Does the cost of living affect social cohesion?
Queenslander Jon told SBS Examines he had been confronted with the realisation that his views on immigration and resettlement had changed since he experienced financial difficulties.
“I grew up in the inner city and was always surrounded by all the benefits of multiculturalism. I don’t think that’s how I feel anymore.”
He lives in a rural area and was competing for rent with people who wanted to extend their working holiday visas.
“If you don’t have the money to compete, you’re out of luck.”
Jon is not alone in his opinion.
The Scanlon Institute’s Social Cohesion Index found that people experiencing financial difficulties perform worse on most of the parameters measured.
“They are more likely to report having a lower sense of belonging and trust in government, they trust other people in general a little less and often feel quite isolated from others,” said CEO Anthea Hancocks.
“They also believe that life in Australia is not going to get better and feel that migrant diversity is unlikely to make Australia stronger.”
Sydney’s Northern Beaches community leader Rachael Leah Jackson is trying to bring people together after watching the gap between those in financial difficulty and the wealthy grow.
“There is a lot of poverty, a lot of hardship and separation. People are lonely and I know this loneliness,” she said.
“Ultimately, community is the strength of what defines us, and that’s why we need to stick together and help each other.”
This episode of SBS Examines examines how cost of living pressures are dividing our communities.
