of renters would find a 5 per cent rent hike "difficult or very difficult". A significant problem, and a major eyesore, is that many potential rentals are left empty - around a million Australia-wide. If occupied, these so-called "speculative vacancies" could greatly assist would-be renters. St Vincent de Paul Society calls for taxation reform to incentivise the use of long-term vacant residential properties and land. Homes that are rented have the added benefit (to owners) of generous tax concessions, both during ownership and at point of sale. This creates a considerable loss to the Treasury, with the Parliamentary Budget Office calculating that tax revenue foregone over the decade to 2034-35 due to negative gearing deductions and the capital gains tax (CGT) discount on residential investment properties will total a massive $165 billion. This is money lost to healthcare, education, housing and other social essentials. St Vincent de Paul Society regards housing as a basic human right and we firmly believe all Australians deserve a secure place to live. Properties should be treated primarily as homes, not investment opportunities. The Society supports reducing CGT concessions from 50 per cent to 37.5 per cent to generate revenue that could be used to improve social services, plus a review of negative gearing. The government should increase needs-based funding of homelessness services and permanent supportive housing, including client-led support services. If not now, when? The last census recorded 122,494 people experiencing homelessness, and that was four years ago. Governments should fund and perhaps mandate policies that improve energy efficiency in low-income households, including apartment buildings. This goes hand in hand with funding and legislating national minimum standards for renters. The package known as "A Better Deal for Renters" was endorsed by national cabinet in 2023 with the promise that, "These changes will make a tangible impact for the almost one-third of Australian households who rent". The plan is yet to be fully implemented. Meanwhile, rent increases have accelerated, and pests are the most common tenant complaint, affecting one-third of premises. We're urging for a compassionate review of the base rate of working-age payments to lift recipients above the poverty line. So many people simply cannot afford decent housing. Achieving this basic goal is fundamental to Australia's future and for our much-prized social harmony. As the Human Rights Law Centre puts it, "every person should have a safe, secure and healthy place to call home, regardless of your postcode or bank balance. Yet too many Australians are homeless, live in inadequate, insecure or unsafe housing, or need to sacrifice other necessities - from food to school uniforms - to keep a roof over their heads." Our members see these challenges every day, and while we can offer assistance within our means, structural change to the national housing market is needed urgently. More than two decades ago, former prime minister John Howard said, "I don't get people stopping me in the street and saying, 'John you're outrageous, under your government the value of my house has increased".' The nation's home owners would have been pleased by recent news from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) that the national mean price of residential dwellings had risen to $1,002,500, the first time it has passed the million-dollar mark. Of course, that level was exceeded long ago in many city suburbs, with prices in regional areas also going sky-high as sea and tree changers took real estate windfalls and relocated. Around 66 per cent of Australian households own their own home with or without a mortgage. Home ownership, with a consistent rise in values, is Australians' most important asset, along with superannuation, which ticks over in the background, accessible only in later years. Renters, numbering one-third of Australian households, have also experienced the impacts of the ongoing property boom, except not in a good way. They are mostly dependent on the one-in-five households that own residential properties other than their usual domicile. For the record, one in 25 of these owners has four or more properties. Yet very few are affordable to low-income earners. Anglicare Australia's 2025 Rental Affordability Snapshot surveyed 51,238 rental listings across Australia and found that just 352 rentals (0.7 per cent) were affordable for a person earning a full-time minimum wage. Almost none was affordable for a person on JobSeeker wanting a room in a share house, and none for a person on Youth Allowance. Median advertised rents have risen 35 per cent since this government came to office, more than three times the rise in wages. Another recent report, Rights at risk: Rising rents and repercussions, by ACOSS and the University of NSW, carries further alarming findings. Almost seven in 10 people who rent privately worry about asking for repairs in case they face a rent increase, with 56 per cent fearing it would lead to eviction and 52 per cent fearing being placed on a blacklist that would prevent them renting another property. Half of all renters live in homes that need repairs, one in 10 urgently. Almost one-in-five bathrooms has mould, which is a major health risk. Some 82 per