So, what is poverty?
The Australian Government does not have a recognised definition of poverty – this is part of the problem. If we don’t define it, measuring it is hard, meaning we don’t have the most accurate account of how it impacts people. If the government doesn’t officially measure it, how are they going to do anything about it?
Researchers and policy experts rely on internationally recognised measurements to establish poverty levels here in WA. This includes the well-established Henderson poverty line (income needed to cover the essentials of life, adjusted for family size and composition) or the OECD Relative Poverty Line (50%-60% of median income).
It is important for us to recognise though that poverty is more than an absence of material income or wealth. Non-material aspects include inadequate education, chronic health conditions, social exclusion, living in unsafe conditions and a general lack of resources to meet basic needs. These factors are all intertwined and collectively have a compounding effect.
To learn more about poverty and how it looks here in WA, download the following PDF or watch this summary from The Guardian.
Download paper
Adequate income
All WA community members have the right to access adequate income that allows them to meet their basic needs, regardless of whether that income comes from employment (labour market), the government, or a combination of both.
A place to call home
All WA community members have the right to a safe, stable place to live.
A good start to life
All WA children deserve the best start to life, including the right to develop so that they may thrive.
Health and wellbeing
All WA community members have the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.
Sense of Belonging and togetherness
All WA community members have the right to participate in their community and feel like they belong, free from stigma and discrimination.
Community Perception
The information we are exposed to influences the way we think and act.
Opportunities and Choice
Having adequate access to opportunities and choice are key to unlocking potential and transforming lives.
Key Facts
It can be hard to sift through the information (and misinformation) to get to the facts, so we’ve collected a few key ones to get you started. For a deeper understanding, please download Poverty in WA: A Deep Dive.
What’s the story in WA?
- WA has 358,000 people living in poverty (1 in 8 people), of which over 90,000 are children (1 in 7). [1]
- Research estimates that the child poverty rate in WA will increase from 11.8 per cent in 2022 to 15.2 per cent in 2024, putting nearly 21,000 more children into poverty. [1]
- Whilst anyone can fall into poverty, there are groups of people who are more vulnerable, including those who are older, single parents, those who live alone, Aboriginal Australians, if you have a long-term health condition, lower levels of education, and/or are living in a poorer region [2]
- Australia has never been more prosperous, yet we are facing growing inequality. Inequality has two forms: income inequality and wealth inequality:
- Someone in the highest 20% of the income scale lives in a household with almost six times as much income as someone in the lowest 20% of the income scale [3]
- Wealth inequality is even more pronounced. The richest 10% of households have an average of $6.1 million and almost half of all wealth (46%), while the lower 60% (with an average of $376,000) has just 17% of all wealth [4]
- It’s expensive to be poor. Living day to day makes it difficult to plan ahead, buy energy efficient appliances, bulk buy food or other goods, pay bills upfront or save for emergencies. This is known as the ‘poverty premium’. [5]
- Public attitudes and behaviour are a significant driver in shifting social policy.
- A survey of over 500 Western Australians found that 85% of respondents agreed that Australia should be a country that looks after those in need [6]
- 70% of those surveyed supported a permanent increase of JobSeeker. [7]
- Community response to a recent statewide survey stating that the WA government should be doing more to help people who are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis, especially targeting low-income earners first [8]
[1] Duncan A & Twomey C (2024), ‘Child Poverty in Australia 2024’, Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre
[2] Productivity Commission (2024) Fairly equal? Economic mobility in Australia, Research paper, Canberra
[3] Duncan A, ‘Behind the Line: Poverty and disadvantage in Australia 2022’, Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre Focus on the States Series, #9, March (2022)
[4] ACOSS/UNSW Sydney, The Wealth Inequality Pandemic: Covid and Wealth Inequality. Build Back Fairer Report 4 (2022)
[5] McKail, B. (2023) The Poverty Premium: The High Cost of Poverty in Australia. Australia Fair Series, Volume 4. Anglicare Australia: Canberra
[6] Anglicare Australia, State of the Family report (2018)
[7] Survey of 573 Western Australians, conducted by UWA Centre for Human and Cultural Values (2022)
[8] FCAWA/WACOSS, Cost of Living survey report (2024)
What can be done?
- Join the No Place for Poverty movement and help create change.
- Join the two campaigns we are supporting through our partner organisations.
- Help create fairer systems locally by volunteering through our local solution partnerships.
- Become educated on the facts – download Poverty in WA: A Deep Dive as well as review the resources on this deep dive page. Share what you learn with others.
- Community compassion goes a long way – be respectful and kind to people.
- Tell others about the No Place for Poverty movement.
- Follow us on social media - like, share and comment on our posts.
