Cody thought he would be backpacking around south-east Asia or visiting Japan with friends at his age.
But the 21-year-old graduated just in time for a global pandemic – and the subsequent cost-of-living crisis has pushed his family to the edge.
Cody, who lives with his mother and young sister in public housing on the Gold Coast, says they are “barely holding on” as the cost of power and other living expenses balloons.
His mother lost her job in 2020 and has been unable to return to full-time work due to ongoing physical and mental health problems.
Cody works as a supermarket cleaner and trolley collector and his wage has to support them both.
He says for families like his, who were already considered low-income before the pandemic, there is “nothing left to cut” from an already stretched budget.
“People like us don’t have any spending left to cut and if we did it would be medicines or food,” Cody says.
“It feels like they [low-income earners] get overlooked because everyone’s struggling … so it’s an ‘everyone’s in the same boat’ kind of deal when it’s not.”
Election will determine ‘if we get a new kitchen’
Cody’s experience is reflective of concerns detailed in the latest Queensland Council of Social Services [QCOSS] report on living affordability across the state.
The report modelled five different low-income households, including single parents, elderly couples and single people.
Three out of five of the households modelled were unable to meet a basic standard of living and all five households were unable to make any meaningful savings.
The report surveyed more than 1,000 Queensland households and found 70 per cent were spending more on housing costs and more than 60 per cent were spending more on energy bills and food.
Cody says despite the struggle to meet living expenses, he feels lucky his family lives in government housing.
“Our kitchen is falling apart. It’s got water damage and they say we have to wait until after the election to see if we get a new kitchen or a new bathroom,” he says.
“But [our rent is] incredibly cheap for somewhere on the Gold Coast. I’d much rather live in a house with cracked shelves and a kitchen that’s falling apart than be living in a car or in a park.”
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Launching the QCOSS report this week, chief executive Aimee McVeigh said cost of living is “the issue” leaders need to focus on in this election.
This will be Cody’s first time voting in a state election.
“Even the tradesmen are telling us, it depends on who wins the election whether you’ll get a new kitchen or bathroom,” he says.
Major parties ‘don’t know we exist’
In Brisbane’s southern suburbs, 63-year-old contracts officer Martina Lovett has recently moved in with her adult daughter in a bid to reduce their housing costs after both had been forced to deal with ongoing rent rises.
Martina says while she earns a good income, living alone had become untenable in recent years.
Martina says she earns a good income but living alone had become untenable in recent years. (Supplied)
“I thought I would be fine a couple of years ago, but rent is getting too expensive,” she says.
“I have three grandchildren with special needs. I want to be able to help with the things they need to help them adjust to the world.”
While she’s just a few years away from retirement age, Martina says she isn’t holding out much hope she’ll be able to stop working.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to retire. I work with people that are retirement age, nobody can retire. Where do I go when I retire? I don’t know where to go. I don’t want to burden my children.”
She believes the major parties are not listening to people like her.
“They don’t know we exist. We’re not out there yelling and screaming — we’re just trying to survive.”
A more ambitious social housing construction target could turn things around – but only if it is followed through, she says.
Hal Pawson is a professor of housing research and policy and the co-author of a 2023 report on Queensland’s housing crisis, Breaking Ground.
Professor Hal Pawson says the state government’s target of adding 2,000 social housing units per year by 2028 will help alleviate the housing crisis. (ABC News: Xanthe Gregory)
“Queensland has experienced rapid population growth both over the last two or three years, but also longer term it has been one of the fastest growing states in Australia,” Professor Pawson says.
“A lot of people have been pushed into … sub-optimal housing in the last year or two because of these stressors.”
Professor Pawson says the current state government’s target of adding 2,000 social housing units per year by 2028 will go some way towards turning housing woes around, but that whichever party wins the election needs to commit to maintaining progressive housing initiatives.
“I think some of those could go further,” he says.
“The reforms to tenant’s rights are a move in the right direction … but they could and should have gone a bit further.”
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What do the parties say?
In February, the Miles government announced $1.25 billion in funding towards Labor’s social housing plan, with a target of building 53,500 social homes by 2046.
The LNP’s housing policy includes a promise to deliver up to 500 social homes in the first two years if elected, with a potential 10,000 homes by 2044 as part of its Homes with Purpose initiative.
Greens housing spokesperson Amy McMahon says the Greens would make unlimited rent increases illegal by placing a freeze and a cap on rents and ensuring a guaranteed right to a lease renewal.
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