When poverty means not having enough to eat

It has been observed that this is often complicated by issues such as disability, family crises, lack of affordable and/or adequate housing, unemployment, relationship breakdowns, mental illness, and medical expenses. It has also been identified that managing a tight budget is a significant challenge for many people on low income. Three quarters of the respondents lived in households totally reliant on government benefits.

What is evident is that a country’s increase of wealth is not evenly distributed and does not preclude the existence of poverty, hardship and marginalisation in certain groups within a community. This disturbing experience of food insecurity challenges the perception that people in Australia are not going hungry. For such people this experience of poverty occurs at a time of rising living standards and economic prosperity.

The problem is bigger than hunger, it has a number of follow on effects and may lead to reduced participation in mainstream society. As one respondent recounted:

My daughter wanted to have a friend on the weekend. The friend opens the fridge and pantry and says you haven't got any nice food - muesli bars and that. This time I said no [she couldn't come over]; we've got to make the food last. If there's nothing I'll give them a carrot for recess. My daughter gets out a carrot and the kids comment oh you're having carrots again … Shame - in drama class they had to say what makes them angry. My daughter wanted to say "it sucks because you haven't got enough food", but didn't want to. I don't feel we're fully participating in life. Some friends I won't invite over - I couldn't offer them a biscuit with a cup of tea - well I don't even have coffee at the moment, I love coffee and haven't had it for a week.

This is a snapshot of a specific experience. However emerging observations confirm that for those accessing emergency relief services in community care centres nationally, this is not an unusual story. A great deal more work needs to be done but there are indications that in many areas and, in particular, among Indigenous communities, the problem is serious and inadequately addressed.

The debate about poverty definitions and measurement needs to be grounded in the actual experiences of people who are going without. This is why ANGLICARE is involved in research into food insecurity - for it, sidesteps the “poverty politics” and refocuses on the experience of disadvantage. Research focusing on the various factors that contribute to deprivation, such as food insecurity is the basis of a collaboration project Towards New Indicators of Disadvantage (PDF 52KB). This project aims to develop new indicators that can be used alongside existing poverty line instruments to better identify the extent and nature of disadvantage in Australia.

Mitigating poverty (or disadvantage or social exclusion) in Australia is possible, but it involves recognising its many causal factors and their complex interplay. It also requires adopting anti-poverty strategies and policies which are multifaceted and implemented in an holistic and co-ordinated way to ensure that those affected are empowered to improve their lives, well being and prospects.