Fatima Payman (WA, Australia's Voice) Share this | Hansard source

In my community and across Western Australia, the cost of living remains, as it has for some time, a major issue. It is in times like these that we see the true character of our people. I've been blown away by the efforts of OzHarvest, Foodbank and SecondBite, who are working every day in WA to feed and support vulnerable people in our community. Recently I had the privilege of volunteering with OzHarvest as they crisscrossed Perth to bring food to those most in need. From collecting donated food at Woolies Riverton to delivering meals to the Australian Relief Organisation and Cannington Soup Kitchen, I felt so privileged to see the amazing work that this group does to support our community.

Last week I met with three WA family and domestic service providers here in Canberra—Ngala, Amity Health and White Ribbon—who told me that poverty and the housing crisis are preventing women from leaving abusive relationships and are trapping families in the cycle of abuse. This is not just a matter of economics or global uncertainty; a failure of government policy has had its part to play in causing this crisis. Fundamental to this is the fact that the government does not have the data to make proper decisions on poverty policy. In Australia, millions of people, including 761,000 children, are living below the poverty line, and, despite that, there is no universal definition of income poverty. How can the government begin to address a crisis that they cannot see or grapple with, because they do not have the data to inform the development of policy? The cost of living won't fall unless this government stops tinkering around the edges and engages in real, holistic reform.