CANBERRA, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- The surging price of electricity is one of the biggest concerns among Australian consumers, a study has found.
The quarterly Consumer Pulse Survey, compiled by consumer advocate group Choice, found that health expenses, electricity and groceries were the top three issues worrying 56 percent of Australians.
Tom Godfrey, a Choice spokesperson, said a high rate of people were also worried about superannuation and interest rates.
"I think cost of living concerns for consumers across the board are very high and we are in an environment now where wages are very flat," Godfrey told Australian media on Monday.
"Yet things like electricity and medical expenses are really putting pressure on the family budget. Unfortunately it looks like this pattern is here to stay."
Choice surveyed 1,042 Australians in June for the study with 10 percent of renters saying they had deliberately missed a rent payment at least once due to financial stress.
Electricity was the most prominent concern with 82 percent of respondents identifying it as a worry followed by health expenses (79 percent), food and groceries (73 percent), fuel (72 percent) and car insurance (68 percent).
The survey also found that 30 percent of women were struggling to survive on their current income compared to 26 percent of men.
It said that between homeowners and renters, the latter group experienced the most financial stress due to "serious issues in the quality and security" of the rental market.
"The lack of security is typified in the inability for renters to obtain the overseas-style long-term leases and assurances that they won't be kicked out for no reason," the report said.
Cassandra Goldie, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Australian Council of Social Service (ACSS), said the Choice results were consistent with the feedback she had received from the community.
"There is an increasing number of people who just can't make ends meet ... this sense of fragility accords with real changes in Australia's economic and social circumstance that government needs to take seriously," Goldie said.
"Since the global financial crisis we have had our own experience of austerity in Australia, a tripling of long term annual unemployment and a flattening of wages growth, so social services and security are two very important parts of the safety net." Enditem
A single purchase
