Poverty in Australia.

Some of you may have read about the high levels of poverty in Australia, including figures like 1 in 8, or 1 in 12, Australians are below the poverty line.

I've seen real people in poverty, in other countries, not as well off as our Western society, and I have a picture of what Poverty is to me.

I checked up on Australia Poverty, and what it really means.

From this report http://www.cis.org.au/exechigh/Eh2002/EH6901.html and other places, I found that the POVERTY line is set at half the median (middle) income of the population.

The current median income is about $52,000, so a family on $26,000 is on the poverty line. On checking with Centrelink, I was told that a family with 2 children, on a household income of $28,000 is classed as poverty line.

But... That is based on their taxable income, and ignores any benefits.... so how much would they receive in benefits, assuming they paid $250pw in rent :

The current figure is Family Assistance of $474.46 per fortnight or $12,369.85 per year

So total income =
$28,000 gross = $23,008 net + assistance of $12,369 = $35,377
That net figure of $35,777 is the equivalent net figure to someone on $43,000 per year with no benefits.

Wow !!! I never realised how close we are to the poverty line !!

One thing is for sure, Poverty in Australia is better than poverty in India, and similar places.

[Rant]

There was some story on Today Tonight (Yes, I know, why do I watch such crap!) about a couple, think they were in their 50s, he worked in IT but got made redundant and had a bad back so was on disability pension.

They were moaning that they didnt have enough to pay their bills and rent - but why on earth couldnt she get a job, or he could do something that didnt involve hurting his back? :blink:

There was a story the other night when the interest rates went up, a couple with a kid moaning their mortgage repayments had gone up a whole $50 a month and how would they manage? I mean come on, you're telling me you can't find $50 a month, maybe try buying less make up...?


[/Rant]

Just following this up and the UK definition is:

With:

http://www.oxfamgb.org/ukpp/poverty/thefacts.htm

I really do need to rethink my defiition of the word 'Poverty"

I read some of these stories and feel like letting of a rant too :)

I hear of many people who can't afford food etc., and go to Centrelink to get financial top ups. The reason they can't afford food ? The alcohol on the breath often gives it away !!

I saw one program, about a single mum, who was finding it difficult financially. The program however, made no mention of the fact that she sent her daughter to a private school ! At $6,000 per year. So we have people below poverty, who still send the kids to private school !!!

There was one last night, single mum, two teenage daughters complaining they had to have second hand or cheap clothes and they couldnt afford to replace the car.... what is wrong with wearing cheap or second hand clothes? She was complaining becuase the bank had started charging her $5 a month on her account... what's to stop her moving her account then?

I just think people's expectations are too high these days, we had cheap and secondhand clothes when I was a kid (although I went to boarding school BUT the RAF paid a portion of the school fees and my parents went without for a lot of years to pay the rest and both worked...) and even now I still buy cheap clothes!

The mother in the story was plastered in make up though, what's more important: your kids or your face?

What gets me is 9 times out of 10 the people doing the moaning have a fag on the go! :rolleyes:



Got to sign off on this as I can feel my blood beginning to boil..! :angry: