By Jeremy Halcrow

Anglicare says Sydney’s single parent families are at high risk of enduring hunger this winter because new research has shown government benefits are inadequate.
“Our experience is that there are children from single parent families going hungry in Sydney this winter,” said Peter Gardiner, Anglicare’s Chief Operating Officer.
“Government benefits may not be adequate to assist. For many families surviving on government benefits, finances are so tight that expenditure on food is their only discretionary spending. Even one unexpectedly high heating bill could mean they will go hungry.”
Anglicare is undertaking a major research project into the extent of hunger in the community, which will be completed by mid-2005.
Together with research released last year by Macquarie University, this research has helped Anglicare have a much clearer insight into the complexities of food insecurity in Sydney, said Mr Gardiner.
The Macquarie University research showed that a single parent with two children received from the government just 74 per cent of the income required to live in Sydney at the ‘low cost living standard’.
Sydney families were shown to have greater difficulties making ends meet than comparable families from other Australian capital cities.
“Anglicare is only too aware that government benefits provide an inadequate safety net for people struggling to get by in Sydney,” Mr Gardiner said.
“The research shows that sole parents on government benefits who live in Sydney, only receive between 74 per cent and 84 per cent of what they and their children need to survive on a carefully managed budget. Single parents with two children receive less than three quarters each week of what is required to cover basic living costs.”
Each year, Anglicare provides 20,000 households with emergency relief, which includes food hampers, electricity, water and chemist vouchers, emergency clothing, and advocacy with government agencies and crisis counselling.

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