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
2026: Rental Affordability Snapshot
The 2026 Rental Affordability Snapshot surveyed rental listings across Australia and found that affordability has crashed to record lows. The Snapshot surveyed 49,000 rental listings across Australia. Anglicare Australia is calling on the Government to return to directly funding and providing housing itself, instead of leaving housing to the private sector. Anglicare Australia is also calling on the Government to wind back landlord tax concessions.
Publications
Australia Fair Series – Falling Behind
Falling Behind examines the widening economic gap between generations and the growing challenges young Australians face in achieving financial security and building a stable future.
Submission to Income Management Instrument review
Since the inception of compulsory income management, Anglicare Australia has opposed its use as needlessly punitive and warned against its harms. Our position remains unchanged. Evidence shows the scheme’s fallibility and that it ultimately continues to perpetrate harm on communities, despite the Government having removed some aspects of the system in recent years. Anglicare Australia does not support maintaining the legislative instrument that allows the Government to continue imposing compulsory income management schemes on vulnerable people and communities. Instead, the Government should take this opportunity to enact its pledge to abolish the compulsory nature of the schemes.
Cost of Living Index: Income Support, 2026
Anglicare Australia has released the Living Costs Index, an analysis which compares the incomes for three household types against essential living costs such as rent, food, and transport. This edition covers households on the income support payments.
Submission on Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025
This Bill takes welcome steps in updating outdated waiver provisions and recognising the reality of family and domestic violence in the debt system. These reforms will improve fairness and restore some dignity to people caught up in debt recovery. However, the income apportionment resolution scheme, as drafted, risks repeating the injustices it seeks to resolve. Anglicare Australia calls on the Committee to strengthen the Bill by ensuring that people are properly compensated for their losses, by rejecting retrospective lawmaking, and by restoring a statute of limitations on debts.
Submission to the Economic Reform Roundtable
The best way to achieve the goals of this Roundtable is by making real investments in every Australian’s ability to make a meaningful and fulfilling contribution. In the previous term, the Government began exploring measuring economic performance through indicators beyond gross domestic product and the inflation rate, such as equity, happiness and social inclusion.
Cost of Living Index: Minimum Wage, 2025
Anglicare Australia has released the Cost of Living Index, an analysis which compares the incomes against essential living costs such as rent, food, and transport. This edition covers minimum wage households.
Paying it Forward
Anglicare Australia has launched a report showing that Australia’s tax system is fuelling wealth inequality.
Investing in People
Ahead of a crucial Federal Election, Anglicare Australia has laid out a plan for the next Federal Budget to tackle poverty by raising the rate of JobSeeker and other key payments.
Submission on Buy Now Pay Later – Draft Regulations 2025
While Anglicare Australia believes there is a place for BNPL products, many Australians on low incomes or in financial hardship have turned to these products to pay for essentials, such as groceries and utilities. We welcome the proposed draft Regulations, which provide for capping of fees for low cost credit contracts. Further, we support amendments that require BNPL providers to undertake reasonable inquiries about the consumer’s ability to borrow.
Pre- Budget Submission 2025-26
A home, a decent income, and dignity in old age are things that every Australian deserves. Each of these areas are critical to making life better for all Australians. We urge the Government to address these issues in its next Federal Budget, and ensure that the next term of Government creates a mandate to take on the issues facing our nation
Submission on Automated Decision-Making Reform
Anglicare Australia remains concerned about the use of systems that remove human oversight within government services. In the instance of the Robodebt Scheme, the unregulated and careless use of automated decision-making (ADM) processes contributed directly to the extremely poor treatment of people receiving social security payments. However, in the face of increasing technological evolution we recognise the necessity of discussing options for automation and in pursuing harmonisation of existing provisions, governments must remain alert to the risk faced by individuals in circumstances of wrong decision-making.
Submission on Australia’s Future Tax System
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.
Australia Fair Series – Widening the Gap
Widening the Gap looks at trends in wealth inequality over the past twenty years and finds that Australia’s tax system is fueling wealth inequality.
Submission to Responsible Buy Now Pay Later Bill 2024
Whilst the Government has taken significant steps forward with this Bill to improve regulation of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) products and increase consumer protections. This Bills fails to address the distortion that BNPL products cause to the credit market or provide people with enough protections from the harms caused by these products. Anglicare Australia recommend that the Bill be amended to ensure that BNPL products are treated and used in the same way as all other credit products.
Cost of Living Index: Income Support, 2024
Anglicare Australia has released the Living Costs Index, an analysis which compares the incomes for three household types against essential living costs such as rent, food, and transport. This edition covers households on income support payments.
Back to basics: The unequal impacts of inflation on Australian households
Back to basics: The unequal impacts of inflation on Australian households shows that people on the lowest incomes are being hit the hardest by inflation. This is because the cost of essentials like rent, food, and electricity has shot up much faster than CPI. The report calls for an increase to JobSeeker, which has fallen well below living costs.
Pre-Budget Submission 2024-25
At a time where the nation is facing growing inequality, and where the cost of living is rising much faster than wages or income support payments the upcoming Federal Budget will play a critical role in equipping our country for the future. In this submission Anglicare Australia provides recommendations focused on tackling these issues over the long-term with a plan to build social housing, reforms to make the tax system fairer, an overhaul of the employment services system, and action to lift Australians out of poverty. We also make recommendations to provide targeted assistance to people and the community services that support them in the shorter term as the country continues to cope with rising living costs.
Repeat Failure: Why Australia’s workforce programs aren’t working
This report aims to understand whether existing Government approaches to employment, training and mutual obligation are achieving their goals. It also seeks to understand the true purpose of mutual obligation programs in Australia, and how approaches are shaped by biases in the areas of social security and employment policy.
Trickle Up: Living costs and the Stage 3 Tax Cuts
Trickle Up: Living costs and the Stage 3 Tax Cuts is a paper showing that the planned Stage 3 Tax Cuts will go to the highest income earners in the country and leave behind people who need cost of living relief.
Essential Connections: The Internet as an Essential Service
Accessing the internet is no longer a luxury. It is an essential service. Australians now rely on internet access for work, education, paying bills and managing their money, healthcare, information in an emergency, social and community connection.
Australia Fair Series – The Poverty Premium
The Poverty Premium looks at six key living costs and finds that people are penalised if they can’t afford to buy groceries in bulk, pay costs annually instead of monthly, or upgrade to a more efficient car.
Submission to the Senate Inquiry into the Strengthening the Safety Net Bill
For years, Anglicare Australia has called for working age payments to be raised above the poverty line. Although the measures in the Bill fall short of that call, we supported the Bill as an immediate means of helping Australians struggling to make ends meet. In this submission we called on the Committee to recommend passing the Bill, but to also recognise that the work of tackling poverty, making sure everyone has a safe and secure place to live and strengthening the safety net is far from done.
Cost of Living Index: Minimum Wage, 2023
Anglicare Australia has released the Living Costs Index, an analysis which compares the incomes for three household types against essential living costs such as rent, food, and transport. This edition covers households on the minimum wage.
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.