Emergency Relief
It may come as a surprise to you but 413,000 Queenslanders are living in poverty.
The Queensland Council of Social Services (QCOSS), in its 2008 Anti-Poverty Week Statement, estimated that 413,000 people or 10.6% of Queenslanders are living below the poverty line. Since June 2005, the average price of food has risen by 15%, rents by over 17%, and energy bills by 17%. Economic upheaval, high unemployment and limited rental options add staggering numbers to these terrible statistics. Last year Wesley Mission Brisbane's Emergency Relief Service provided 3,682 instances of Emergency Relief with Woolworths grocery cards, food parcels as well as assistance with vital bills, phone bills, rent, medicines, phone cards and essential school supplies.
The report referred to above is called 'So You Think You're Having a Financial Crisis', (The Queensland Council for Social Service's Anti-Poverty Week Statement 2008). For more information please click here to view the full report.
