One in 10 of the 14 million people locked down in NSW, Victoria and South Australia are individuals, families and children receiving the lowest social security payments well below the poverty line. Anti-Poverty Week estimates there are 1.4 million individuals and families receiving working age payments including JobSeeker and Parenting Payments which are as low as $44 (JobSeeker) and $36 (Youth Allowance) per day. Around one in four of them usually have earnings from part-time work and are likely to have lost this income. We have estimated this total to include half a million children locked down across NSW, Victoria and South Australia.
Anti-Poverty Week wrote to Social Services Minister Anne Ruston on Thursday 22 July expressing our concerns. Read our letter to Minister Ruston. Our concerns and analysis were also raised by David Speers on ABC Insiders 25 July.
| State in Lockdown 2021 | Number of working age recipients 25/6/21 | Estimated number of children with parent on working age payments 25/6/21 | Total est adults and children per State/Territory 25/6/21 |
| 70% NSW | 353,467 | 194,294 | 547,761 |
| 100% VIC | 418,205 | 230,027 | 648,232 |
| 100% SA | 136,811 | 74,871 | 211,682 |
| TOTAL | 908,483 | 499,192 | 1,407,675 |
Source: DSS data by State 25/6/21 Senate Select Committee on COVID-19 Additional Documents #84 adjusted by APW for NSW 70% lockdown. Children estimates by APW based on Senate Committee on COVID-19 Answers to Questions on Notice #604 IQ21-000006 taking account of reduced # recipients Feb to June 2021.