Over the past four years, public discourse has focused heavily on the rapid increase of living costs and the associated impacts on Australians. Unfortunately, this discourse has largely excluded the experiences of those on the lowest incomes. While many across WA have experienced disruption, people on low incomes have been pushed further into punishing poverty – forced to further cut back on essential goods and services.
To date, Government response has largely failed to reflect the needs of people on low income – providing one off and piece-meal initiatives. To offer meaningful support and reform, it is critical that Governments understand and prioritise the living realities of people on low income.
To address this, WACOSS and Murdoch University collaborated with people living on low incomes to document their experiences. These accounts aim to improve understanding and advocate for meaningful change.
Methodology
The research employed a narrative inquiry approach, approved by Murdoch University’s Human Research Ethics Committee. Eight participants were recruited based on income criteria. The process included:
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Recruitment via lived experience groups of WACOSS member organisations.
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Initial meetings, financial surveys, and one-hour interviews.
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Transcripts reviewed and approved by participants.
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Case studies developed by the researchers using a guiding narrative and verbatim quotes, reviewed and approved by participants.
This collaborative method ensured participants retained ownership of their stories while researchers provided structure and context.
Four of the eight case studies were published in Part One. Part Two presents the accounts of Lucas, Kate, Matilda and Leo.