New housing analysis has described Australia's private rental market as "failing" people earning the minimum wage and receiving income-assessed government support payments.
It comes just weeks out from the federal election and as calls come from all sides of politics to raise the rate of Newstart payments.
Sophie Schmidt has been looking for full-time employment for four years.
Currently, the 29-year-old, who holds a Bachelor of Arts, works five hours per week at a futsal centre in Melbourne’s north.
The rest of her income, the vast majority of which goes to rent in her five-person sharehouse, comes from government Newstart payments.
