Woman on disability support pension breaks down into tears in front of senators, asks for enough money to afford food
- Replies 16
Speaking at a Senate inquiry into the disability pension on Tuesday, Ricki Spencer broke down into tears in front of senators as she described the experience of living under insufficient government support payments.
The pensioner revealed that she can’t even afford fresh milk and has to buy mouldy bread just to eat.
Ms Spencer did not have savings and had to beg real estate agents to let her rent a place. Photo: Paul Jeffers / SMH.
Ricki Spencer said she would be left with $20 or $30 "on a good fortnight" for food after rent, bills and medicines were paid for with her pension, which totals for less than $485 a week.
“It's just hard,” she confessed. “Even raising the rate by $30 or $40 a fortnight would help – it will be the difference between not eating and having something to eat.”
When the costs for her housing, bills, and medication went up during the pandemic, she was forced to skip meals and survive on canned food bought previously. This went on for two months.
“I'm not saying that we like steaks or anything like that. I’m just talking about having enough to buy fresh milk, not powdered milk, and bread that’s not gone mouldy.”
“I never thought in my whole life that I would be looking at food that’s gone off just so I can eat,” she said.
Ms Spencer admitted that she was “embarrassed” to live entirely on the government pension; the physical and mental health effects of her disability had forced her to stop working.
“I always thought I’d work. Nobody wants me to work now, and so I'm at the mercy of the government.”
Australia’s disability pension barely reaches above the national poverty line of $457 per week, and that is at its highest payable rate.
But food is not Ms Spencer’s only concern. The average weekly rental cost is climbing to a higher rate and is now inching towards $430 per week.
“The problem is rent is going up, and changing it’s climbing to a higher rate, but rental assistance is being capped,” she said
For those on Centrelink, rent assistance is currently limited to a maximum payment of $135 per week.
“The problem with the $135 capping is that many of us are paying around $350 – which is the minimum now for rent a week,” Ms Spencer said.
“I rang up five (real estate) agencies in Bendigo, and they said, unfortunately, they will prioritise working people over people on Centrelink payments.”
The final report from the inquiry into the purpose, intent and adequacy of the Disability Support Pension will be handed down in February 2022.
.png){kind=icon}
