Regional incomes and the cost of living for low income households: how does Tasmania compare?

The number of Tasmanians relying on government pensions and benefits as their main source of income is much higher than the national average, and Anglicare's research has shown that low income earners in Tasmania consistently identify the cost of essential items as key causes of household financial crisis. The author looks at regional income disparities over the past half century, showing that South Australia and Tasmania have suffered significant relative decline in household income levels in recent years. The reasons behind this are investigated, along with consideration of the regional variations in the cost of electricity, groceries and petrol for households in Australia's lowest two income quintiles and regional cost variations for  housing.