“I spent three years sleeping on a blow-up mattress, bouncing between relatives’ houses with my four siblings, when I was just nine-years-old. This was after my mum escaped an abusive relationship and couldn’t find permanent housing for our large family of six. 

I just wanted a quiet place to do homework, a cupboard for my clothes. I wanted a birthday party like the ones all my friends had.

I just felt really crowded and overwhelmed. I was stressed that my classmates might found out. Eventually, I started to get behind in my schoolwork and lose focus in class because I was constantly worried for myself and my siblings.”

- Shayna (name changed)

Unfortunately, Shayna’s story isn’t unique. There are thousands of Australian kids in similar situations.

This is why we are calling on the Federal Government to Legislate an End to Child Poverty in Australia, that creates a bold roadmap towards poverty reduction.
 
In 2018, New Zealand adopted child poverty reduction legislation that requires governments to set 3 and 10-year targets to reduce child poverty. Bipartisan support for this legislation in New Zealand shows that New Zealand agrees that the reduction of child poverty is not a political issue, it’s a moral one.
 
Australia’s children need a similar level of commitment from our politicians. Leaving 774,000 Australian children in poverty is a policy choice.
 
The Cost of Youth Homelessness Survey in Australia showed that many young people who experience family homelessness do so as a result of domestic violence or substance abuse issues within the family. Our kids don’t deserve to be punished for something that’s not their fault. Yet, we know children who experience homelessness with their parents are more likely to experience homelessness as adults.
 
But poverty is not just related to homelessness. There are a lot of families with homes and working parents who are also struggling due to rising rents and increasing costs of living. These are families in our communities who have to choose between paying healthcare bills or buying new shoes for their kids. Children in families with people with disabilities or mental health concerns also experience more deprivations due to the economic disadvantage of their families.

These children live in stress and shame because they can’t explain to their friends that joining them on the next school trip will come at the cost of having food in their lunchboxes.

It is possible to reduce the rate of child poverty in Australia. Other countries have done it - In Denmark and Finland, the child poverty rate is around 4% and in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, and Sweden, less than 10% of children live in poverty. Australia's rate of child poverty is 16.6%. This is well above the OECD average of 12.8%. 

Vulnerable children in Australia need us to value them and speak up for them.

Please sign and share this petition to help us ensure all kids get the same opportunities to reach their full potential.