Life
One in four skipping meals due to cost-of-living crisis
According to a poll conducted by the ACTU, 56 per cent of Australians have cut back on essential items and 24 per cent have skipped meals due to the current cost-of-living crisis.
The poll of 3000 people found that 21 per cent had sold assets to keep up with rising costs and 14 per cent had been forced to move to or look for more affordable housing.
The ACTU says the poll data shows how vulnerable the Australian workforce and economy is after ten years of record-low wage growth. Recent Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data also shows that retail sales are beginning to decline and consumer confidence has dropped 25 points over the last 12 months.
ACTU Secretary, Sally McManus, says the new Secure Jobs, Better Pay laws are a great step towards getting wages moving and giving working people the tools they need to bargain for wage growth that keeps up with the cost of living.
“A decade without wage growth followed by deep real-wage cuts means millions of Australians are cutting back, skipping meals and being forced out of their homes,” she said.
“Employers publicly arguing against wage growth are directly undermining the Australian economy.
“A quarter of Australians cannot afford enough food for three meals a day. This is a crisis that requires a systemic response. We need to rethink how our financial institutions, like the RBA, combat inflation and protect the interests of working people.”
‘Employers publicly arguing against wage growth are directly undermining the Australian economy.’ — ACTU Secretary Sally McManus