In Australia, if you’re unemployed and reliant on income assistance, in some quarters you might be called a ‘dole bludger’. It’s one of many stereotypes that fails to capture the true nature of poverty and disadvantage in a country where increasing inequality has created a gulf between the haves and have-nots.
Here are seven myths about poverty in Australia and the truth behind them.
One
MYTH: Australia is a rich country after a decade-long resources boom
FACT: Nearly three million Australians live below the poverty line
Australia has enjoyed an unprecedented 25-year period of economic growth thanks to a , increased trade with China and a stimulus package that helped the nation sail through the global financial crisis relatively unscathed. But not everyone in Australia has benefited from the prosperity. ACOSS’ report found that 2.99 million people in Australia or 13.3 per cent of the population live below the poverty line. Single parents, renters and people who are unemployed or receive social security payments were among the groups who reported the highest poverty rates in the country.
Two
MYTH: Only unemployed people are poor
FACT: Nearly one million working Australians live below the poverty line
‘Get a job’ might be the most obvious piece of advice to offer someone who is living below the poverty line. But what happens if you have a job, and still struggle to make ends meet? According to the 2016 ACOSS report, 32.1 per cent of the three million people in Australia who live below the poverty line receive wages as their main source of income.
Certain groups suffer more than others. The ACOSS report found that lone parent families experience the highest poverty rates by family type at 33.2 per cent, while a report released by the Brotherhood of St Laurence in March 2017 revealed that in Australia is 18 per cent of the youth labour force.
The casualisation of the workforce means a growing number of people lack job security and many of the benefits that come with a permanent position, like sick pay and annual leave. In a , writer Ruby Hamad spoke to a casual academic who takes home a weekly wage of $700 for the 24 weeks a year she teaches. For the remaining 28 weeks a year, she is in a “permanent state of stress and anxiety about making ends meet”.
Three
MYTH: Australia’s social security system is a safety net that means if you have a disability, you will be financially supported
FACT: Around 800,000 people with a disablity live below the poverty line in Australia
The ACOSS report found that live below the poverty line in Australia. A disability may affect a person’s capacity to work and force them to rely on income support payments like the Disability Support Pension or Newstart Allowance. These payments are often not enough to cover living costs, especially in areas where rents are high. The ACOSS report also highlights extra expenses associated with disability, such as “adjustments to the home or workplace, costs of care, additional transportation costs such as taxis and medical and pharmaceutical costs”.
Four
MYTH: Release from prison is the opportunity to turn over a new leaf
FACT: Nearly half of those who leave prison in Australia are homeless within the first six months
The day you leave prison should be a happy one, but it can be a stressful period for many ex-inmates who have nowhere to stay. “Respondents that have ever been incarcerated, whether in juvenile detention, adult prison, or remand, are particularly prone to homelessness, even when comparing to other similarly vulnerable people,” states the University of Melbourne’s . A vicious cycle can emerge, as homelessness makes a return to prison more likely.
Five
MYTH: Older women are safe from homelessness
FACT: Women over 55 are the fastest growing homeless demographic in Australia
The stereotypical Baby Boomer is a wealthy white collar professional who benefitted from a free university education and owns more than one property. But, like most stereotypes, it fails to reflect the facts. .
A : divorce, widowhood or domestic violence can make older women vulnerable to homelessness, as do poor employment opportunities, reduced superannuation and escalating rents.
Six
MYTH: I’ll never be affected by a mental illness
FACT: Nearly half of all Australians will experience a mental disorder at some time in their life
Mental health issues are more common than you may think. found that 45 per cent of Australians 'met the criteria for for a diagnosis of a mental disorder at some point in their life'. Meanwhile, one-in-five Australian workers is currently a mental health condition.
Seven
MYTH: Children in Australia have access to a safe and secure home
FACT: One in four of Australia’s homeless are children
The 2011 Census revealed that at least 27 per cent of people experiencing homelessness in Australia were under the age of 18. Most of these children are in a family group, often with a single parent. Homelessness Australia a range of factors that contribute to family homelessness: domestic and family violence, financial crisis, housing affordability, poverty, mental illness, substance or gambling dependency and abuse. Homelessness adversely affects children in many ways, including their health and education.
With 2.99 million Australians are living below the poverty line, SBS is bringing back its uncompromising observational documentary series , to re-ignite a conversation about disadvantage in Australia today.
The six-part series will screen across two weeks on SBS. Episodes will premiere at 8.30pm on consecutive Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 28 November.
The first series of Struggle Street ignited national debate around these issues, helping Australians to better understand the realities of social and economic hardship. Series two will continue this vital national conversation.
