A desperate family in south-west Sydney has been forced to sleep on cold tiles to stay cool during blistering temperatures because they cannot afford to turn on their expensive air-conditioning unit amid Australia’s cost of living crisis.
Karen and her son, Connor, who is her carer, have resorted to desperate measures to remain cool due to the high power bills. Connor admits that it’s more comfortable to sleep on the floor in the dining room than his bed during sweltering evenings.
His mother agrees that the heat makes her feel like she’s suffering from heat stroke 24 hours a day, but she cannot afford to turn on the air conditioning.
The mother-of-two revealed that the last time they used the air conditioning, their quarterly bill was $380, compared to $800 the previous year. Karen uses ice cubes and cold flannels stored in the freezer to cool herself down while Connor constantly sits under a portable fan.
Although he contributes to the bills from his carer’s pension, it is still not enough for them to afford the air-conditioning unit.
The average quarterly electricity bill in Australia is about $337. In the 2020-21 financial year, power prices were down by seven per cent, and the year before that, they were down even further by nine per cent.
However, in the 2022-23 financial year, power prices have increased by 18 per cent, with projections that they will be up by 23 per cent in 2023-24.
Households already feeling the pinch were dealt another blow after interest rates were increased for the 10th month straight.
The Reserve Bank of Australia increased the cash rate to 3.6 per cent, with rates now rising dramatically since 1988 and 1989.
Pradeep Philip, the head of economics at Deloitte Access Economics, said the latest rate rise risked causing a recession and would impact the cost of daily expenses. “It places the further cost of living pressures on Australians while increasing the chance of an unnecessary recession,” he said.
In more welcome news, up to 4.7 million welfare recipients are set to receive two major boosts to their Centrelink benefits this month as part of the twice-yearly indexation.
Those on the pension, looking for work or studying, will get a 3.7 per cent increase to their benefits in two weeks’ time.
Pension and allowance payments are set to rise on March 20 as part of the twice-yearly indexation.
Single and disability pension recipients and carers will receive an extra $37.50, bringing the fortnightly rate to $1,064, while couples will get an extra $56.40, raising the fortnightly payment to $1,604.
JobSeeker and ABSTUDY payments will increase by $24.70, bringing the fortnightly payment to $701.90 for single recipients aged over 22 with no children, and parenting payments will rise by $33.90 to $967.90 a fortnight for single parents.
Commonwealth Rent Assistance will increase by $5.60 for singles, taking the fortnightly payment to $157.20.
Recipients with two children will get an extra $6.58 and receive $184.94 a fortnight, and families with three or more children will get an extra $7.42, bringing the fortnight payment to $208.74.
»Air-Con Unaffordable in Australia«
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