Community attitudes towards "government policies have caused some people to experience poverty"
This chart shows the responses in our Community attitudes towards poverty and inequality survey to the statement Government policies have caused some people to be poor 2025: 60% of people in Australia agreed that government policies have caused some people in Australia to be poor.2023: 62% of people in Australia agreed that government policies have caused some people in Australia to be poor.
Comparison of poverty trend and SDG target path
This chart shows the percentage of people in poverty between 1999-20 to 2019-20 and compares this with the percentage of people in poverty if we were following the target set out in the UN Sustainable Development Goals, of which Australia is a signatory. The Sustainable Development Goal on poverty includes: "By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions" (note that this chart uses 50% of median income in lieu of an accepted national definition of poverty in Australia).
Number of people in poverty by location in 2019-20, and change in poverty
[infogram id="_/tw4PW9yJQ4Q9Uq1pKcBY" prefix="1I3" format="interactive" title="2019-20_Number of people by location"] Poverty was somewhat higher (at 2,232,000 people) among people living in capital cities than among those living outside them (1,087,000 people). Poverty rates were highest in non-urban areas in the smallest States and Territories, including 52,000 people outside the capital in Tasmania, 57,000 people outside the capital in South Australia, and 28,000 people in the Northern Territory. The greatest reductions in poverty in the fourth quarter of 2019-20 occurred outside the capital in Victoria (by 125,000 people), in Brisbane (by 196,000 people), in Hobart (by 13,000 people), and in the Australian Capital Territory (by 21,000 people).
Rate of poverty by location in 2019-20, and change in poverty
[infogram id="_/5GfA0S3T6IFyDRu0GTCb" prefix="vSp" format="interactive" title="2019-20_Poverty rates by location"] Poverty was somewhat higher (at 13.4%) among people living in capital cities than among those living outside them (13.3%). Two thirds (67%) of people in poverty lived in capital cities, which is broadly equivalent to the population share living in those cities. Poverty rates were highest in non-urban areas in the smallest States and Territories, including 17.7% outside the capital in Tasmania, 17.4% outside the capital in South Australia, and 15.8% in the Northern Territory. The greatest reductions in poverty in the fourth quarter of 2019-20 occurred outside the capital in Victoria (by 8.9%), in Brisbane (by 7.4%), in Hobart (by 5.5%), and in the Australian Capital Territory (by 4.8%).
Poverty in income support households (2019-20 compared with previous years - % of people)
[infogram id="_/xpK6KE5DvVVhehHR4KcA" prefix="knM" format="interactive" title="2019-20_Poverty by age and family type compared with previous years"] Poverty was higher overall in 2019-20 in ‘income support households’, with large increases for those reliant on Parenting Payment and Carer Payment, but much lower in those relying mainly on JobSeeker Payment and Youth Allowance.
Poverty by main household income (2019-20 compared with previous years - % of people)
[infogram id="_/zcap0aUy5zdrAjbshpOE" prefix="RRT" format="interactive" title="2019-20_Poverty by main household income compared with previous years"] Poverty was significantly lower in 2019-20 compared with previous years for people relying mainly on social security payments, but higher among those relying mainly in wages and ‘other’ incomes (including investment income).
Poverty by age and family type (2019-20 compared with previous years, % of people)
[infogram id="_/hc9JsGyDqdsVGhtMs2zH" prefix="yNv" format="interactive" title="2019-20_Poverty by age and family type (2019-20 compared with previous years)"] The average poverty rate in 2019-20 (13.1%) was very close to the average across 2009-17 (13%). However, sole parents and older people had significantly higher poverty rates in 2019-20 than across previous years and single people without children had significantly lower poverty rates.
Change in number of single and couple parents employed through 2020 (December 2019 = 0%)
[infogram id="_/JjYAohk4CZY9rU00LdcL" prefix="IaZ" format="interactive" title="2019-20_change in number of single and couple parents"] The above graph shows that sole parents, who were more likely to be employed in casual and part time jobs in service industries, were disproportionately impacted by job losses at this time and it took longer for their employment prospects to improve as lockdowns eased.