Australians in ‘dehumanising’ poverty unable to afford pads or tampons, inquiry says

Days out from the federal budget, a Senate inquiry releases evidence of welfare payments being insufficient to meet the cost of essential items

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The Albanese government has been told to take “urgent action” on poverty in the May budget after an inquiry heard evidence of women using rags because they could not afford pads or tampons, and people on income support struggling to survive.

Released on Thursday, days out from the federal budget, an interim report from a Senate inquiry investigating poverty in Australia detailed evidence income support payments were “insufficient to meet the cost of essential, day-to-day goods and services, including food, rent, energy and healthcare”.

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