Double rent assistance

Can we agree we should not have to wait for an election year or for something to become an election issue?

Can we agree we should care about these things, even when we are not impacted?

It is not just people on benefits struggling to afford a place either. The Anglicare report also found people on the minimum wage struggled.

The number of properties for a single person on minimum wage, 1,552. Just 2.2% of all properties for rent the weekend Anglicare searched.

What about a couple with multiple income streams? Two people with two young kids receiving the minimum wage, parenting payment {partnered}, and both family tax benefits A&B?

5,422 was the number of properties, amounting to only 8% of all those on the market.

The people that did the best on the list, a couple with two young kids. Getting a minimum wage and just family tax benefit A. They had 16,666 properties across the country that were affordable and appropriate to them. This was just 24% of all properties that were on the market at that time.

So, when things are that bad, why is more not being done?

When the worst off are, a single over 18 on Youth Allowance, where there was only one property out of more than 69,000. The same for someone on Youth Allowance in a shared place, one.

Where, even the best off, have only 24% of properties that can be afforded.

When is the government going to do enough?

The 2020 Anglicare report has been released. A single JobSeeker can now afford more than two properties, it is now nine on the standard payment. The best off on the list, places have dropped from 24% to 22% of all properties.