Financial hardship and inclusion
Senate Select Committee on Cost of Living
In March 2023, The Salvation Army raised several issues and policy solutions to the Senate Select Committee on the cost of living that we would like the Australian governments to address.
On the ground, The Salvation Army has seen cost of living pressures, and financial hardship as a major issue throughout Australia for many years. Approximately a third of people accessing The Salvation Army’s emergency relief services identified it as the reason they need help. The Salvation Army put the experience of these people front and centre and firm belief that the economy serves the community – not the other way around. Our overwhelming observation is that: The cost of living crisis is hurting us all, but it is not hurting us equally.
The Salvation Army’s focus is always upon those who are experiencing the most significant disadvantage in every crisis, and we believe that the Committee, as well as representatives of State and Commonwealth parliaments, must be similarly focused.
The Salvation Army’s submission states that:
- Welfare reform to allow all individuals experiencing unemployment to live with dignity.
- Broad based community consensus on fiscal reform to complement monetary policy and soften cost of living pressures upon those experiencing the most significant financial hardship;
- Housing policy, both in the provision of social and affordable housing and improvements to Commonwealth Rental Assistance, to reduce pressures on housing affordability at all points of the housing continuum; and
- Commonwealth Government work with state governments, industry and union groups, the community sector and economic professionals to develop an economic strategy, such as through a National Economic Summit;
are necessary to reduce the short-term hardship and long-term implications of the current period of inflation.
The Select Committee will deliver its final report on the matter by November 2023.
The Salvation Army appeared before the Committee on 1 February 2023.
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