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13 JULY, 2022
12496404-AV22-21
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Good dose of retail therapy West Footscray residents are encouraged to support new local retail opportunities, as Barkly Village welcomes two new pop-up shops. West Footscray Traders Association president Pradeep Tiwari said traders and volunteers are hoping the new pop-up shop and op shop will revive the retail opportunities for Barkly Street, after a number of shops had been forced to close down following ongoing pressures. “This will allow home-based businesses and people who would otherwise be unable to afford a shopfront to display goods and services and interact physically with the community,” he said. Maribyrnong mayor Anthony Tran said the new retail opportunities are the result of a Business Improvement District grant allocation. “It’s great to see the positive impacts of these grants on our community.” The Op Shop – West Footscray at 590 Barkly Street is open every day from 10am until 2pm for donations. The pop up shop will be opening on Saturday, July 16 at 592 Barkly Street. Matthew Sims West Footscray Traders Association president Pradeep Tiwari from Footscray Traders Association is excited about two new shops opening up in Barkly Village. (Damjan Janevski) 288992_02
Rental stress on the rise By Matthew Sims
12533599-HC07-22
The proportion of Hobsons Bay renters experiencing rental stress has increased by more than 19 per cent over the past five years, according to 2021 Census data. Renter households with rent payments greater than 30 per cent of household income have been deemed to be experiencing rental stress. According to the 2021 Census data, 28.5 per cent of Hobsons Bay renter households were
experiencing rental stress, which was a 19.1 per cent increase on the 9.4 per cent of renter households experiencing rental stress in 2016. The median rent in Hobsons Bay also increased from $330 to $380. In Maribyrnong, the proportion of renters paying rent greater than 30 per cent increased by 11.5 per cent, with 2016’s Census data highlighting 15.3 per cent of renters were experiencing rental stress and 2021 Census data showing 26.8 per cent of renters were experiencing rental stress.
WEstjustice legal director of economic justice Joseph Nunweek said renters experiencing rental stress often had to decide between sacrificing to make ends meet or falling into further amounts of financial stress. “What we’re seeing more and more is that the amount of money that people have in the bank and from being employed or if they received it from Centrelink is not enough, and it’s less and less at the end of the fortnight or the month to cover what they need to do to
make rent,” he said. “People kind of go two ways, either they find themselves in a no-win situation where they’re falling further and further behind in their living situation or they’re just getting by, but there are things that they’re going without. “You do have options, you do have sort of opportunities to negotiate and resolve the matter, and you do have other services that you can be referred to that are really focused on the money aspect.”
Kenyon-Smith Denture Clinic A family tradition for 60 years 100 Pier Street, Altona 9315 9231 • 27 Old Geelong Road, Hoppers Crossing 9748 8204
Dental Prosthetists Full dentures, Partial dentures, Repairs - relines • Victorian Denture Scheme • Veterans’ Affairs John, Andrew, Simon and Paul Kenyon-Smith