|
|
| Membership of the Committee |
(PDF 102KB) |
| |
| Overview |
(PDF 170KB) |
| |
| Recommendations |
(PDF 132KB) |
| |
| Chapter 1 - Introduction |
(PDF 101KB) |
Terms of reference
Conduct of the inquiry
Structure of the Report
The Committee's approach to poverty |
| |
| Chapter 2 - Defining and measuring poverty |
(PDF 239KB) |
What is poverty?
Poverty and inequality
Measuring poverty
Income-based poverty lines
Budget standards
Consensual approach
Living standards studies
Problems in measuring poverty
Data sources
Definition of income
The measure of resources
Alternative measures of poverty
Deprivation indicators
Use of expenditure data
The income unit
Time period
Equivalence scales
Updating poverty lines
Conclusion |
| |
| Chapter 3 - Poverty and inequality in Australia |
(PDF 217KB) |
The origins of poverty research
The Henderson Commission of Inquiry
Extent of poverty in Australia
Who is in poverty today?
Poverty by State/Territory
Income inequality
Impact of the GST
Impact of taxes, transfers and other benefits
Wealth distribution
Conclusion |
| |
| Chapter 4 - Unemployment and the changing labour market |
(PDF 314KB) |
The changing labour market
Unemployment and underemployment
Joblessness and poverty
Creating more jobs
Full employment
Job creation schemes
Conclusion
Role and effectiveness of the Job Network
Conclusion
Long-term unemployed
Skill development and work experience
The working poor
Life for the low paid
Addressing the problem of low pay
Conclusion
Casualisation
Conclusion
Labour-hire
Changing industrial relations environment |
| |
| Chapter 5 - Income support |
(PDF 246KB) |
Income support arrangements
Adequacy of income support payments
Payments - how adequate is the 'safety net'?
Income based poverty measures
Budget standards
Hardship measures
Payment structure
Level of payment
Concessions
Participation costs
Compliance requirements and penalties
Conclusion
Poverty traps |
| |
| Chapter 6 - Housing |
(PDF 228KB) |
Housing and poverty
Homelessness
Supported Accommodation Assistance Program
Groups with special housing needs
Addressing housing access and affordability
Public and community housing
Rent assistance
Private investment in low-cost housing
Home ownership
Tenants' rights and tenancy databases
National housing strategy |
| |
| Chapter 7 - Education and training |
(PDF 261KB) |
The relationship between education and poverty
Literacy and numeracy
Retention and participation rates
Conclusion
Poverty and early childhood education
Conclusion
School education
Educational costs
Breakfast clubs for schoolchildren
Quality of education
Public education
Programs to improve educational outcomes
Conclusion
Poverty and access to tertiary education
Conclusion |
| |
| Chapter 8 - Health |
(PDF 201KB) |
Poverty and health
Access to Medicare
Decline in bulk-billing
Addressing the decline in bulk-billing
Conclusion
Access to public hospitals
Australian Health Care Agreements
Impact of the private health insurance rebate
Conclusion
Access to ancillary and specialist health services
Access to preventive health and related services
Access to maternal and child health services
Access to dental care
Conclusion |
| |
| Chapter 9 - Other issues: Utilities, credit, gambling |
(PDF 211KB) |
Access to utilities
Consumer credit regulation
Availability of credit
Loan defaults and debt recovery
Fringe credit providers
Pawnbrokers
Consumer education
Funding of financial counselling services
Conclusion
Gambling
Response to problem gambling by increased State regulation
Conclusion |
| |
| Chapter 10 - Women and sole parents |
(PDF 253KB) |
Woman and poverty
Women and work
Impact of part-time and casual work
Women in retirement
Child care
Domestic violence
Women in rural and regional areas
Migrant women and poverty
Sole parents
Low income sole parent families
Sole parents and work
Income support payments
Child Support Scheme
Conclusion |
| |
| Chapter 11 - Children in poverty |
(PDF 256KB) |
Children in poverty - An Overview
Characteristics of children in poverty
Sole parent families and couples with children
Unemployment and low wages
Families receiving government benefits
Children with parents from non-English speaking background
Children living in poverty
The impact of poverty on children
Social and economic costs of child poverty
Responding to child poverty- National approach
Initiatives to reduce the incidence and impact of child poverty
Conclusion |
| |
| Chapter 12 - Youth and student issues |
(PDF 261KB) |
Rates of poverty
The impact of poverty on young people
Youth labour force participation
15 to 19 year olds
20 to 24 year olds
Unemployment rates
Access to full-time employment
Improving the transition from school to work
Income support
Impact of activity testing and breaching on youth
Youth and Centrelink
UK Gateway to the New Deal program
Conclusion
Students and poverty
Income support for studen
Work commitments
Cost of living
Student debt
Impact of poverty on students
Conclusion |
| |
| Chapter 13 - Indigenous Australians |
(PDF 218KB) |
Measuring Indigenous poverty
Nature and extent of Indigenous poverty and disadvantage
Addressing social and economic disadvantage
Unemployment
Community Development Employment Projects
Housing and infrastructure
Education
Health
Indigenous children
Indigenous youth issues
The criminal justice system
Conclusion |
| |
| Chapter 14 - Rural and regional communities |
(PDF 182KB) |
The urban-rural/regional divide
Social and economic disparities
Unemployment
Incomes
Health
Education
Addressing poverty and disadvantage in regional and rural areas
Improved access to services
Regional development strategies
Job creation initiatives
Capacity building
Conclusion |
| |
| Chapter 15 - Older people, migrants and refugees |
(PDF 238KB) |
Older people
Factors contributing to poverty of older Australians
Changing industrial conditions
Unemployment, underemployment and low wages
Changing nature of families
Government income support
Inadequate retirement income
Housing and aged care
Ill health and disability
Rate payments
Conclusion
Migrants and refugees
Protection Visas and eligibility for entitlements
Waiting periods for migrants accessing income support
Employment and housing issues
Conclusion |
| |
| Chapter 16 - People with a disability |
(PDF 423KB) |
Poverty and disability
Support and assistance for people with disabilities
Funding for disability services
Level of unmet need
Factors relating to poverty and disadvantage
Income support and related payments
Employment
Education
Housing and accommodation assistance
Transport
Access to information
Support and assistance for carers
Financial security for carers
Respite care |
| |
| Chapter 17 - Service providers |
(PDF 249KB) |
Community service sector
Provision of services
Increasing demand for services
Impact on welfare services of people being breached
Emerging and complex problems from people seeking assistance
Impact on welfare workers of increasing demands
Beyond emergency support - longer term outcomes
Early intervention and prevention programs
Cooperation and increased community capacity
Conclusion
Local government
Conclusion
Centrelink
Access to and attitude of Centrelink staff
Pressure on agencies from people directed by Centrelink
Centrelink liaison with community sector
Conclusion |
| |
| Chapter 18 - Future directions |
(PDF 220KB) |
The need for a national strategy
Whole of government approach
A national approach to poverty alleviation
Agreed national poverty benchmark measure
National anti-poverty strategy
Ireland's National Anti-Poverty Strategy
Consultative mechanisms to develop strategy
National poverty reduction targets
Establishment of an anti-poverty body
Conclusion
Structural changes aimed at reducing poverty
Social and economic sustainability
Conclusion |
| |
| Balancing the picture on poverty |
(PDF 251KB) |
| |
| Appendix 1 - List of public submissions, tabled documents and other additional information authorised for publication by the committee |
(PDF 143KB) |
| |
| Appendix 2 - Witnesses who appeared before the committee at public hearings |
(PDF 155KB) |
| |
| Appendix 3 - Bibliography |
(PDF 128KB) |