An Australian Council of Social Service and University of New South Wales report showed 23.6 per cent of Tasmanians live in poverty including 15.8 per cent of children aged under 15.

TasCOSS chief executive Kym Goodes said a ‘whole-of-government attack’ was needed to eliminate the underlying reasons for poverty.

“Poverty is not inevitable,” Ms Goodes said. “The role of government is to ensure each one of us has the opportunity to live a good life.”

She said Tasmania was experiencing a relative economic ‘boom’ and the time was right for decisions to eliminate entrenched poverty.

“Tasmania is attempting to manage the headline crises in health, in housing – but we are not attempting to address the structural causes of them,” Ms Goodes said.

“Choosing to eliminate poverty is a choice to eliminate these crises arising time and time again. 

“Tasmanians must impel all tiers of government to make new choices, to make budget decisions that enable good policy for the benefit of us all.”

Labor member for Franklin Alison Standen said the government needed to do more to help struggling Tasmanians.