Tamworth West records highest rate of disadvantage in 2021 census data

People who are unemployed living in Tamworth surrounds experienced the largest change in rates of economic disadvantage from 22 per cent in 2016 to 35 per cent in 2021, according to comparison of census data from those years.

Housing is a key driver of poverty in regional areas, a report with analysis of poverty rates by demographic in suburbs and towns across NSW by the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM) found.

Mortgage holders experienced the biggest increase in poverty across NSW, up by more than 80 per cent since 2016.

READ ALSO:

The five year period was a time of almost no movement in the housing market, Homes North CEO Maree McKenzie said.

There's been little change in the two years since the recent census, she said.

"There's still been increases in rents in regional areas," she said.

The New England and Northwest is under pressure from economic development, but lacks the corresponding housing, she said.

"There has been quite a tree change to Tamworth, it just created that extra bit of pressure," she said.

"With, especially, people in the lowest income brackets, trying to sustain housing because there's so much demand from people who have got more stable incomes."

In Tamworth, the rates of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and people who cannot speak English well, or at all, living in low income households improved from 2016 to 2021.

The initiatives targeting Aboriginal people for training and employment may have begun to bear fruit, Ms McKenzie said.

Despite this improvement for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the five year period, the demographic in Tamworth West has the second highest rate of disadvantage at 38 per cent.

People who are unemployed in Tamworth West recorded the highest rate of disadvantage from mentioned demographics at 39 per cent.

Homes North is experiencing high demand from people in need of homelessness services, Ms McKenzie said.

The Salvation Army in Tamworth has also seen an increase in people seeking assistance in the last six months, major Tony DeTommaso said, with a case worker stating they are working at full capacity with available resources and staffing. The Salvos work with clients on financial literacy.

The Salvos Red Shield Appeal runs through the months of April, May and June each year, and this month an expo will be held at the centre bringing together other social support organisations in the city.

"We need to work together in Tamworth, and then we can identify, are these needs being met, or is there something we need to identify?" Mr DeTommaso said.

Rates of economic disadvantage improved slightly in Tamworth North and Tamworth West, worsened in Tamworth surrounds, and there was no change in Tamworth East, the data analysis commissioned by social service body NSW Council of Social Service (NCOSS) found.

Tamworth West recorded the highest rate of disadvantage at 23 per cent in 2021.

Billabong Clubhouse will provide free hot meals between 4 pm and 6 pm every Wednesday from June to August. For more information email luke@billabongclubhouse.org.au.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: