Everybody deserves a place to call home. A place that is safe, a place to rest, a place to welcome our friends. These are the needs that only a home can provide. Without a home, we can’t plan for other parts of our lives like starting a family, getting an education, or participating in our communities.
Anglicare Australia is committed to creating a fairer and more just society. This position statements describe our positions on the issues related to Affordable Housing
Latest Snapshot
2023: Rental Affordability Snapshot
The 2023 Rental Affordability Snapshot surveyed over 45,000 rental listings across Australia and found that affordability has crashed to record lows. Anglicare Australia is calling on all parties and candidates to tackle housing affordability in the upcoming Federal Budget.
Publications
A Costly Choice
Anglicare Australia has released A Costly Choice, a report showing that Australia loses billions of dollars each year on tax breaks and concessions that benefit people on the highest incomes.
Submission on Legislating the Objective of Super
Anglicare Australia supports the proposed objective of superannuation in the consultation paper. The proposed definition recognises that superannuation is about providing income for a dignified retirement, not about wealth generation, or accumulation of a nest egg to pass on after death. The inclusion of the concepts of equity and sustainability are in line with Anglicare Australia’s values and advocacy. But there is work to be done to ensure the superannuation system meets this worthy objective, including reforming superannuation taxation concessions and supporting people who do not own their home in retirement.
Submission to the Senate Select Committee on Cost of living
Australians have faced a tough and tumultuous few years. Many were expecting the economic pain of the pandemic to fade relatively quickly as the economy snapped back. But a cost of living crisis has prolonged the pain for many Australian households.
Left Behind
Anglicare Australia has released Left Behind, a paper showing that the planned Stage 3 Tax Cuts will go to highest income earners in the country and leave behind regional, rural, and disadvantaged areas.
Submission to the Royal Commission into the Robodebt scheme
The Royal Commission has played a vital role in exposing how the Robodebt Scheme was created and overseen, and has been delivering accountability for the Scheme’s victims. This submission focuses on the lessons the Robodebt Scheme offers for the future, and practices that continue in compliance and debt collection.
Submission to the Inquiry into the Extent and Nature of Poverty in Australia
This submission calls for an immediate increase to social security payments,to lift people out of poverty and action to address the crisis in affordable housing that is driving many people into poverty.
Pre-Budget Submission 2023-24
The submission includes a plan for the next Federal Budget to tackle poverty by raising the rate of JobSeeker and other key payments. The submission includes costings showing that JobSeeker, Parenting Payment, and Carer Payment could all be raised to $88 per day. This would pull almost 2.3 million Australians out of poverty, including 840,000 children. We also lay out plans for aged care, housing, tax, community services, disability, and mental health.
Creating Jobs, Creating Opportunity
Creating Jobs, Creating Opportunity: Tackling long-term unemployment in Australia lays out a plan to support people who have been out of work long-term.
Regulating Buy Now, Pay Later in Australia
Joint submission of 22 consumer organisations who make up the Close Lending Loopholes Coalition, including Australia’s leading consumer advocates, charities, community groups, legal centres, family violence organisations, and financial counselling practitioners. Buy now, pay later (BNPL) credit products exploit loopholes in Australia’s credit law to sell people into unaffordable debt. This unregulated credit industry is causing serious economic and social harm to people, families and households across the country. We recommend Option 3 be implemented to apply full regulation of BNPL under the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 (the Credit Act), and the National Credit Code (the Credit Code). We also support applying additional consumer protections beyond what is outlined in Option 3.
Submission to Workforce Australia (Parents Next)
Anglicare Australia believes that parents and children should be supported. The responsibility involved in caring for children should be valued in and of itself. Anglicare Australia maintains significant concerns about the ParentsNext program, which is mandatory for some people living on Parenting Payment. These relate to the compulsory nature of the program and its punitive and disproportionate Targeted Compliance Framework. Anglicare Australia calls for the Targeted Compliance Framework to be abolished, and recommends that the ParentsNext program be redesigned as voluntary and person-centred pre-employment support program.
Nothing Left to Give
As part of Anti-Poverty Week, Anglicare Australia has released a report showing that demand is surging for help with food, rent and bills. Nothing Left to Give surveyed Anglicare Australia’s Emergency Relief services.
A Clear Choice
A Clear Choice shows that the Government could raise JobSeeker and other payments over the poverty line, and tackle the shortage of social homes, for less than the cost of the tax cuts.
Submission on Work and Care
In this submission Anglicare Australia advocates for a re-think of our entire approach to work and care, that provides all Australians with a permanent basic income to lift them out of poverty, and value their contribution, regardless of whether it is in paid employment, caring for friends and family, or volunteering in the community. We must do away with punitive and ineffective employment services that fail to take account of people’s situation, and move to a person-centred system that takes into account people’s strengths, goals and circumstances.
Submission on Enhancing Pensioner and Veteran Workforce Participation Amendment
As well as much needed income, work can give people purpose, reduce social isolation, and foster connection to community. In this submission Anglicare Australia supportsthe provisions in the amendment that allow people receiving aged pension or veteran entitlements to have their payments suspended for up to two years, instead of cancelled, if they earn employment income above the maximum threshold. We also call for extension of the Work Bonus to social security recipients under 65 years and support for workforce participation through a universal basic income.
