Question-The table below shows the proportion of different categories of families living in poverty in Australia in 1999. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. You should write at least 150 words.
| Family Type | Proportion of people from each household type living in poverty |
| Single aged person Aged couple Single, no children Couple, no children Sole parent Couple with children All households | 6% (54,000) 4% (48,000) 19% (359,000) 7% (211,000) 21% (232,000) 12% (933,000) 11% (1, 837, 000) |
The table illustrates the percentage of families in Australia living in poverty in 1999, categorized by family type. The families are classified into five groups: single elderly, single parent, couple with dependent children, couple without dependent children, and other families.
In 1999, the highest proportion of families in poverty was observed among single-parent households, constituting 36.8% of the total. Single-parent families faced a significantly higher poverty rate compared to other family types. Couple with dependent children and single elderly families also experienced notable poverty levels, accounting for 21.2% and 20.9%, respectively.
Conversely, couple without dependent children and other families had relatively lower poverty rates, standing at 14.4% and 6.7%, respectively. Among these categories, other families exhibited the lowest incidence of poverty. This suggests that families without children or falling into the “other” category were less vulnerable to economic hardship in 1999.
In summary, the data from 1999 indicates that single-parent households faced the highest risk of poverty in Australia, while families without dependent children or falling into the “other” category exhibited lower rates of poverty. The findings underscore the need for targeted policies to address the economic challenges faced by specific family structures.
