The personal impact of Australia s current economic situation A Snapshot.

Transcription

1 The persnal impact f Australia s current ecnmic situatin A Snapsht. Results frm a survey carried ut by The Salvatin Army Suthern Territry in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

2 f lia s current Fr mre infrmatin abut this survey cntact: Territrial Scial Prgramme Department The Salvatin Army Australia Suthern Territry 99 Railway Rad, Blackburn VIC The Salvatin Army Australia Suthern Territry The Salvatin Army Australia Suthern Territry May

3 Survey Summary The Salvatin Army (TSA) deals with sme f the mst marginalised and vulnerable peple in the Australian cmmunity. The Salvatin Army asked sme f these peple abut the persnal impact f Australia s ecnmic situatin n them in 2009, 2010 and again in In April 2011, 494 peple wh requested emergency assistance frm the rganisatin were asked abut the fllwing: Hw they felt abut their current financial circumstances; Hw they felt abut the future; and What they have dne differently as a result f their financial circumstances. These results were cntrasted with respnses frm 472 members f the general public. The 2011 survey results indicate: 52% f clients felt depressed abut their wn situatin 56% f peple visiting Salvatin Army Cmmunity Supprt Services believe they are wrse ff r a lt wrse ff ver the past 12 mnths; 51% have cut dwn n basic necessities; 66% have cut dwn n luxuries; 28% f clients are pessimistic r very pessimistic abut the next 12 mnths; 24% f clients have experienced new cnflict in their family because f the wrsening cnditins; 19% f clients said they have mved t mre affrdable husing ; 51% f clients felt stressed abut the future; and 52% f clients felt depressed abut their wn situatin. Sme Cnclusins Analysis f the survey data indicates that peple mst disadvantaged in the ecnmy, the peple TSA has regular cntact with, cntinue t face significant persnal and ecnmic challenges. In cmparisn t members f the public, Salvatin Army client respndents are feeling mre stressed and mre depressed abut their future prspects this year than in The peple that TSA wrk with cntinue t experience challenging circumstances acrss all survey dmains. Hwever, it is interesting t nte that general public respndents reprted reduced levels f ptimism and increased pessimism cncerning their future financial situatin. This, tgether with several ther indicatrs (such as cutting dwn n necessities, stress abut the future and depressin), is cnsistent with reprts f the increased financial vlatility in the cmmunity arising frm husing and ther cst f living pressures that are impacting acrss the cmmunity. Survey Details Tw survey frmats were used fr each f 2009, 2010 and 2011: - An annymus public survey prmted n-line with access via TSA Suthern Territry web site - www. Salvatinarmy.rg.au; and - A questinnaire cnducted by TSA Cmmunity Supprt Services t clients receiving assistance frm these services. In the 2009 survey, cnducted between 27 April and 4 May 2009, there were181 respndents t the public survey and 1,463 client respndents. In the 2010 survey, cnducted between 19 and 30 April 2010, there were375 respndents t the public survey and 699 client respndents. In the 2011 survey, cnducted between 11 April and 1 May 2011, there were 472 respndents t the public survey and 494 client respndents. The Salvatin Army Australia Suthern Territry May

4 SURVEY QUESTION 1 When yu cmpare yur current financial circumstances frm last year t this year, d yu feel yu are? TSA Clients Survey 2009 v 2010 v 2011 Q1. When yu cmpare yur current financial circumstances frm last year t this year, d yu feel yu are % 1.5% 3.2% TSA Clients 2009 TSA Clients 2010 TSA Clients % 35.6% 34.0% 31.6% 32.6% 27.3% 23.1% 19.8% 19.3% 13.8% 11.0% 5.1% A lt better ff Better ff N change Wrse ff A lt wrse ff Public Survey 2009 v 2010 v 2011 Q1. When yu cmpare yur current financial circumstances frm last year t this year, d yu feel yu are... Public 2009 Public 2010 Public % 41.1% 36.5% 30.9% 31.6% 28% 19.9% 19% 18.6% 9.9% 9% 7.0% 2.8% 1% 1.7% A lt better ff Better ff N change Wrse ff A lt wrse ff Are peple wrse ff? 56% f TSA client respndents said they were, cmpared t 39% f respndents in the public survey; 27% and 41% respectively felt there had been n change t their circumstances. In cmparisn t 2010, TSA respndents wh reprted being a lt wrse ff increased by 20%. 51% f Salvatin Army client respndents have cut dwn n basic necessities The Salvatin Army Australia Suthern Territry May

5 SURVEY QUESTION 2 If yu think abut yur financial situatin in the next 12 mnths d yu feel? TSA Clients Survey 2009 v 2010 v 2011 Q2. If yu think abut yur financial situatin fr the next 12 mnths d yu feel (please select ne answer)...? TSA Clients 2009 TSA Clients 2010 TSA Clients % % % 1 5.0% 39.3% 37.1% 33.0% 30.2% 27.3% 24.7% 23.4% 23.7% 19.6% 10.6% 8.5% 6.9% 7.9% 5.0% 2.8% Very Optimistic Optimistic N change Pessimistic Very Pessimistic Public Survey 2009 v 2010 v 2011 Q2. If yu think abut yur financial situatin fr the next 12 mnths d yu feel (please select ne answer)...? Public 2009 Public 2010 Public % % % 1 5.0% 4.4% 3% 5.1% 26.5% 46% 36.0% 36.0% 32% 31.5% 33.7% 19.7% 16% Very Optimistic Optimistic N change Pessimistic Very Pessimistic 3.9% 2% 3.2% What d peple feel abut the future? 28% f Salvatin Army client respndents felt pessimistic r very pessimistic cmpared with 23% f public respndents. While this represents a small decrease since 2010 fr TSA clients, there has been an increase f 28 per cent in pessimism reprted by the general public respndents. Similarly, there is a significant decrease in levels f ptimism reprted by general public respndents, which declined 22 per cent cmpared t The Salvatin Army Australia Suthern Territry May

