Over 1000 Queensland families reached out for emergency relief in August, more than doubling over the course of a year.
Queensland Council of Social of Social Service (QCOSS) CEO Aimee McVeigh said online searches for emergency relief increased from 500 in August 2023 to 1096 in August 2024.
Ms McVeigh said the figures were taken from Infoxchange, Australia’s largest up-to-date health and welfare services directory.
She said the directory listed more than 450,000 services across a broad range of domains including housing, emergency relief and food relief, mental health, health, family violence, alcohol and other drugs.
The directory data showed, over the same period, food searches increased from 14,463 to 15,584 and made up 28.8 percent of total searches.
Ms McVeigh said other searches included housing, which made up 19.7 percent of overall searches.
“Financial assistance was the third-highest search category, making up 14.6 percent of overall searches in August 2024.”
She said the data echoed details in the recent 2024 QCOSS Living Affordability Report, which showed showed Queensland children were growing up in poverty through no fault of their parents.
“The Living Affordability Report showed that the Queensland Government’s current cost of living measures such as energy bill discounts, 50c public transport fares and Fairplay vouchers are making a difference, but more is needed.
“We urge both parties to put rental reforms back on the table, to limit the amount rent increases by, end no grounds evictions at the end of leases, and implement energy efficient standards for rental homes to reduce the cost of living and improve wellbeing” Ms McVeigh said.
