HORSHAM has one of the highest poverty rates in the region.
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A new interactive map, developed by the Victorian Council of Social Service and economic modelling firm NATSEM, reveals insights about people doing it tough.
It was estimated poverty rates of 15.1 per cent in regional areas were higher than Melbourne at 12.6 per cent and poverty was detected in every Victorian community.
Poverty is defined as the severe lack of possessions or money, which reduces a person’s quality of life.
The Horsham Rural City municipality and Northern Grampians shire have the highest poverty rate in the region, sitting at 14 per cent.
There are 2400 people living in poverty within Horsham Rural City and nearly a third of those are employed.
In the Northern Grampians shire, 1300 people are poverty-stricken and 27 per cent of those are employed.
Ararat Rural City has 1100 people, or 12 per cent, living in poverty and one third have some form of employment.
An estimated 600 Yarriambiack shire residents, or 11 per cent, are living in poverty and more than one third have a job.
West Wimmera shire has 300 people, or eight per cent, who are in poverty conditions. About 30 per cent of these people are employed.
In the Hindmarsh shire, 500 people, or 10 per cent, are living in poverty and nearly one third have a job.
Collective effort ‘essential’
Wimmera leaders believe a joint effort is the solution to reducing the region’s high poverty rates.
Horsham Rural City Council’s community wellbeing director Kevin O’Brien said poverty was a concern for the council, which had developed prevention strategies to minimise poverty rates.
“Council works with local agencies to address issues that may lead to poverty such as food insecurity, lack of accommodation, mental health issues, family violence and lack of education opportunities,” he said. “To support people who need immediate help, the council delivers funds to Wimmera social support networks.”
Northern Grampians Mayor Kevin Erwin believed poverty was an issue that “flies under the radar” for most people in the shire. He said it was a “delicate” subject that could be hard to raise.
“Some people might be embarrassed about being poverty-stricken. It is a delicate subject,” he said. “The fact we are not really higher than the state average means we are travelling reasonably well, but there is a lot of work to be done in this area.”
Mr Erwin said the ability to offer work to people in poverty was important. He said the council worked closely with Stawell Neighbourhood House, who trained and up-skilled people to combat poverty.
Yarriambiack Shire Mayor Graeme Massey said the data gave the council “a cause to reflect” and find out how poverty was affecting people in their area.
“We need to get more information ourselves to find out if this is right through our whole shire or concentrated in Warracknabeal,” he said.
Cr Massey said the council had a responsibility to look after the welfare of everyone.
“If they’re in a position where they need assistance in anyway, then they should approach the shire,” he said. “We do our best to point them in the right direction. We work with many agencies, but we need to be aware of these details before we can act.”
Ararat Rural City Mayor Peter Beales said it was concerning that poverty was a problem facing every community.
Cr Beales said the rising cost of living was a serious problem and the council was continually advocating for funding to improve livability. He said the council needed to continue its whole community approach.
“Our council plan, which incorporates the Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan, tries to assist wherever possible such as through the Share Your Spare initiative, which distributes food to those in need,” he said. “Programs like the Neighbourhood House’s SecondBite and Emergency Relief run by the region’s churches is also very much supported.”
Member for Mallee Andrew Broad said there was no “click your finger approach” when addressing poverty rates, because there was a combination of factors leading to poverty. He said the Mallee electorate has a rural disadvantage because of its isolation.
Mr Broad said the best form of welfare was job opportunities, which allowed people to “lift themselves out of poverty”. He said more incentives need to be offered to businesses.
“We then need to step back and look at other services needed such as youth mental health services. When people’s minds are in the right space, then they’re ready to take the opportunities that life presents them,” he said.
Early intervention is key
Support services across the Wimmera are helping people in poverty get back on their feet.
Horsham Christian Emergency Food Centre client assessment manager Bev Miatke said it was rare to have a “silent moment” at the food centre at the moment and the spike in demand was common leading into the Christmas period.
“We have so many people coming in each day – each with a lot of complex needs that range from relationship breakdowns to poverty that we need to help them through,” she said.
Mrs Miatke said lowering the number of people living in poverty was too difficult for just one service to accomplish. She said the region had many support services that addressed different needs.
“We certainly support those people who are in poverty by supplying food, medical prescriptions or help in advocacy with utility bills or petrol for appointments out of town,” she said.
“If we find they are in a cycle of needing help, often then we can help with financial counselling referrals.”
She said there were many agencies who worked together to help people out of poverty – such as Uniting Wimmera and The Salvation Army.
“We all try to find out the reason why they are coming in and work with them to make changes, so they can have a different outcome,” she said. “Often it can be a longer term goal, but we would love to help them back on their feet.”
Uniting Wimmera acting executive officer Josh Koenig said wage growth for people on low incomes had stagnated and costs of living were increasing.
“Tax cuts have repeatedly been passed to middle and upper income earners, who are seeing an improved quality of life while people on low incomes are being left behind,” he said. "From January this year alone we have provided 2989 assists and supports to the vulnerable in our community.
“A significant amount of these are either on the brink of or below the poverty line."
Mr Koenig said while poverty was a “red line” through almost all of Uniting’s work, three of the operations service areas tackled poverty head on. He said that early intervention was key.
“We provide short and medium term rental accommodation to vulnerable groups of people, immediate support to people who are in financial crisis as well as supporting people to have the resources, opportunities and capabilities to learn, work, engage and have a voice,” he said.
“Early intervention is key. The earlier people present, the earlier we can wrap supports around them with the goal to get back on track.”
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