Australians living in poverty are fighting a daily "war of survival" as they struggle to afford basic necessities, the Canberra Times reports.
Karen, a woman experiencing hardship, made a passionate plea to meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese while giving evidence at a parliamentary inquiry examining the extent of poverty in Australia.
"We don't have war on our doorsteps, but we are experiencing a different type of war, a war of survival," she told the hearing on Tuesday.
"Is this what the lucky country has come to? Stealing the basic food necessities because of the ridiculously high prices."
Salvation Army general manager Jennifer Kirkaldy said failures in the welfare and housing systems were leading people to live in hardship.
The average person the charity worked with had $39 a week left after necessities such as housing, transport, groceries and utilities were covered.
"The extent and nature of poverty in Australia, as the Salvation Army sees it every day, is that it is very real, it is widespread, and it is devastating," Ms Kirkaldy said.
She said any rise in welfare payments was being swallowed up by soaring inflation and cost of living pressures.
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Poor in 'war of survival' as more face financial stress (Canberra Times)
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