One in seven Canberrans now living in poverty, 25-year high
Poverty in Canberra has hit its highest level since 2001. One in seven residents and one in six children are struggling.
Canberra's poverty rate has reached a 25-year high. Charities warn that rising living costs and housing shortages are pushing more residents into hardship.
An estimated one in seven Canberrans and one in six children are now living in poverty, according to ACTCOSS and St Vincent de Paul. Demand for emergency food and homelessness services is growing.
Some working families, including those with two incomes, are forced to skip meals to feed their children. One-third of people seeking emergency food relief in the past year were doing so for the first time.
The charities are calling on the federal government to establish an official poverty measure. They want welfare payments increased to at least $82 a day.
They also want more investment in public housing. Housing remains a major pressure.
Median rents reached $710 a week for houses and $580 for units. The ACT Housing Register waiting list approaches five years.
- One in seven
- Canberrans in poverty
- One in six
- Children in poverty
- $710
- Median house rent per week
- Five years
- Housing register waiting time
Why it mattersWithout an official poverty measure, disadvantage remains invisible and hard to address. The growing gap between work and survival costs is a warning sign.
AustraliaCanberra's crisis reflects broader Australian struggles with cost of living and housing; the push for federal welfare increases could affect policy nationwide.
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