Election about to get personal

MUMS, dads, students, pensioners and workers are being whacked from all angles: Inflation, electricity, food prices and, depending who you talk to, rising interest rates within days or weeks.

On one hand, politicians praying for votes ahead of the May 21 federal poll say they are listening and will help ease the crisis. On the other hand, they point to higher inflation rates elsewhere across the world, particularly in the US where cost of living has spiked 8.5 per cent in 12 months – the highest since late 1981.

Their comparison is relative, but Australians reason they are living in Australia, not America, and politicians are elected to best serve the taxpayer.

The reality is the cost of fruit and vegetables is up 12 per cent and electricity prices have skyrocketed 130 per cent in some states. Ironically, fast food has risen about 2.5 per cent, half the record 5.1 inflation rate of the March quarter.

As previously reported, the Gold Coast is on a precipice of prosperity and poverty as it emerges from a Covid hangover – and the gap is widening.

Our rental vacancy rate hit a record low of 0.4 per cent this week. Desperate families trying to find shelter are being scammed by opportunists charading as landlords. Frontline services say more and more people are coming to them cap in hand. Children are dressing for school in cars.

Young families lucky enough to edge out fat-wallet southerners in a crazy property market are bracing for the first cash rate rise in 15 years. Some economists predict it will be brutal, to temper inflation.

As the Bulletin wrote this month in regards to the increasing pressures of cost of living, the long-held perception is that political leaders are out of touch with the everyday realities faced by families.

There has been plenty of nodding this week by would-be politicians asking for a favour from their electorate. We all hope they are listening, because few are immune from this and it is about to get personal.