Anglicare’s Poverty Premium report found that people on low incomes spend 93% more on groceries. Follow the day’s news live

Nationals pursue Qatar Airways decision

The Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie has continued to press the federal government for further details on its decision to deny granting additional flights to Qatar Airways.

That is the only advice, correspondence or information the treasurer of this country has to provide this chamber as a result of this update. So it is clear the Treasurer wasn’t briefed on this decision.

It is clear that it is a failure of transport minister Catherine King to keep her colleagues informed and if the treasurer of this country isn’t the relevant minister to be consulted with in a decision like this, then I’m not sure who is.

Our research shows that it costs more to be poor. People pay more because they can’t afford to buy in bulk or to shop around. They pay penalties if they’re forced to live further away from their work and communities. And the best credit deals are for people with high credit scores and healthy bank balances.

These extra costs are a poverty premium, punishing people who are already earning less. We’ve found that people can pay up to one and a half times more for the same service, pushing them even further behind.