One in seven NSW kids struggle with poverty, cost of living report shows

About one in seven New South Wales children are now living in poverty, research from the state's peak social service body suggests.

The Council of Social Service of NSW said its annual Cost of Living Report highlighted rapidly increasing living costs and worsening poverty levels among low to middle income families.

The council said governments should resist calls to increase the GST because so many families were already struggling.

The report, based on a survey of more than 400 people, concluded:

The situation is getting worse not only in Sydney, but across New South Wales, and for children.

NCOSS deputy chief executive John Mikelsons

• 58 per cent of low to middle income families were experiencing housing stress
• At least one in five low to middle income families could not afford a decent and secure home, a roof and gutters that did not leak or a separate bedroom for each child aged over 10
• One in three low to middle income families in regional NSW could not afford dental treatment
• The majority of low to middle income families were either "very" or "quite" concerned about being able to meet their current healthcare, education housing, grocery, car and electricity costs

The council's deputy chief executive, John Mikelsons, said power bills in NSW had doubled in a decade, while Sydney rents had increased by 60 per cent.

"The situation is getting worse not only in Sydney, but across New South Wales, and for children," he said.
He said many parents in low to middle income families were sacrificing the basics to maintain decent living standards for their children.

"Parents are going without meals, parents are going without medical and dental treatment," he said.

"And unfortunately they carry a lot of guilt about the fact that they can't afford the experiences for their kids like school excursions and fun parks that other families take for granted."

Mr Mikelsons said the report strengthened the case against proposals to increase the GST.

Coalition senator James McGrath recently told Parliament that the GST should be increased to 15 per cent and broadened to include all goods and services.

Business groups have also called for the GST to be increased.

"The first thing that can come out of this report is that the proposals on the table to increase the GST and apply it to food can be scrapped," Mr Mikelsons said.

He set the utility bill rebate for low income households should be changed from a flat rate to a 15 per cent discount.

abc.net.au 2 July 2015

This politics is deliberate or as we put it financial terrorism, where the 'authorities' do not give enough money for the working parents in order to support their family.

In the '50's and 60's one educated person, with a white collar job, could support the family, but today this is (deliberately) not possible.

The results are seen in order to destroy one of the strongest fabrics of society, the family unit.

All this is happening while the government brings in more slave labour in the form of 290,000 'students' in order to decrease the cost of labour to the corporations and businesses.