Although Australia is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, more than one in eight adults and one in six children live in poverty. 

This briefing note summarises key facts and presents policy solutions with a particular focus on the adequacy and security of income support payments. It finds that low levels of income support, combined with high interest rates and unemployment, contribute to high rates of poverty and economic instability in Australia, particularly for single parents, people living with disability and First Nations people.

The authors propose that poverty in Australia can be eliminated by fixing the adequacy and security of income support payments, supporting disadvantaged people to obtain work, ensuring secure housing and supporting self-determination for First Nations communities. 

Key recommendations

• Increase Jobseeker, Youth Allowance, Parenting Payment and related payments to at least $82 a day, in line with pension payments.
• Index payments to wages as well as prices (whichever is higher) at least twice per year.
• Benchmark Rent Assistance and Remote Area Allowance to rents and remote prices respectively and introduce supplementary payments to meet the cost of disability, chronic ill health and single parenthood. 
• Resource the development of a First Nations led and administered housing and homelessness plan.
• Substantially boost social housing investment through a 10-year funding pipeline calibrated to meet unmet social housing need.
• Increase homelessness prevention and service funding by $1 billion per annum, indexed to wage and price movements.
• Increase funding for and partner with First Nations community-controlled organisations to support First Nations self-determined, community-led policy solutions and service delivery for First Nations People.