cent of renters would find a 5 per cent rent hike "difficult or very difficult". A significant problem, and a major eyesore, is that many potential rentals are left empty - around a million Australia-wide. If occupied, these so-called "speculative vacancies" could greatly assist would-be renters. St Vincent de Paul Society calls for taxation reform to incentivise the use of long-term vacant residential properties and land. Homes that are rented have the added benefit (to owners) of generous tax concessions, both during ownership and at point of sale. This creates a considerable loss to the Treasury, with the Parliamentary Budget Office calculating that tax revenue foregone over the decade to 2034-35 due to negative gearing deductions and the capital gains tax (CGT) discount on residential investment properties will total a massive $165 billion. This is money lost to healthcare, education, housing and other social essentials. St Vincent de Paul Society regards housing as a basic human right and we firmly believe all Australians deserve a secure place to live. Properties should be treated primarily as homes, not investment opportunities. The Society supports reducing CGT concessions from 50 per cent to 37.5 per cent to generate revenue that could be used to improve social services, plus a review of negative gearing. The government should increase needs-based funding of homelessness services and permanent supportive housing, including client-led support services. If not now, when? The last census recorded 122,494 people experiencing homelessness, and that was four years ago. Governments should fund and perhaps mandate policies that improve energy efficiency in low-income households, including apartment buildings. This goes hand in hand with funding and legislating national minimum standards for renters. The package known as "A Better Deal for Renters" was endorsed by national cabinet in 2023 with the promise that, "These changes will make a tangible impact for the almost one-third of Australian households who rent". The plan is yet to be fully implemented. Meanwhile, rent increases have accelerated, and pests are the most common tenant complaint, affecting one-third of premises. We're urging for a compassionate review of the base rate of working-age payments to lift recipients above the poverty line. So many people simply cannot afford decent housing. Achieving this basic goal is fundamental to Australia's future and for our much-prized social harmony. As the Human Rights Law Centre puts it, "every person should have a safe, secure and healthy place to call home, regardless of your postcode or bank balance. Yet too many Australians are homeless, live in inadequate, insecure or unsafe housing, or need to sacrifice other necessities - from food to school uniforms - to keep a roof over their heads." Our members see these challenges every day, and while we can offer assistance within our means, structural change to the national housing market is needed urgently.
West Australian
26-06-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Single parents on minimum wage left with just $1 for energy bills after paying for expenses
A single parent on minimum wage with one child will have just a single dollar left a week after paying for essential expenses, a report by Anglicare Australia has revealed. Anglicare's Cost of Living Index paper examined minimum wage workers and their take home pay after paying for necessities like rent, food, transport and education. For a single parent with one child, only $1 is left after paying more than $1000 each week for necessities. The figure includes Government supplements but does not include the cost of utilities. The report estimates a couple who both on minimum wage with two children would have just $5 left over per week. Even for a single minimum wage worker without children, only $33 remains each week after covering core living costs. Anglicare WA chief executive officer Philippa Boldy said the situation for people on the minimum was 'shocking'. 'Looking at the data, it's a stark reminder that many people in our communities have income so much less than the funds that they need to get by,' she said. 'With the way things are at the moment, week on week, people are falling further and further behind. 'I think everybody knows someone in our society who's been impacted by the housing crisis, and almost everyone in our community knows someone who's really feeling the pinch. 'But when you step back and consider what life looks like for all of those in our community living on minimum wage, it's really shocking.' According to Anglicare WA, just 14 properties were available and affordable for a single minimum age worker in Western Australia. Ms Boldy said long-term reform was needed. 'The most effective thing that we can do for people who are living at or below the minimum wage level or on the poverty line is to increase the income they're attempting to get by on, or to significantly reduce their costs,' she said. 'Our State and Federal Governments are investing in a wide range of temporary financial-support initiatives which essentially just temporarily prop people up; this is a sign that we know we've got a major problem on our hands. 'We are using temporary solutions to attempt to fix what's very much a long-term problem.'
