Surveys from charities have indicated that more Australians are having difficulty paying housing, food, and basic medical care expenses.
The Australian branch of the Salvation Army has witnessed a substantial increase in the number of people asking for help over the past year.
In a survey of more than 1,400 people visiting its emergency relief centres over the past 12 months, the charity found that 93 percent of them were living below the poverty threshold after paying housing expenses.
The figure rose to 97 percent for respondents who relied on government support payments and 98 percent for surveyed families with children.
In addition, after deducting housing expenses, couples with children only had $19 (US$13.3) a day left to live on, while single parents had $22….