Our community-led and co-produced research has demonstrated how Anangu are living significantly under the poverty line, and due to the remoteness of their locations, face ongoing barriers to food security, health, education and housing.
The Cost of Poverty is a systemic issue that needs to be explored in the context of the NPY Lands to demonstrate the exacerbated experiences of Anangu in accessing their basic human needs.
In the APY Lands, healthy diets cost between 46-57% of household income for those relying on welfare benefits, which was exacerbated by a lack of Anangu employment. The relationship between employment and healthy diet in remote communities is therefore critical for improved health outcomes (NPYWC Making it On the Breadline report, 2024).
NPYWC supports the Raise the Rate campaign led by the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) which centres people who access the income support system nationally in its work. We welcome opportunities to engage research bodies around measuring the cost of poverty. This will build a stronger story around how Anangu respond to the cost of poverty and have ongoing opportunities to advocate for their systemic needs across the NPY Lands.