Feel the pinch

Grocery prices climb, people ‘lucky’ to have family help in cost of living crisis

The cost of living, even in a regional centre like Townsville, is getting out of hand. One resident has told the Townsville Bulletin they were having to live on Tuna and sardines, and go without fruit and vegetables.

This is not the great depression, people with, or without, stable jobs should be able to feed themselves more than tinned fish.

Another couple, Tracey Chester and Gavin Crews, are worried they won't be able to take the caravan north because of petrol prices.

They’re also paying $100 for two bags of groceries.

“We’ve only for the first time in a long time bought vegetables today. We don’t usually buy fruit or vegetables because they’re way too expensive,” Hermit Park resident Tim told the Bulletin.

“Whatever’s cheap and whatever we can make last for two weeks. Red meat is a luxury, cheese is a luxury.”

People with stable employment are rethinking what they buy in the weekly shop.

But it is not just the cost of food – there are shortfalls in housing.

Nick Marendy told the Bulletin he was “lucky” to be renting a granny flat from a relative.

But he shouldn’t have to be considered lucky.

People shouldn’t have to rely on their families just to be able to afford somewhere to live.

Living in a city like Townsville is supposed to be more affordable than the capital cities, with lower house prices, rents and the cost of everyday life expected to be lower.

But that kind of wishful thinking lis in the past now.

There has been a push to increase Jobseeker Payments, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has indicated the government is looking at it.

But it is beginning to feel like it is too late.

This federal budget is expected to have cost of living relief, but it needs to include a comprehensive plan about how the country is going to combat these issues moving forward.

A cash injection is one thing, but unless there is real planning about what the country is going to do in the years moving forward to keep people off the poverty line, Australia is in trouble.