Why Vinnies says JobSeeker increase will keep families from homelessness

While thousands of jobs are on offer and Queensland regions seem to be brimming with prosperity, some families are on the brink of homelessness as they call to permanently raise JobSeeker payments.

Kicked out of home with nowhere to go, Adrian McKechnie says he was forced to go to “bad extremes” and be admitted to hospital for a bed and a meal.

At age 24, the Mackay job seeker is desperately applying for jobs without success, as one of about 6000 people in the Mackay region living below the poverty line, contrary to the situation Mackay Region Chamber of Commerce president Geoff O’Connor describes as an “employee’s market”.

“I can guarantee that I’ve probably applied for every job that involves hospitality in this entire town,” the former kitchen-hand and dishie said.

“I’ve done a trial, never had a call back, I’ve been refused an interview, I’ve gone to a lot of places.”

Adrian McKechnie, 24, says he has been in and out of homelessness since losing his job during the Covid-19 pandemic last year. He says it is a reality he would not wish on anyone. Picture: Heidi Petith

Turning to St Vincent de Paul Society for help, Mr McKechnie said he lost his casual employment last year and now has a budget of about $7 each day for food.

Vinnies North QLD housing coordinator Raeleen Etelaaho said while Mackay seemed to be brimming with prosperity and more than 1400 advertised jobs, families were crumbling under the farce.

Ms Etelaaho said pressures included, among others, a lack of affordable housing, a Covid-19 induced real estate market that favoured sellers and landlords, generational disadvantage and insecure employment.

“What we’re seeing is low-income residents in Mackay are becoming increasingly marginalised and pushed further to the fringes,” she said.

She said households were choosing which bills they could pay on time and forgoing basic foods and needs to keep a roof over their head.

St Vincent de Paul Society regional secretary Charmaine Parker, Vinnies North QLD housing coordinator Raeleen Etelaaho and Mackay resident Adrian McKechnie at the Mackay office which helps families and individuals with emergency accommodation and other items in times of need. Picture: Heidi Petith

She said Vinnies Mackay was inundated with about 60 people either on the brink of or entering into homelessness each week.

Ms Etelaaho said single parent households with young children particularly feeling the brunt — with some choosing to flee town with “absolutely nowhere” else to go.

“There are zero affordable rentals in Mackay for anyone on JobSeeker,” Ms Etelaaho said, adding Vinnies was paying for emergency hotel accommodation with an “enormous waitlist” for help.

In line with Anti-Poverty Week from October 17 to 23, she said the charity was backing the Australian Council of Social Services’ calls for a permanent $25 a day increase to the current JobSeeker rates to alleviate the spiral of disadvantage.

Ms Etelaaho said while it was easy to dismiss JobSeekers as unwilling to work, jobs were not always feasible with some employment offering sporadic casual hours, and others out of reach of public transport or walking distance.

Then there were barriers of having no money to buy clothing and equipment as well as competing against those choosing to move to Queensland amid the pandemic.

Ms Etelaaho said Vinnies had witnessed how lifting the JobSeeker income — as it was when the Covid-19 supplements were in place — had a profound impact on people’s dignity.

“There was not an increase in the use or misuse of drugs and alcohol which is what the popular thought,” she said.

“Instead, what we saw was an absolute lift in the self-esteem of our tenants.

“They were able to afford a haircut, some decent clothes and shoes.

“There was one fella that we spoke to that was just delighted to be able to afford underpants.”

St Vincent de Paul Queensland CEO Kevin Mercer at the CEO Sleepout in Brisbane. Picture: AAP / Steve Pohlner.

Vinnies QLD CEO Kevin Mercer said it was critical JobSeeker reflected reality with recipients expected to survive on $338 a week when the average Mackay unit price was $320 a week.

“Queenslanders deserve better,” Mr Mercer said.