Suffering in silence: a city on the edge of insolvency

Very interesting, NSW 'Labor'. The Joe Tripodis and Frank Sartors clearly really don't care what happens to the average household. The housing 'boom' is partly responsible for this, the subsequent inflation it caused has taken care of the rest.

ONE in three Sydney households is beset by financial worries and almost one in seven is teetering on the edge of insolvency, a church survey has found.

The study commissioned by the Wesley Mission warns financial stress is greatest in the south-west and outer west, but is also pervasive across all parts of the city, including its more affluent suburbs.

Families reported forgoing family activities, borrowing from relatives or friends, failing to pay bills on time or being unable to make minimum credit card payments.

Five per cent said they had had to pawn an item, 4 per cent said they had gone without meals and a similar number could not afford to heat their homes.

The survey of 400 people was carried out in August. Since then last week's interest rate rise - the third this year - has added $40 per month to average mortgage repayments.

Suffering in silence: a city on the edge of insolvency