The Guardian
25-06-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Australia news live: Anglicare calls for urgent action on energy debt; banks predict rate cuts in July
Update: Date: 2025-06-25T20:57:15.000Z Title: Banks predict July interest rate cuts Content: Half of Australia's big four banks are predicting a cut in interest rates when the Reserve Bank next meets following better-than-expected inflation numbers, Australian Associated Press reports. Despite predictions of inflation remaining steady, headline inflation for May fell to 2.1% from 2.4% the previous month. The fall was driven largely by a drop in the cost of fuel as well as rental prices. Trimmed mean inflation, which removes volatile price movements, also dropped from 2.8% to 2.4%. The figures have bolstered predictions of a cut when the Reserve Bank hands down its next cash rate decision on 8 July. The Commonwealth Bank has joined with NAB in forecasting the next cut to be in July, while Westpac and ANZ predict a lowering of the cash rate in August. Commonwealth Bank economist Harry Ottley said the May data had made a rate cut in July all but certain, with both inflation sets being in the Reserve Bank's target range of between two and three per cent. Update: Date: 2025-06-25T20:55:54.000Z Title: Calls for urgent action on rising energy debt Content: Anglicare Australia is calling for urgent action to address rising energy debt as a new report shows a full-time minimum wage worker has just $33 left after paying for rent, food and transport. Anglicare Australia's 2025 cost of living index also found that a single parent on the minimum wage has just $1 left, even with government assistance. A family with two full-time workers and two children has only $5 remaining each week. Anglicare Australia's executive director, Kasy Chambers, said the results were 'bleak' and many were left with nothing for energy bills. We're seeing more people trapped in energy debt. They are skipping meals, going without heating, and falling behind on bills they'll never be able to repay. Too many households are falling behind and staying behind. Over 330,000 people are struggling to pay back more than $300 million in energy debt – and the number of people with debts over $3,000 is surging. Chambers said people were forced into payment plans they could not sustain. They carry energy debt from one bill to the next with no chance of catching up, even though energy retailers are making record profits. That's why we're calling for energy debt relief for people in hardship, and better regulation to stop the gauging of energy costs and helps people to start afresh. Update: Date: 2025-06-25T20:54:42.000Z Title: Welcome Content: Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I'm Martin Farrer with the best of the overnight stories and then Rafqa Touma will take the helm. Half of Australia's big four banks are predicting a cut in interest rates when the Reserve Bank meets a week from Tuesday, following better-than-expected inflation numbers yesterday. It would ease pressure on household budgets and comes as Anglicare calls for action to stop the poorest slipping into more debt. More coming up. Plus: Australian teenagers who spend between one and three hours on social media a day report similar or better mental health outcomes compared with those on for less time, a new survey shows. Those who spent more than three hours said they had less control over their lives, suggesting that moderate use is the key to wellbeing. More coming up.
Perth Now
25-06-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
‘Bleak' sum Aussies left with after expenses
A worker on the minimum wage has just $33 left over after paying for basic weekly living expenses like rent, food and transport, while a two-child family with two parents working full-time would only have $5 remaining each week, 'bleak' new research has found. Findings recorded by not-for-profit body Anglicare in its 2025 Cost of Living Index found that since 2023, a worker on the minimum wage would have $24 less left over after paying for basic expenses, largely reflecting the 'major increases in asking rents'. The situation was even more startling for single parents looking after a child. The report states that they would have just $1 left over for bills and discretionary expenses, even with social supports like the Family Tax Benefit and the Commonwealth Rent Assistance, which would beef-up their budget by $227. Anglicare Australia executive director Kasy Chambers said the results of the Cost of Living Index were 'bleak,' and said low-earning Australians were struggling to put money away for bills. Her comments highlight findings from Anglicare which 331,750 Australians have accrued more than $300m in energy debt. The number of households with unpaid electricity and gas bills totalling over $3000 had also surged by 11.8 per cent year-on-year. 'After paying for the basics, minimum wage workers are left with almost nothing. In many cases, there's no money left for energy bills at all,' she said. 'We're seeing more people trapped in energy debt. They are skipping meals, going without heating, and falling behind on bills they'll never be able to repay.' Single parents with kids would have just $1 left over for bills and discretionary expenses, even with social supports. NewsWire/ Nicholas Eagar Credit: NewsWire The report noted that despite hardship programs offered by retailers, the system needed 'structural reform,' with struggling households unable to 'pay what they do not have'. Ms Chambers said low-earning Aussies were being 'forced into payment plans they can't sustain,' and called on the government to provide new energy debt relief for people in hardship. 