Aussies forced to sacrifice basic essentials to cover soaring power bills

A new report by the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) has highlighted a growing crisis facing Australians struggling to keep up with soaring energy bills, with many forced to sacrifice basic necessities such as food and medication to pay for electricity.

A survey of 1,011 Australians found that 50 per cent are going without essentials such as meals and medicine to try and cover the cost of their energy bills. Many are selling personal belongings or relying on buy now, pay later schemes to make ends meet.

The survey also shows the severe health consequences of living in homes that get unbearably hot. Over 90 per cent of respondents reported negative impacts from excessive heat, with 14 per cent seeking medical attention in the past year due to heat-related illnesses.

Despite taking steps to reduce their energy use, such as cutting back on lights and air conditioning, nearly two-thirds of respondents are still struggling to pay their bills. This is a reality for many, including 88 per cent of First Nations respondents, 76 per cent of renters, and 75 per cent of people receiving income support.

In addition to cutting back, Australians are resorting to even more desperate measures: 34 per cent of respondents have sold belongings, and one in five have turned to payday loans or buy now, pay later schemes. Others are forced to make difficult decisions, like not inviting guests over, going to bed early, or even turning off fridges and other appliances to keep their power bills down.

Von, a 62-year-old from the Central Coast who battles chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and relies on a disability pension, knows firsthand the tough decision of choosing between staying cool in the heat and paying a hefty power bill.

“The heat is debilitating,” he said.

“I get up really early and track the weather, I can’t really open the windows and we have black-out curtains and a floor fan in each bedroom that cools it a little but paying for air-conditioning is out of the question.

“Trying to sleep is unbelievable. I take cold showers in the middle of the night to cool down and use wet towels. It’s hard to clean the house because it’s too hot. Cost is a huge factor.”

In light of these findings, ACOSS is calling on the federal government to take urgent action by extending its $800 million investment for energy upgrades to all 437,700 social housing properties by 2030, prioritising First Nations housing.

The organisation is also pushing for support to ensure private renters and low-income homeowners can access energy-efficient upgrades.

ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie said: “It’s a complete travesty that in one of the world’s wealthiest nations people are getting sick, skipping meals and delaying medical appointments because they can’t afford to cool and power their homes.

“Climate change is making heatwaves more frequent and intense, with more deaths related to heat than all other natural disasters combined. We urgently need to help people improve the thermal performance of housing, electrify and access rooftop solar and home batteries, with the most help going to low-income and First Nations housing.

“The government must also deliver permanent cost of living relief by raising the rate of JobSeeker and related payment, and the remote area allowance, so people on low incomes can afford their energy bills and be lifted out of poverty.”