Anti-Poverty Week 17-23 October 2021

Anti-Poverty Week 17-23 October 2021

More needs to be done to tackle poverty in Australia. Illawarra Legal Centre supports Anti-Poverty Week’s (APW’s) call to raise income support above the poverty line and invest in social housing.

“Solving the housing crisis and lifting income support will alleviate crushing poverty” – APW

Anti-Poverty Week this year is held 17th – 23rd October.

As a community legal centre, Illawarra Legal Centre, assists some of the most disadvantaged people in our community and our tenancy and welfare rights services know all too well how poverty affects the people of the Illawarra.

The COVID supplement for social security recipients has been cancelled. While the Government has increased the basic rate of job seeker payment by $25 per week, this increase still leaves social security recipients well below the poverty line.

“A single person dependent on social security payments cannot afford to live in private rental accommodation. Their only choices are share accommodation or social housing which is insufficient to meet the demand. Many are compelled to sleep in temporary accommodation or their car. While the rate of taxation paid by high income earners has been reduced, the financial hardship of those dependant on the social security safety net has increased.” said Ian Turton, Welfare Rights Solicitor at Illawarra Legal Centre.

The Illawarra Legal Centre provides a welfare rights service which assists and represents people who are experiencing difficulty in their dealings with Centrelink. Our tenancy service assists people experiencing issues with their tenancy. If you are having problems contact us.

Welfare Rights: 4276 1939

Tenancy: 1800 807 225

To find out more visit:

Anti-Poverty Week  #APW21

Raise the Rate for Good campaign #RaiseTheRateForGood 

Everybody’s Home campaign #BuildSocialHousing