'People are forced into payment plans they can't sustain. They carry energy debt from one bill to the next with no chance of catching up, even though energy retailers are making record profits,' she said. 'Energy is not a luxury. It is essential to running a household, staying healthy, and living with dignity. It's time to rein in profiteering and make sure no one is left in the dark.' Substantial increases in rent were a key reason for the reduced amount of disposable income for low paid workers. NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw Credit: News Corp Australia The report also made a series of recommendations targeting the escalating grocery costs, rent increases and increasing support for households in energy debt. Among them include expanding home energy upgrades like rooftop solar and batteries, or insulating to provide long-term support, Commonwealth pressure on states and territories to introduce caps on rental increases, a commitment to boosting social and affordable housing by 25,000 homes a year, and rules on manning excessive pricing by supermarket giants.
The Advertiser
24-06-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Hundreds of thousands are in power bill debt. This could be fixed in an instant
In Australia today, working full-time no longer guarantees a decent life. That's the stark message of Anglicare Australia's latest Cost of Living Index. This year, we looked at households on the minimum wage - and found that many are being pushed to the brink. After paying for rent, food, and transport, a full-time minimum wage worker is left with just $33 a week. For a single parent with one child, the figure is just $1. Two full-time workers raising a family have only $5 left to spare. These aren't discretionary costs. They're the essentials. That means there's nothing left for bills that fall due monthly or quarterly - and nothing at all for energy. The result is a growing number of people living with energy debt. Right now, over 330,000 Australians are behind on their energy bills. Some owe more than $3000. These debts are not just numbers on a spreadsheet. They represent families going without heating, skipping meals, and falling further behind every billing cycle. This is the human cost of a broken system - one where energy retailers make billions in profit while people struggle to stay connected to the grid. In the last two years alone, Australia's two largest retailers raked in a combined $3 billion. At the same time, tens of thousands of their customers were enrolled in hardship programs, locked into payment plans they'll never be able to repay. Once someone falls behind, they are likely to stay behind. They carry their debts from one address to the next, stuck in a cycle of stress and disconnection. Some are forced to leave their homes with debts still hanging over them - making it even harder to get a fresh start. Let's be clear: this is not happening because people are making poor choices. It's happening because their income simply doesn't cover the basics. You can't budget your way out of not having enough to live on in a national cost-of-living crisis. That's why we're calling for urgent action. We're asking the federal government to step in with energy debt forgiveness for people who need it - the same way we write off debts in other areas when we know they won't be paid back. Because this isn't just a crisis of personal finance. It's a failure of the system. The good news is, this is a failure we can fix. We've already seen the government take important steps to help with the cost of living - including energy bill relief for households, stronger consumer protections in the grocery sector, and more support for renters. These moves will make a difference. But they won't reach people already in crisis unless we address the debts they're carrying. Forgiving energy debts is the next logical step. It would give people a chance to reset, recover, and participate again in the economy. READ MORE: It would also recognise the reality that some debts will never be repaid - and that continuing to demand repayment only prolongs hardship. Of course, debt forgiveness is just one part of the solution. We also need better regulation of the energy market, stronger hardship rules, and an end to price gouging that targets people on the lowest incomes. And in the longer term, we must make sure households can cut their energy bills by expanding access to energy efficiency upgrades - things like rooftop solar, better insulation, and efficient appliances. We cannot keep treating energy like a luxury. It is essential to living with dignity - just like housing, food, and healthcare. After years of profiteering, it's time for action. The government has already shown it is willing to take action to help people with rising costs. Now it must take the next step - rein in the price gouging, and make sure no one is left in the dark. In Australia today, working full-time no longer guarantees a decent life. That's the stark message of Anglicare Australia's latest Cost of Living Index. This year, we looked at