Mia McShane, a single mother of two, struggles with mortgage stress. She tries to shield her children from the financial pressure by playing games at the supermarket to choose cheaper products. Keeping her home is her top priority. She hopes for an interest rate hold or decrease, as even a small amount would make a significant difference. Housing stress is a major factor influencing her vote in the upcoming election. She believes Labor is better positioned to help, based on their track record of offering rebates on power bills.
Carley Brown and her partner are also stressed about their mortgage. They built their home when interest rates were low, but things changed when their fixed rate became variable. She can no longer afford to do a big fortnightly supermarket shop and has cut back on medical appointments. She hopes for an interest rate cut and believes the government could do more to help those struggling, such as addressing the rising cost of groceries and the Coles and Woolworths duopoly.
Danielle Carroll also struggles with her mortgage repayments, which have increased significantly in the past year. Her husband works six days a week just to make ends meet. She hopes for an interest rate cut and believes politicians need to do more to help families thrive, not just survive. She plans to vote Liberal in the upcoming election.
A survey of Tasmanians found that cost of living is the top concern for voters, followed by healthcare and housing affordability. Many are hoping for an interest rate hold or decrease and are looking for solutions to make their lives easier. They want to see what levers governments can pull to help them thrive, not just survive.