I’m 32 years old. I come from a disadvantaged background. I’ve been on youth allowance, newstart (now called jobseeker), and I’m now in receipt of the disability support pension.
On Wednesday I am giving evidence at a Senate inquiry into the government’s housing Australia future fund legislation.
Over my life, I’ve made it from living on youth allowance to living on the minimum wage, which is better than what some people have – but it was hard to get here. My life was merely about survival until I received a payment closer to the Henderson poverty line.
Unstable housing has impeded my progress in life.
I don’t have any family support and spent time in “the system”, aka out-of-home care. I was homeless and couch surfing at times. I later ended up in community housing – social housing run by a religious organisation. Being on Newstart was a harrowing experience; I barely had enough money for food, and I was expected to attend redundant courses that were lower than the qualifications I already had, paid for by taxpayer money. That system instilled in me a sense that I was unemployable and a basket case.
Since being on the pension I’ve been able to pursue a career of my own accord without the burden of mutual obligations. Honestly, I would like to live on wages, but I defend the right of people to receive welfare payments.
Destitution doesn’t need to exist.
Right now, I’m flat out doing my PhD in sociology as well as working as a casual research assistant. My research looks at people’s experiences of home and homemaking while living in residualised social housing. “Residualisation” means a welfare service that is highly targeted and seen as a last resort.
On receiving my PhD scholarship, I looked forward to finally be able to move out of community housing, where residualisation was evident and where I was acutely aware of the stigma (a result of governments steering housing provision to the market and neglecting social housing). Unfortunately, private market accommodation has been very precarious.
In some share houses I have been bullied (due to being in receipt of Centrelink or my disability). Being forced to live in private rental led to me being sexually assaulted. I had no confidence in taking the matter to the police. After the assault, my mental health declined and I had to take two years off my studies. I am now back.
I’m also working as casual research assistant, looking at welfare policies, of all things. The way our welfare system works means that after I earn $180 in a fortnight, for every dollar, I lose 50 cents from my pension. I still cannot afford appropriate accommodation. Meanwhile, the government is proceeding with the stage three tax cuts, which will largely benefit high income earners. Decreased revenue also precludes the possibility of the government investing in infrastructure that would change people’s lives, such as public housing.
I hope that precarious housing does not jeopardise my PhD again and condemn me to being in poverty for the rest of my life. I feel like I’ve been spending all my life chasing the illusion of social mobility. The welfare system would be better for everyone if it fostered social mobility rather than punishing people. We would be able to flourish and contribute to society in different ways.
Politicians try to level with us by sharing how they grew up in public housing in the past. It’s a shame that people can’t benefit from this these days. Anthony Albanese grew up in public housing in a time when his generation benefited from more equitable access to housing and welfare underpinned by universalism.
Private rents are absolutely crushing people on low wages and now that the national rental affordability scheme is being phased out, there will be a massive shortfall of affordable housing.
The government says it wants the housing fund to help the private market build 30,000 affordable and social homes in five years. This is a token amount, especially when compared to historical levels of investment.
We need more significant investment in public housing, so that people can realise their potential. It needs to be built to help smooth out intergenerational disadvantage, allow people to actually save for a home deposit, to house people with disabilities,
to provide homes for Indigenous people who have been harmed by colonisation, for people escaping domestic violence, and for older people living on meagre pensions and suffering due to high rents and loneliness. Imagine if we had disposable income to spend in the economy, rather than all the money being spent on rent.
Secure housing gives people better life chances, and underinvestment in public housing has negative consequences elsewhere, such as reduced productivity and increased public health costs.
I am not to blame for my situation. Politicians are worried about so-called welfare dependency but when we try to do something to improve our lives, the system crushes us. But I’m in the unique position of having direct experience of the problems I’m trying to find solutions for, and that is why I’m determined to finish my PhD.
• Mel Powersmith is a PhD candidate at the University of Queensland and Antipoverty Centre housing policy adviser
