Concerns about poverty in Australia are rising as cost-of-living pressures hit hard, with a majority of people agreeing income support payments are not enough to live on, according to this research. It finds that 60% of people agree government policies have caused some Australians to experience poverty.

This report analyses a range of interactive maps, prepared to provide the first geographic snapshot of people on income support payments who also received COVID-specific income support payments across the country in the first wave of the pandemic in 2020, the 'Alpha' wave.

While the 2015-16 Budget delivered welcome new investment in early childhood education and care and charted a fairer path on pension reform, the combined effect of the two budgets is to leave people on low incomes to once again bear the burden of Budget restraint.