households on the minimum wage - and found that many are being pushed to the brink. After paying for rent, food, and transport, a full-time minimum wage worker is left with just $33 a week. For a single parent with one child, the figure is just $1. Two full-time workers raising a family have only $5 left to spare. These aren't discretionary costs. They're the essentials. That means there's nothing left for bills that fall due monthly or quarterly - and nothing at all for energy. The result is a growing number of people living with energy debt. Right now, over 330,000 Australians are behind on their energy bills. Some owe more than $3000. These debts are not just numbers on a spreadsheet. They represent families going without heating, skipping meals, and falling further behind every billing cycle. This is the human cost of a broken system - one where energy retailers make billions in profit while people struggle to stay connected to the grid. In the last two years alone, Australia's two largest retailers raked in a combined $3 billion. At the same time, tens of thousands of their customers were enrolled in hardship programs, locked into payment plans they'll never be able to repay. Once someone falls behind, they are likely to stay behind. They carry their debts from one address to the next, stuck in a cycle of stress and disconnection. Some are forced to leave their homes with debts still hanging over them - making it even harder to get a fresh start. Let's be clear: this is not happening because people are making poor choices. It's happening because their income simply doesn't cover the basics. You can't budget your way out of not having enough to live on in a national cost-of-living crisis. That's why we're calling for urgent action. We're asking the federal government to step in with energy debt forgiveness for people who need it - the same way we write off debts in other areas when we know they won't be paid back. Because this isn't just a crisis of personal finance. It's a failure of the system. The good news is, this is a failure we can fix. We've already seen the government take important steps to help with the cost of living - including energy bill relief for households, stronger consumer protections in the grocery sector, and more support for renters. These moves will make a difference. But they won't reach people already in crisis unless we address the debts they're carrying. Forgiving energy debts is the next logical step. It would give people a chance to reset, recover, and participate again in the economy. READ MORE: It would also recognise the reality that some debts will never be repaid - and that continuing to demand repayment only prolongs hardship. Of course, debt forgiveness is just one part of the solution. We also need better regulation of the energy market, stronger hardship rules, and an end to price gouging that targets people on the lowest incomes. And in the longer term, we must make sure households can cut their energy bills by expanding access to energy efficiency upgrades - things like rooftop solar, better insulation, and efficient appliances. We cannot keep treating energy like a luxury. It is essential to living with dignity - just like housing, food, and healthcare. After years of profiteering, it's time for action. The government has already shown it is willing to take action to help people with rising costs. Now it must take the next step - rein in the price gouging, and make sure no one is left in the dark. In Australia today, working full-time no longer guarantees a decent life. That's the stark message of Anglicare Australia's latest Cost of Living Index. This year, we looked at households on the minimum wage - and found that many are being pushed to the brink. After paying for rent, food, and transport, a full-time minimum wage worker is left with just $33 a week. For a single parent with one child, the figure is just $1. Two full-time workers raising a family have only $5 left to spare. These aren't discretionary costs. They're the essentials. That means there's nothing left for bills that fall due monthly or quarterly - and nothing at all for energy. The result is a growing number of people living with energy debt. Right now, over 330,000 Australians are behind on their energy bills. Some owe more than $3000. These debts are not just numbers on a spreadsheet. They represent families going without heating, skipping meals, and falling further behind every billing cycle. This is the human cost of a broken system - one where energy retailers make billions in profit while people struggle to stay connected to the grid. In the last two years alone, Australia's two largest retailers raked in a combined $3 billion. At the same time, tens of thousands of their customers were enrolled in hardship programs, locked into payment plans they'll never be able to repay. Once someone falls behind, they are likely to stay behind. They carry their debts from one address to the next, stuck in a cycle of stress and disconnection. Some are forced to leave their homes with debts still hanging over them - making it even harder to get a fresh start. Let's be clear: this is not happening because people are making poor choices. It's happening because their income simply doesn't cover the basics. You can't budget your way out of not having enough to live on in a national cost-of-living crisis. That's why we're calling for urgent