A survey by the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) had found that a lot of Australians that receive the unemployment benefit Newstart are forced to sacrifice food and utilities in order to make ends meet. This comes as the governments faces increased pressure to raise the rate of Newstart by $75 per week.
Research from the Australian Council of Social Service ACOSS has found the majority of Newstart recipients are going hungry in order to survive on $40 a day.
The survey heard from 465 Newstart recipients and 24 on Youth Allowance.
From the responders, 84% said they eat less in order to save money, with 44% saying the skip at least five meals a week.
In addition, two thirds avoid using heating or cooling systems in order to reduce electricity costs and buy exclusively second hand clothes.
ACOSS is one of the voices calling the government to increase the rate of the allowance by $75 per week. Newstart hasn’t seen an increase above inflation since 1994, even though the call of living has increased.
ACOSS’s senior policy manager Charmaine Crowe, says the results show that Newstarts needs an urgent increase.
"The fact that people are saying they're only showering once a week to save on water and electricity costs is heartbreaking. We heard from parents who told us that they regularly go without food so that they can ensure that their kids have enough to eat. And people are doing other things, like not using their car because Newstart just does not cover the cost of owning a car."
According to ACOSS, people with no dependent children receive $282 a week, or $40 a day, including an energy supplement to reduce the cost of power bills.
Around 40% per cent of people on Newstart also receive up to $69 a week in rent assistance.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and others in the coalition are resisting the calls.
You can read more in English here.
