Canberra, May 17 (IANS) A new survey by the Australian Associated Press (AAP) on Wednesday revealed that 93 per cent of people who used a charity’s services in the past 12 months were struggling to afford basic items amid the cost-of-living crisis.
Of the 1,700 people who participated in the survey, about 25 per cent said they cannot afford to take their children to see a doctor or dentist and one in five said they cannot provide three meals a day, reports Xinhua news agency.
More than half said they were skipping meals to save money.
Stuart Glover, secretary for mission for the charity service, said the typical respondent was left with less than A$6 ($4) per day after paying for their essential living costs.
“We have seen a significant increase in everyday Australians who have fallen through the cracks over the last year,” he was quoted by AAP, adding that the cost-of-living crisis was making it almost impossible for people who were struggling to survive without help.
According to data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) in April, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 7 per cent in the 12 months to March — down from 7.8 per cent in the year to December 2022.
Responding to the data, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said Australia had passed the peak of the inflation crisis but that cost-of-living pressures would hang around.
