Media Release: Community Leaders Rally to Address Cost of Living at Key Forum

1 August 2024

Community Leaders Rally to Address Cost of Living at Key Forum

A Sunshine Coast Cost of Living Forum has heard from the organisations helping those who are now being forced between choosing to feed their kids or paying the power bill.

Local organisations on the front line of the cost-of-living crisis attended the Fairfax Cost of Living Forum co-hosted by Federal Member for Fairfax Ted O’Brien and Shadow Minister for Finance Senator the Hon Jane Hume.

The Forum found practical measures to assist key community groups and those in our community who are most disadvantaged.

The event builds on previous community consultation by Mr O’Brien which found 79% of respondents had re-evaluated expenditure due to cost of living pressures, and 69% had experienced a moderate to large impact on their mental health.

Ted O’Brien said that Sunshine Coast families were at their wits end with out-of-control cost of living pressures.

“We are now seeing people who have never needed help before coming forward for a helping hand.” Mr O’Brien said.

“Community organisations are doing it tough and are now providing services to people who had previously been volunteers helping others.”

“From my community consultation, locals are feeling the most pressure with food and groceries, followed by housing and then energy and power.”

Mr O’Brien and Senator Hume led the forum to learn more about how community organisations are helping affected locals, with the goal of forming further strategies to ease the pressure on residents.

Senator Hume said that Labor’s homegrown inflation crisis is causing serious pain for Australian families and businesses.

“After two years of the Albanese Government, inflation is still far too high and there is no economic plan in sight from Labor to offer any relief for Australians.

“Energy bills, grocery prices, mortgage repayments have all gone up and households are having to make some tough choices in their budgets because Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmer’s refuse to.”

“Despite the Prime Minister promising that life would be cheaper under Labor, the fact is Australians are poorer under Labor and our standard of living is going backwards.”

Mr O’Brien and Senator Hume invited a number of community organisations, including Meals on Wheels groups, the Salvation Army, Busy at Work, and others to participate in the forum.

The Coalition has urged the Government to address the cost-of-living crisis and has proposed an alternative strategy to see Australia get back on track with a focus on reining in inflationary spending and delivering a back-to-basics economic plan. 

The Fairfax Cost of Living Community Forum was held at Nambour Bowls Club on 1 August 2024.

ENDS

Media Contact:

Ted O’Brien – Karsten Duvel, 0413 152 244

Jane Hume – Elysse Halliday, 0418 556 582