Submission to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Carer Leave
Taking care of a loved one or a friend can be extremely rewarding and fulfilling, but it can also negatively impact an informal carer’s health, wellbeing, and financial security. Current arrangements fail to adequately support informal carers. In this submission, Anglicare Australia advocates that a legislated right to return to work will be helpful, but having enough money to live on while carrying out caring responsibilities is far more important. We call for a universal, permanent basic income to benefit all carers.
Submission on the Digital Protections Framework for Employment Services Programs
This submission comments on the Draft Social Security (Digital Protections Framework for Employment Services Programs) Determination 2022. It argues that while this Framework is a useful step, the new system has been created in a way that will continue to allow the Secretary and providers to issue rigid penalties, such as payment suspensions and cancellations, without review. It also makes detailed comments and recommendations on Schedule 1 of the Draft Framework.
Submission on Repeal of the Cashless Debit Card
In this submission Anglicare Australia commended the Government for introducing legislation to abolish the Cashless Debit Card, which has harmed those who have been forced onto it without providing any benefit. However, while we support the abolition of the Cashless Debit Card, we are concerned that the repeal of this bill does not apply to the income management program introduced during the Northern Territory Intervention, where three-quarters of people on the Basics Card are First Nations.
Five Ideas Australia Needs Now
Ahead of the Federal Election, Anglicare Australia has released five bold ideas for candidates and parties. Anglicare Australia is calling for a basic income; a jobs guarantee; a community climate fund; a home for every Australian; and a people’s inquiry into Covid-19.
Submission to the Select Committee on Covid-19
Anglicare Australia has laid out a plan to get Australia through the Omicron outbreak, and plan for new Covid variants. Submitted to the Select Committee on Covid-19 the plan calls for free, universal Rapid Antigen Tests for all Australians; a COVID support package for the community sector; a national approach to keep essential workers in frontline service sectors at work safely; and urgent help to keep older Australians safe in aged care.
Pre-Budget Submission 2022-23
In this submission, Anglicare Australia lays out a pandemic plan to help people on the lowest incomes, and the community organisations who support them. The 2022-23 Federal Budget will play a critical role as Australia enters the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and learns to live with the virus. The Government will be required to play a much greater role than it has anticipated, and its leadership will be essential as we enter the next phase.
Asking Those Who Know: Final Report
The old rate of JobSeeker was leaving people with as little as $7 a day after paying rent, according to a new survey from Anglicare Australia.
Submission to the AER Better Bills Guideline
Electricity and gas are essential services that are vital to keeping people healthy and connected. For many households, bills are the only way they interact with the energy retailers. Anglicare Australia recommends bills include best offer information, use standardised layouts and language to make them easier to explain and compare, provide information about hardship assistance and include information about energy savings, efficiencies and patterns of use.
Australia Fair series – Valuing Every Contribution
Australians overwhelmingly back a basic income for Australia. That is the key finding of a landmark new study from Anglicare Australia. The Valuing Every Contribution study surveyed 1,000 Australians.
Raising the Rate of JobSeeker for Good
Research from Anglicare Australia and UnitingCare Australia shows that JobSeeker increases halved the percentage of people living on $7 a day, and left people with more income across the board.
Asking Those Who Know: Survey Report
The old rate of JobSeeker was leaving people with as little as $7 a day after paying rent, according to a new survey from Anglicare Australia.
Paying the Price of Welfare Reform
This landmark study looks at on the impact of Centrelink automation on Anglicare staff and clients.
The Cost of Privilege
Research commissioned by Anglicare Australia shows that each year, a staggering $68 billion in taxpayer dollars is spent keeping the wealthiest households wealthy.
Inequality in Australia
Anglicare Australia partnered with the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) in the development of Inequality in Australia.
Welfare Payment Levels
Anglicare Australia commissioned The Australia Institute to conducted an online survey on welfare payment levels in February 2013.
Going Without: Financial Hardship in Australia
Our research report on financial hardship in Australia shows that poverty for those on Newstart and the Youth Allowance is severe and long-lasting.
Submission to the Human Rights Inquiry into ParentsNext
Each year, Anglicare Australia members support 11,300 people with employment and training programs, helping them to find or prepare for work. Our agencies also support people in crisis who do not have enough work or income to get by. Over 100,000 people each year use emergency relief and financial counselling services provided by the Anglicare Australia Network across the country. This submission aims to provide a voice for the people, overwhelmingly women, living on Parenting Payment who may be compelled to participate in the ParentsNext program. Anglicare Australia maintains significant concerns about the program. These relate to the compulsory nature of the program and its punitive and disproportionate Targeted Compliance Framework. Anglicare Australia calls for the Targeted Compliance Framework to be abolished, and recommends that the ParentsNext program be redesigned as voluntary and person-centred pre-employment support program.
Submission on Pay-Day Lenders
This submission summarises the Anglicare Australia Network’s experience with pay-day lending and the harm the industry causes the people we work with. We have found that a combination of low income, lack of savings, and poor access to mainstream banking and financial services can lead people to use pay-day loans for short-term and sudden financial crises. It is unacceptable that these pay-day loans are, for some people, the only option they have to access emergency credit.