Financial hardship and inclusion

The Salvation Army provided a submission to the ACT Legislative Assembly’s Select Committee on the cost of living Pressures in the ACT. 

On the ground, The Salvation Army has seen cost of living pressures, and financial hardship as a major issue throughout Australia for many years. The current cost of living pressures are more intensified and broader in impact than before. Rising costs of living are now the leading reason people come to our emergency relief services. Nearly a third of people accessing The Salvation Army’s emergency relief services in the ACT identified it as the reason they need help.  

Our overwhelming observation is that the cost of living crisis is hurting us all, but it is not hurting us equally. 

The Salvation Army submission voices our experience that people who were already experiencing hardship are being faced with impossible decisions. Rising prices among non-discretionary spending have routinely been higher than discretionary spending, further illustrating that those already struggling to make ends meet on necessities, are entering the current period of high inflation with no room to breathe. 

Our submission put recommendations to the Select Committee on working to regulate Buy Now Pay Later loans, increasing the flexibility of the Future of Education Equity Fund to help Canberrans when it is most needed, focusing on delivering social and affordable housing and improving the accessibility and functionality of the Territories’ homelessness intake service, OneLink.  

The Select Committee delivered its final report on 11 May 2023 which made 52 recommendations to the government. All of The Salvation Army’s recommendations were included or partly included in the Select Committee’s report.