Facts from the coalface confirm poverty is easing

As Alan Austin reports, the good news is outweighing the bad as the 2025 report card for the Australian economy is completed.

Collaboration Between Victorian Government housing unit And Salvation Army Lately converted A former block of eight flats in Yarraville has been divided into 16 modern two-bedroom units. These provide affordable, long-term housing for disadvantaged single parents, elderly couples and residents requiring carer support.

This is a micro example of the emerging macro picture where evidence is accumulating that poverty and homelessness are declining.

This column references data from: Productivity Commission, National Debt Helpline, Services Australia, Bureau of Statistics and elsewhere it shows the number of people in poverty falling in 2024 from a peak in 2023 and falling further in 2025.

We now have confirmation from the Salvation Army, arguably the most reliable authority on the country’s hardship, that poverty is falling. This Christian church and welfare organization has been operating for 146 years, has local operations in every corner of the continent, and offers a wide range of services to people experiencing hardship. These include relationships, addiction, personal finances, finding housing, jobs, and natural disasters.

Last annual reports It shows the amount of assistance provided to Australians facing hardship, both in terms of people helped and dollars distributed. The trend shows poverty worsening until 2023, followed by a significant improvement. See the table below.

(Data source: Salvation Army annual reports)

Clearly, the needs of Australia’s disadvantaged populations remain acute. No questions. We can be pleased that the Salvos have been asked to reduce the number of overnight stays from 820,000 two years ago to 702,500 last year. But that’s still 702,500 too many.

The numbers in the 2024-25 column remain embarrassingly high. But it is encouraging that meals and crisis beds provided to the homeless are down more than 14% from two years ago. Total accommodation nights provided decreased by 12% and financial advice sessions decreased by more than 16%. Two other categories of assistance and other services not included in this selected list decreased significantly.

Logically, is it possible that the Salvos have had to cut back on the services they can provide in the last two years due to lack of adequate resources and personnel? This is very unlikely. Its access to revenues from state and federal governments, community funds and corporate donors ensures it rarely turns away families in need due to lack of funds.

Last year total revenues It reached 1.29 billion dollars, an increase of 169.5 million dollars compared to the 2023 level. The number of workers increased from less than 31,000 in 2023 to 32,464 in 2025.

It is worth noting that the above table was compiled by the Independent. A.Australia with no help from the Salvation Army other than publishing the raw data in their annual report. Inferences from the table that the Albanian Government has achieved success do not come from the scrupulously non-partisan Salvos.

While they do not emphasize that, in their view, poverty has been alleviated, they do not insist that it is still worsening.

In this respect the Salvos provide a welcome contrast to the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) and various disreputable food banks that lie and insist that poverty is getting worse in 2024 and 2025. This is quite wrong.

Effective remedial measures

The gradual easing of hardship appears to be the result of (a) the overall economic recovery since 2022, (b) special measures taken by local, state and federal governments to assist disadvantaged families, and (c) the excellent work of the Salvation Army and other local institutions.

adult unemployment use $793.60 at the beginning of 2023, up 15.8%. (All figures here are fortnightly.) Youth unemployed allowance This month, it rose to $677.20, up 16.9% from 2023. pension it is now $1,079.70, up 15.3%. minimum wage it is currently $1,896.00, up 16.7% since the beginning of 2023.

commonwealth rental assistance Benefits for struggling families increased by a commendable 44.3% to $253.82 during this period.

Inflation As of early 2023, the rate was just 8.9%, leaving a significant proportion of all these groups well above the poverty line.

Fees in general rose It has been faster than inflation for the last nine consecutive quarters. Our colleague Stephen Koukoulas provided an excellent update on inflation here last week.

Most indicators are improving or remaining stable

last Wednesday housing update Data from the Bureau of Statistics shows more than 4,000 new public housing units were approved in the last 12 months, marking the second consecutive year of this achievement.

More than 4,000 trips in a year have occurred only four times since 2011. Three have occurred since the 2022 Election.

Total housing units under construction in the 12 months to November reached 195,523, a 14% increase compared to the previous year, the highest level in the last four years.

Concerns have been raised in mid-2024. unemployed The rate rose above 4% after remaining below this psychological level for two years. It rose above 4.3% in June 2025 and reached 4.45% in September. Although historically this rate was still low, the trend was troubling.

However, the latest data shows that there have been consecutive declines since September, with the November unemployment rate falling to 4.32%.

Rising prosperity across the country is demonstrated by records spending about luxuries, including dining out, new cars, light aircraft, imported jewellery, cosmetics and abroad trip.

Discretionary spending in November reached an all-time high of $51.3 billion, an increase of more than 6% in November 2024 and a 35.4% increase in discretionary spending in November 2021 amid the Coalition’s cost of living crisis.

Progress continues. We need another 10,000 or so apartment blocks like the stylish one the Salvos are building in Yarraville.