@cydaaus Content note: This video discusses the impacts of the cost of living crisis, including housing insecurity and financial hardship. Disabled young people are being pushed to the edge by the cost of living crisis. Fadhil, a young person with disability, shares what so many are feeling: Rent is too high. Groceries are too expensive. Accessible housing, transport, and job opportunities are too hard to find. The basics shouldn’t be out of reach. We need action to make sure disabled people and families aren’t left behind. #CostOfLivingCrisis #DisabilityRights #DisabilityJustice #AusPol
♬ original sound - CYDA
This video was created as part of CYDA’s 2025 Federal Election Campaign. You can find out more about the campaign here.
Video transcript
Visual: A fridge door opening. The camera is inside, pointing toward Rosie, who’s wearing headphones.
Rosie speaking: The cost of living crisis is hitting disabled people and their families hard. Right now, basic needs like housing, food, transport are simply out of reach for too many in our community.
Visual: Rosie is unpacking groceries from a fabric grocery bag onto her counter.
Rosie speaking: The cost-of-living crisis is hitting disabled people and their families hard.
Visual: A close-up of Fadhil speaking at the camera
Fadhil speaking : It’s hard for us to pay the rent. It’s hard for the disabled to pay the rent because some disabilities can’t get housing because of their disability”
Visual: Rosie sitting, holding a colourful mug
Rosie speaking: Even when someone has NDIS support, it’s often not enough to get accessible or affordable housing. And Centrelink payments don’t even come close to covering the real cost of living.
Visual: Back to Fadhil
Fadhil speaking: The Centrelink payments are not enough. The government supports is not enough for us. And it’s hard for people to get jobs and training with a disability.
Visual: Rosie sitting in front of a computer.
Rosie speaking: Disabled young people want to work, to study, and to build our futures. But the barriers are baked into the system — from inaccessible workplaces, to training that doesn’t meet our needs.
Visual: Back to Fadhil
Fadhil speaking: They could build up more wheelchair accessibility if there’s not a wheelchair area or more disability parking in our local council.
Visual: Rosie is standing with her rollator, and slides a cool pair of sunglasses on. She slings her bag over her shoulder and folds up her collator as she speaks.
Rosie speaking: When we talk about the cost of living, we have to talk about accessibility too. Because without accessible public transport, or without inclusive public spaces, the cost of living for disabled people climbs even higher.
Visual: Back to Fadhil
Fadhil speaking: Rent is too high. The food needs to be, groceries needs to bring down, more down for people who can’t afford food.
Visual: Rosie with her mug
Rosie speaking: The basics — housing, food and transport — should not be out of reach. Disabled people and families are doing it tough right now. The government ensure no one is left behind in this cost of living crisis.
Visual: Text on screen: “Learn more at cyda.org.au/election” and the CYDA 15 years logo.
