A PROMINENT Bundaberg councillor and member of the town’s Catholic community has questioned research findings that the federal electorate of Hinkler is more disadvantaged than any other in Australia.
The research was carried out by Catholic Social Services Australia in 2020 and shows the disadvantage levels of education, economic and health in Hinkler are the highest in Queensland and the highest in Australia.
Hinkler takes in the Wide Bay–Burnett towns of Bundaberg, Hervey Bay and Childers, however the CSSA research also includes Gayndah and Monto that are not in the Hinkler electorate – they are in neighbouring Flynn, a rural electorate twice the size of Tasmania.
“Including those two towns in the analysis I believe has a very negative impact on the situation in Hinkler – they are remote country towns with traditionally low socio-economic demographics,” Bundaberg Regional councillor Vince Habermann said.
Mr Habermann agreed “unemployment levels in the Bundaberg Region and the Hinkler Electorate have long been high”, however he questioned whether Hinkler could be tagged as the most disadvantaged electorate in Australia.
While “seriously doubting the CSSA research, he conceded it is a ‘call to action’.”
“I witness homelessness every day, but not high levels, but with the wonderful work of a number of community organisations providing food, clothing and other essentials, I do not witness many who do not have the necessities,” Mr Habermann said.
Robert Sims, director of local community service provider CentracareCQ said the CSSA research confirmed the experience of hundreds of people living in and around the Wide Bay-Burnett region.
“Every day we see children, families and individuals in need of the very basics, whether it be food, clothing or a safe roof over their head,” Mr Sims said.
“Unfortunately, we are certainly seeing a higher rate of people living in substandard housing and not having their basic educational and healthcare needs met.
“In a country as rich and as prosperous as Australia, it is beyond comprehension that we are seeing people living these sorts of realities.
“To see some real action for our region, we desperately need the government to lift income support above the poverty line, and to increase their investment within the social housing sector,.”
Mr Habermann said there had long been a local social housing shortage, however there was evidence the state government was now heavily investing in the sector.
He pointed to a recently opened $4 million social housing complex with 16 units, now occupied by tenants on the state’s social housing register, and an extra $4.8 million set aside for two more local projects.
In addition, “One-hundred-and-seventy new homes will be commenced in the Wide Bay Burnett region over the next four years – the $49.7 million supporting more than 156 full-time equivalent jobs,” Mr Habermann said.
“This is in addition to the 50 new social housing homes that have already commenced under the Queensland Housing Strategy 2017–2027.”