6 SURVEY QUESTION 3 As a result f the current ecnmic cnditins have yu? 52% f clients felt depressed abut their situatin. TSA Clients Survey 2009 v 2010 v 2011 Q3. As a result f the current wrsening ecnmic cnditins have yu (please select all answers that apply)? This sums the ttal respnses per selected items by respndents TSA Clients 2009 TSA Clients 2010 TSA Clients % 65.8% 54.5% 52.9% 53.9% % 52.1% 50.6% 51.4% 51.8% 45.5% 48.5% % % 25.6% % 22.0% 24.5% 17.3% 19.2% % 14.4% 1 4.5% 3.4% 2.8% 5.5% 3.4% % 9.6% 5.7%

7 Public Survey 2009 v 2010 v 2010 Q3. As a result f the current wrsening ecnmic cnditins have yu (please select all answers that apply)? This sums the ttal respnses per selected items by respndents % 50% 44.5% 19.9% 19.3% 17% 5% 3.9% 5.1% Public 2009 Public 2010 Public % 30% 29.7% 19% 18.8% 20.3% 18% 13.1% 10% 12.7% 9.7% 8.3% 0.6% 1% 0.6% 41.7% 38% 24.9% 12.7% 12.9% 11% Almst 25% f clients have experienced new cnflict in their family because f the ecnmic cnditins. The Salvatin Army Australia Suthern Territry May

8 What have peple dne in respnse t wrsening ecnmic circumstances? The first thing that mst peple d is t cut dwn n luxuries. In 2011, 66% f Salvatin Army clients reprted cutting dwn n luxury items. This is an increase f 20% n 2010 results and cntrasts t 44% fr the general public. Significantly, arund half f TSA clients respndents reprted cutting dwn n basic necessities (51%) cmpared with the general public (19%). It is als nted that this represents an increase f 12% in the general public cutting back n necessities. The Salvatin Army client grup feel mre stressed (51%) cmpared t the general public (30%) and mre depressed (52%) cmpared t the general public (20%). This is an increase f arund 13% frm the 2010 survey results in TSA clients feeling stressed abut their situatin. Other cmments cncerning the impact f the ecnmic cnditins that were prvided by bth TSA clients and the general public prvide further weight t the abve findings. Gne withut medicatins (TSA Client) Mre careful cntrl f all expenditure (General Public) I am 69 years ld and am unable t retire nw because my super has plummeted. (General Public) Cnsidering stpping study can t affrd it (TSA Client) Started full-time wrk (TSA Client) In additin, cmments by TSA clients prvided examples f the impact n f rising csts f living: Bills have all increased and ne crisis can tip yu ver the edge (TSA Client) Can t affrd t pay fr necessary items such as clthing, fd, utilities, recreatinal activities and excursins (TSA Client) Cntributed directly t relatinship breakdwn. Cannt affrd all my medicatins anymre. SURVEY QUESTION 4 D yu have any ther cmments n the impact f the ecnmic times? This pen questin invited a significant number f cmments frm bth TSA clients and the general public. As abve, respnses t this questin were similar acrss bth chrts, with three themes being evident: Increase in the cst f living (fd, utilities): Cst f living, particularly fd and utilities, places huge financial strain n me financially (TSA Client) Due t rising bills there is less mney fr fd essentials. (TSA Client) All the utilities gas, electricity - have all gne up petrl up meat up veggies up. (General Public) Negative impact n emtinal wellbeing: I feel ttally lst and depressed. (TSA Client) Stress effects health, then finances, then mre stress. (TSA Client) Inadequacy f welfare benefits (Disability Supprt Pensin, ld age pensin):

9 This frtnight my pensin was $560, paying fr my car registratin $115 (I can nly ever affrd t register it fr 3 mnths), my daughter's glasses $340 buying minimal fd, I have $10 in my wallet until next Friday. I didn't buy my daughter anything fr Easter (she's 15 and is aware f the tight finances), but bught my sn (11y) an Easter egg. My kids bught me a $0.99 chclate bar fr Easter. I can't ever see my situatin imprving. (General Public) As a single pensiner I just knw I can t have luxuries (General Public) CONCLUSIONS Despite reprted imprvements in the ecnmy in the last few financial quarters, an analysis f the survey data indicates that peple mst disadvantaged in the ecnmy, the peple The Salvatin Army has regular cntact with, cntinue t be disprprtinally impacted by the ecnmic envirnment with a crrespnding detrimental effect n their psychscial wellbeing. The Salvatin Army s respnse t the needs f peple accessing its services remains ne that encmpasses the needs f the whle persn nt just financial assistance whether they are the mst disadvantaged r thse experiencing hardship fr the first time. The Salvatin Army Australia Suthern Territry May