Poverty in Australia

Poverty. It is a word often reserved for the skeletal thin child, with downcast eyes living in a third world country. A word that is immediately associated with underweight teenagers in filthy rags, selling rubbish in a dirty street. But, a word that is rarely associated with the very people around us.

With the economical wealth attributed to the name ‘Australia’, it is hard to imagine a word such as ‘poverty’ could worm its way into our high and mighty society. Many are in the belief that poverty exists on the other side of the world, a 10 hour flight away. However, chances are poverty is probably just a 15 minute drive away. There are one in eight citizens who live below the poverty line in Australia. That is, to be exact, 2.4 million men, women and children.

Much to the contrary of the beliefs of many, the majority of those who live in poverty are not alcohol or drug addicts. They do not choose to live in poverty; in fact most of them do not have a choice at all. In Australia, around 25% of poverty is caused by domestic violence, 20% is caused by family issues, whereas a measly 1.2% of poverty is actually the result of alcohol and drugs.

In The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 25 states: “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and necessary social services.” This declaration is a step in the right direction, however not enough is being done. The reality is that the Australian government is cutting funding for the very organisations trying to implement the Declaration.

Perhaps, the most devastating fact is that 1 in 2 people are turned away from services for the poor. Currently, organisations such as the Salvation Army, Melbourne City Mission and St. Vincent de Paul, are helping to reduce poverty in Australia. Every night over 2000 people spend their night in accommodation provided by the Salvos and St. Vincent de Paul serve 200, 000 meals each year. These community-run organisations simply do not have the resources to provide for these people. They scarcely receive any government funding, and rely on donations and willing volunteers.

I once helped out at a St. Vincent de Paul soup van; it was probably one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life. The purpose of these soup vans