As the election draws closer, the cost-of-living crisis weighs heavily on the minds of Leichhardt constituents. They voice profound alarms about the lack of housing stock and increasing costs. One of them is Timothy Gibuma, a local musician who has been raising awareness and calling for more action to address these critical issues. He’s deeply concerned about losing his home. At the moment, he is renting a house in the middle of inner Cairns which is due for redevelopment. With election day bearing down on them, Gibuma is nervous. Now he fears that he may be homeless before he has an opportunity to vote.
Gibuma points out that the rising cost of living is the number one concern of constituents in Leichhardt. He noticed a number of residents were struggling to make ends meet. The area’s median weekly income is $200 below the median Australian wage. This funding disparity only increases the burden on families. They’re doing it while dealing with skyrocketing fuel prices and increasing costs of goods.
The Coalition’s candidate for Leichhardt, Jeremy Neal, recognizes these worries and adds that while they’re justified, they should be addressed with an eye toward overall economic stability. He plans to tackle the longstanding issue of storing nuclear waste, but has maintained that any proposed location should be “extremely far away.” His devotion to keeping our country’s fiscal house in order is evident. That feeling rings true especially today, as that passionate community continues to fight through adversity.
Local Voices on the Cost of Living
Local residents such as Vivienne Glazenburg have made their anger known about the high cost of living. Glazenburg said her most recent quarterly electric bill was $600, almost twice what she had budgeted for. In particular, she said she was troubled by increasing costs for basic necessities.
“With the price of goods rising, a wage increase would be appropriate,” – Vivienne Glazenburg
Glazenburg’s opinions are indicative of a new movement among residents who see the fiscal pinch coming down hard. Now, like many residents across the nation, they’re demanding their wages re-evaluated to match the rising tide of inflation.
Timothy Gibuma from Chinook Consulting, Inc. echoed these sentiments, reminding us that we need to do much more to address housing burdens. He feels immediate action is needed to stop even more residents being displaced from their homes. “The cost of living is only becoming harder to bear in Leichhardt,” he stated, illustrating the urgency of the situation.
The Coalition’s Economic Agenda
As the Coalition prepares for what will be a crucial federal election, questions about its nuclear policy have exploded. Matt Smith, a former elected official and key player in Pittsburgh’s progressive political scene, has demanded a definite answer on the matter. He contended voters should be told the truth about what these nuclear energy boondoggles will cost them and the detrimental environmental effects.
“They need to explain what that cost is going to look like and what the impact of an extra 2 billion tonnes of CO2 is going to do to our reef,” – Matt Smith
Smith also calls for a more active industrial policy in Australia, supporting direct job creation in manufacturing industries. She thinks making local jobs more of a priority and stopping government waste on over-budget projects will make a huge difference for communities like Leichhardt.
Neal’s campaign fits perfectly into these voters’ worries as he markets himself on bringing the economy back and creating jobs. He states, “I want to get the economic stuff right because at the moment, everybody is hurting.” This new-found focus on economic matters is clearly intended to appeal to voters who are rightly feeling the squeeze of inflation.
A Broader Conversation on Indigenous Issues
The election debate further goes a step toward recognizing Indigenous rights, led by a range of voices focusing on closing regional gaps. As Neal pointed out, when you’re trying to close the Indigenous gap, it more often than not looks like a regional gap. This gap has a unique impact on communities of color.
“We talk about the Indigenous gap we want to close but I actually see it as more of a regional gap,” – Jeremy Neal
Neal’s statement underscores the importance of drawing on the field to create localized, customized solutions instead of relying on more sweeping, top-down solutions. At the same time, Smith warned against treating all Indigenous communities the same when working to solve their distinct issues.
“You’ll find that all the discrete communities have their own cultures, their own solutions to what’s going on so to bundle everyone up together I think is a big mistake,” – Matt Smith
Economic stability, housing affordability, and social equity will be at the heart of discussions happening across Leichhardt.