Videos
No Place for Poverty – Real Stories
View the full-length ‘Real Stories’ videos and hear from the six people featured on the No Place for Poverty website (www.noplaceforpoverty.org.au) on their experience of poverty, what put them there, and what keeps them there. Featuring Len, Laura, Josh, Sharlene, Alison, Damien and Kim.
100 Families WA – ‘Change’ series
The ‘Change Series’ is a three-part video series developed and delivered by 100 Families WA (www.100familieswa.org.au) series focusing on how we can improve the systems that help people to exit poverty. It covers liveable income, stigma and discrimination, and hearing peoples voices
100 Families WA – ‘Speaking from Experience’
Speaking from Experience is a five-part video series where Renna and Keira speak about their experiences of poverty, including how it looked and felt for them and what could be done today to improve situations for others. Its covers topics such as, the meaning of home, poverty and finances, family and domestic violence, education, and the coronavirus supplement payment.
Valuing Children Initiative - End Child Poverty
Professor Sharon Bessell (ANU Children Poverty Centre) highlights the groundbreaking research of the More for Children project, a partner of the Valuing Children Initiative and the End Child Poverty campaign.
What does it mean to be poor? - The Guardian
Australia is terrible at measuring poverty. In fact, the country can’t even agree on what poverty is. Is it just about how much you get paid? What if you own your own home? What if you have access to almost everything you need, but you just don’t have a lot of cash?
Articles
100 Families: Summary Report, 2021
The 100 families project engaged with 400 families in poverty to evaluate current efforts to eliminating disadvantage. How do those in poverty view the system?
Measuring What Matters, 2023
Measuring data beyond traditional economic indicators is imperative to understanding inequality, and ultimately building a more healthy, secure, sustainable, cohesive and prosperous Australia.
Wealth and Inequality in Australia, 2024
Wealth in Australia is more unequally distributed than ever, capital gains have allowed the wealthiest 200 to amass 23.7% of the GDP. How can taxation reform support those struggling?
Inequality in Australia - What Role Does Government Policy Play? 2024
Danielle Wood, Chair of the Australian Government Productivity Commission speaks on inequality in Australia, providing background and possible solutions in her “fair-go toolbox.”
Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee Report, 2024
The Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee was established to advise government on economic inclusion, their recommendations assist in improving support for Australia’s most vulnerable.
Poverty in Australia: Facts and Solutions
Australia is a wealthy country, yet 1 in 8 adults live in poverty. JobSeeker and Youth allowance are not doing their part in lifting people from poverty, so how does Australia fix it?
Inequality in Australia: Who is Affected and How? 2024
Inequality shifts over time, and over demographics. How do age and gender factor into a crisis of income distribution in Australia?
Community Attitudes Towards Poverty and Inequality, 2023
Australian Council of Social Service. Social policy is driven by community attitudes. Understanding public perceptions of poverty can help to dispel misinformation, therefore drive community attitude and make change.
Child Poverty in Australia, 2024
Children are the future, but the 14.5% of children living in poverty Australia wide are not being given the resources to grow and thrive, increasing their likelihood of remaining in poverty.
Behind the Line Report, 2022
Using the 2020 Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey, this report explores the effects of poverty on different demographics, especially through COVID-19.
Podcasts
The Meaning of Health / Ep 88
Homelessness in Regional WA with Alex Hughes by Meaning of Health Podcast
Poverty Unpacked / Ep 39
Sarah Corbett, founder of the Craftivist Collective, talks about how a quieter and more kind form of activism can make change happen, and how it can complement other forms of activism.
Poverty Unpacked / Ep 38
In this episode, hear from Maria Booker, Head of Policy at Fair by Design, a campaign that aims to eliminate unfair poverty premiums.
Law Talk WA
This podcast brings together a host of WA organisations to explore real and relevant legal issues in our state. Learn about your rights, the law in WA and where you can go for help.
RESILnZ Podcast
In this episode of the RESILnZ™ Podcast, Coby speaks with Alex Hughes and Damien Watt about the 100 Families project in Western Australia.
No One Plans to be Poor
In this episode of Seriously Social, economist and Deputy Director of the HILDA Survey, Professor Roger Wilkins crunches the numbers on what poverty in Australia looks like and what we can do about it.
The Meaning of Health / Ep 33
Craig and Courtney take the opportunity to sit down with the 100 Families project team for the second time to discuss the findings of their snapshot report.
The Meaning of Health / Ep 16
Hosts Craig and Courtney sit down and have a chat with Jeannie, Alex and Ellie to learn more about the 100 Families project.
Follow the Money
Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz joins us to discuss how to create a fairer, freer society and the “fertile field” neoliberalism has created for demagogues.
Dollars & Sense
Listen to Greg Jericho, Chief Economist at the Australia Institute, break down the latest economic figures and explain how Jobseeker drags and keeps people in poverty.