action. We're asking the federal government to step in with energy debt forgiveness for people who need it - the same way we write off debts in other areas when we know they won't be paid back. Because this isn't just a crisis of personal finance. It's a failure of the system. The good news is, this is a failure we can fix. We've already seen the government take important steps to help with the cost of living - including energy bill relief for households, stronger consumer protections in the grocery sector, and more support for renters. These moves will make a difference. But they won't reach people already in crisis unless we address the debts they're carrying. Forgiving energy debts is the next logical step. It would give people a chance to reset, recover, and participate again in the economy. READ MORE: It would also recognise the reality that some debts will never be repaid - and that continuing to demand repayment only prolongs hardship. Of course, debt forgiveness is just one part of the solution. We also need better regulation of the energy market, stronger hardship rules, and an end to price gouging that targets people on the lowest incomes. And in the longer term, we must make sure households can cut their energy bills by expanding access to energy efficiency upgrades - things like rooftop solar, better insulation, and efficient appliances. We cannot keep treating energy like a luxury. It is essential to living with dignity - just like housing, food, and healthcare. After years of profiteering, it's time for action. The government has already shown it is willing to take action to help people with rising costs. Now it must take the next step - rein in the price gouging, and make sure no one is left in the dark. In Australia today, working full-time no longer guarantees a decent life. That's the stark message of Anglicare Australia's latest Cost of Living Index. This year, we looked at households on the minimum wage - and found that many are being pushed to the brink. After paying for rent, food, and transport, a full-time minimum wage worker is left with just $33 a week. For a single parent with one child, the figure is just $1. Two full-time workers raising a family have only $5 left to spare. These aren't discretionary costs. They're the essentials. That means there's nothing left for bills that fall due monthly or quarterly - and nothing at all for energy. The result is a growing number of people living with energy debt. Right now, over 330,000 Australians are behind on their energy bills. Some owe more than $3000. These debts are not just numbers on a spreadsheet. They represent families going without heating, skipping meals, and falling further behind every billing cycle. This is the human cost of a broken system - one where energy retailers make billions in profit while people struggle to stay connected to the grid. In the last two years alone, Australia's two largest retailers raked in a combined $3 billion. At the same time, tens of thousands of their customers were enrolled in hardship programs, locked into payment plans they'll never be able to repay. Once someone falls behind, they are likely to stay behind. They carry their debts from one address to the next, stuck in a cycle of stress and disconnection. Some are forced to leave their homes with debts still hanging over them - making it even harder to get a fresh start. Let's be clear: this is not happening because people are making poor choices. It's happening because their income simply doesn't cover the basics. You can't budget your way out of not having enough to live on in a national cost-of-living crisis. That's why we're calling for urgent action. We're asking the federal government to step in with energy debt forgiveness for people who need it - the same way we write off debts in other areas when we know they won't be paid back. Because this isn't just a crisis of personal finance. It's a failure of the system. The good news is, this is a failure we can fix. We've already seen the government take important steps to help with the cost of living - including energy bill relief for households, stronger consumer protections in the grocery sector, and more support for renters. These moves will make a difference. But they won't reach people already in crisis unless we address the debts they're carrying. Forgiving energy debts is the next logical step. It would give people a chance to reset, recover, and participate again in the economy. READ MORE: It would also recognise the reality that some debts will never be repaid - and that continuing to demand repayment only prolongs hardship. Of course, debt forgiveness is just one part of the solution. We also need better regulation of the energy market, stronger hardship rules, and an end to price gouging that targets people on the lowest incomes. And in the longer term, we must make sure households can cut their energy bills by expanding access to energy efficiency upgrades - things like rooftop solar, better insulation, and efficient appliances. We cannot keep treating energy like a luxury. It is essential to living with dignity - just like housing, food, and healthcare. After years of profiteering, it's time for action. The government has already shown it is willing to take action to help people with rising costs. Now it must take the next step - rein in the price gouging, and make sure no one is left in the dark.
