Vinnies financial counselling more important than ever
Emergency Assistance and Support program
28/10/2023 12:00 PMWe’ve all noticed the cost of living is increasing, and the Consumer Price Index data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics confirms that inflation rose 2.1 per cent in the March quarter.
Compared to last year, that’s an increase of 5.1 per cent. As the ABS states, these are the largest quarterly and annual rises since the introduction of the GST.
For vulnerable West Australians, this is a perfect storm. There’s a worrying trend that people are using buy-now, pay-later schemes just to cover basic necessities.
"People are desperate and will do whatever they need to keep services on and keep food on the table," Vinnies Financial Counsellor Suzanne Long recently told the ABC.