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The Challenge
Poverty causes serious harm. It damages health, affects children’s development and wellbeing, and can shape whether people face a secure or difficult future. Its impacts are often felt across generations. People living in poverty are also forced to make tough, unfair decisions every day—choices that can put their health and safety at risk.
The Facts
- Over 1 million people in NSW live in poverty.
- In in 6 children live in poverty.
- Child poverty costs NSW $60 billion every year.
- Two-thirds of low-income households live in housing stress.
- 65% of low-income households cannot pay an essential service on time.
- 68% of low-income households with children are reducing meals
Our Position
Our Long-Term Goal:
To reduce poverty through systemic reform and prevent deepening inequality and worsening outcomes through equitable access to housing, health, education and employment.
Current Policy Priorities
Policy Priority
Description
Measure poverty and track our progress
- NSW and Australian Governments should lead a community-wide commitment to eliminate child poverty, backed by standardised measures, targets and public reporting on progress
Increase income support
- Income support payments, particularly parenting payments, need to be substantially increased and indexed to community living standards so that recipients do not live in poverty
Provide safe, affordable and health homes
- Increase investment and supply of social and affordable housing to address decades of underinvestment and meet the overwhelming need across the state
- Invest and strengthen support in specialist homelessness services so that they can effectively respond to growing demand and support people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Eliminate food insecurity
- Introduce a universal school food program in NSW to alleviate financial pressure in households while improving student learning, attendance, relationships and nutrition.
Increase availability, awareness and participation of cost of living supports
- Better target cost-of-living relief products to deliver measurable benefits to households below the poverty line, including strategies to lift awareness and uptake.
Empower First Nations communities
- Ensure the government shows genuine commitment to Closing the Gap by engaging in joint decision-making to empower First Nations communities.
