Everybody is affected by cost-of-living increases; but none more so than carers – their plight continually ignored.

For far too long successive federal governments have treated and abused primary carers as a source of cheap labour to be exploited like sweatshop workers.

The 2021 census chronicles the number of persons who provided unpaid assistance to someone with a disability, health condition or due to old age at 2,476,306 nationally.

According to the Commonwealth Department of Social Services (DSS), of the estimated 2.65 million carers as at June 2024, only 314,320 (11.86 percent) were receiving a carer payment and 657,275 (24.80 percent) the carer allowance. Begs the question what assistance, if any, are the remaining 1,678,405 carers receiving?

The realities of caring for an aged, infirm, disabled, or incapacitated person 24/7, 365 days a year are far from the idyllic picture painted by the government.

Those that are in a position to help carers are just ignoring us, and those that could’ve, would’ve, should’ve, but didn’t and don’t want to help are just standing by and doing nothing.

National Carers Week 2024 is just around the corner and rest assured all of those peak support groups that are supposed to represent and advocate for carers will reduce national Carers Week to a self-adulating fluff-fest.

When carers are promised change no one says “HOW?”

Whilst carers saddle the burden of underpinning the aged care, NDIS (disability), health and social service sectors, paid support workers continue to receive just, fair, and proper respect, recognition, financial remuneration, statutory, legal and other entitlements and benefits – including superannuation, parental leave, etc.

The caring community is disadvantaged and vulnerable, with many living way below the poverty line, suicides among carers are increasing far beyond the national average; the time to do something is now!

We don't need talk-fests and strategies; that money would be better spent remunerating carers and improving their lives. We need tangible outcomes NOW!

Following are some statistics and facts that I have carefully sourced and compiled for the benefit of carers, those who support them, oblivious politicians, lazy bureaucrats, cut-and-paste media agencies and of course, the toothless and inept peak support groups that are supposed to represent and advocate for carers.

1. General:

Carers underpin the aged care, NDIS (disability), health and social service sectors, saving the Australian government and taxpayers conservatively between $77.9 to a staggering $126.2 billion dollars a year with each carer worth a salary of at least $29,396.23 a year.

Carers Australia relates there are 2.65 million carers nationally; 235,300 are aged under 25, there are 533,400 in Queensland alone, and 37.4% of carers themselves have a disability.

Now according to – and most alarmingly - The Carers Foundation Australia states 30% of carers die before the person they care for due to the extreme stress, fatigue and isolation they experience daily.

Many carers ignore their own well-being, are stressed, exhausted, broken and often suicidal.

2. Carers versus Paid Support Workers:

Primary carers, or care givers – often with years of lived experience – are persons who regularly look after the needs of an aged, infirm, disabled, or incapacitated person on a permanent or temporary basis usually in return for a government benefit.

Paid support workers are legally recognised, usually engaged by a care support organisation, are formally trained, qualified and appropriately remunerated to look after clients on an employed basis with various statutory entitlements, benefits and rights.

But until carers are recognised as somebodies, rather than anybodies, the same respect, recognition, financial remuneration, statutory, legal and other benefits and security afforded to paid support workers will continue to elude us.

3. Census Statistics 2021:

The 2021 census records the number of persons who provided unpaid assistance to someone with a disability, health condition or due to old age at 2,476,306 nationally:

• ACT @ 44,449
• NSW @ 759,383
• NT @ 17,367
• QLD @ 481,016
• SA @ 193,639
• TAS @ 59,864
• VIC @ 689,210
• WA @ 231,378

4. Centrelink Carer Benefit Recipients as at June 2024, and as a percent of those enumerated in the 2021 Census:

• 314,320 (or 11.86%) Carer Payment (CP)
• 657,275 (24.80%) Carer Allowance (CA)
• 1,678,405 (63.34%) nothing

5. The Carer Allowance (CA) isn’t even enough to keep a car on the road (as at March 2024):

• Registration $612.80
• Insurance $1,024.32
• Servicing $374.00
• Maintenance $300.00
• Fuel $3,016.00
• Cost $204.89 per fortnight $5,327.12 per year
• Cost per year of $5,327.12, less Carer Allowance (CA) @ $3,991.00 = LOSS $1,336.12 per year

6. Income and Benefit Statistics:

a. National Minimum Wage (NMW) as at July 2024

• $24.10 per hour
• $1,831.60 per fortnight
• $47,621.60 per year

b. Jobseeker Payment (JSP)

• $2.34 per hour
• $786.80 per fortnight
• $20,456.80 per year
• 42.96% of the National Minimum Wage (NMW)
• 412% more than Carer Allowance (CA)

c. Carer Payment (CP)*

• $3.41 per hour
• $1,144.40 per fortnight
• $29,754.40 per year
• 62.48% of National Minimum Wage (NMW)
• 45.45% more than Jobseeker Payment (JSP)

d. Carer Allowance (CA)*

• 46 cents per hour
• $153.50 per fortnight
• $3,991.00 per year
• Carer Allowance (CA) started in 1999 at the rate of $75.60 per fortnight, or $1,960.40 per year which was equal to 25% of the combined Age Pension partnered rate of $7,841.60 per year
• Twenty-five percent (25%) of the current combined Age Pension partnered rate of $44,855.20 per year, or $1,725.20 per fortnight, amounts to $431.30 per fortnight, or $11,213.80 per year which is just over 2.8 times the current level of payment of the Carer Allowance (CA)
• Albeit Carer Allowance (CA) has risen by 103.04%, or $77.90 over 25 years this is of no tangible value when the average increase of $3.12, or 4.13% per year has not kept pace with the real levels of inflation and cost-of-living
• 13.41% of Carer Payment (CP)
• 19.50% of the Jobseeker Payment (JSP)
• 8.38% of the National Minimum Wage (NMW)

* The Carer Supplement of $600 – not paid to all carers – adds just an extra 7 cents per hour.

7. Income and Benefits Compared:
Carer Allowance (CA) is an insult to the intelligence and dignity of carers. The financial assistance carers receive (if they qualify) is a national disgrace.

• Paid Support Worker (NMW)
  Works 38 hours per week and receives $1,831.60 per fortnight.
• JobSeeker (JSP) Recipient
  Does NO WORK AT ALL and receives $786.80 per fortnight.
• Carer Payment (CP) Recipient
  Works up to 168 hours per week and receives $1,144.40 per fortnight.
• Carer Allowance (CA) Recipient
  Works 24/7, 364 days a year and receives $153.50 per fortnight.

8. Annual Inflation Rates:

The Reserve Bank of Australia states: “the CPI is often used to measure changes in the cost of living, but it is not an ideal indicator of this. While the CPI measures price changes, cost- of-living inflation is the change in spending by households required to maintain a given standard of living.”

• 2020 @ 0.8%
• 2021 @ 2.9%
• 2022 @ 6.6%
• 2023 @ 5.6%
• 2024 (average to June quarter) @ 3.7%

The time to do something is now!

We know you care, and now more than ever – and along with the 25,000 people who have already signed – we need your support.

Please help carers in our campaign for proper recognition and appropriate remuneration by signing and sharing my national Petition with your family, friends and contacts.

After all, you never know when you might find yourself a carer or in urgent need of one.