By Jenny Davidson, CEO CSMC
Often, when there’s an economic or global crisis, the first members of the community to be effected are those with the least buffer. We saw that at the beginning of the COVID pandemic, when casual workers were losing their jobs and access to childcare and schools, and further back, during the Global Financial Crisis, when single mothers were less able to supplement Centrelink payments with income from part-time or casual work, which had become scarce. Most recently, the cost-of-living crisis has meant that many low-income single mothers are simply unable to afford all the necessities their families need.
The current fuel crisis, however, is hitting differently.
An increasing number of single mother families, already stretched to the limit due to the cost-of-living and housing crises, are unable to stretch, pivot or innovate any further. If you are already skipping meals, forgoing medical appointments or medication, or falling behind on the bills just to cover rent, there are simply no more spending cuts to be made to cover petrol.
Many single mothers live in outer suburbs or regional areas, where the rent is cheaper. In these areas, public transport is minimal and a car isn’t a luxury, it’s the difference between getting to work and school or not.
Our Support Line workers are taking calls from single mothers who have to take a bus and two trains twice a day, just to get kids to school and daycare and then themselves to work. Picking up supplies from food banks and accessing community supports can take an entire day – it takes a big investment of time to save money…
Part-time and casual work is often the most viable employment choice for single mothers because it allows for the flexibility needed to be able to work and raise our children. This many drives single mothers into the care sector and the gig economy, delivering food and offering ride shares; many take jobs below their level of qualification in order to meet their kids’ needs to have their mother around. These are sectors that often require its workers to travel by car often and sometimes over long distances. Now, it’s barely economically viable to accept shifts, when so much of their income goes straight into petrol.
The impacts of the fuel crisis reach far beyond the fuel pump, but so does the potential for change. When single mothers have access to adequate social security and wraparound support, the ripple effects are just as powerful in the other direction. Children show up to school rested and ready to learn. Friendships are maintained. And mums, already among the most resilient people in our communities, are freed from the anxiety, fear, and guilt that comes from doing it all on an empty tank.
The evidence is clear: children who grow up with adequate resources and supported parents go on to thrive in their health, education, and careers.
Children raised in single mother households deserve every opportunity to thrive – it’s one of the reasons that CSMC exists – and this crisis upon crisis, now being called a ‘polycrisis’, may have lifelong impacts if we cannot find more ways to support both mothers and their children.
This is why CSMC is making the impacts of the fuel crisis on single mums a key advocacy issue. We want to amplify their voices during this crisis, and the first step is to collect their experiences, through a short survey.
For our single mother readers, you know that your experiences guide our advocacy. If you haven’t already, I urge you to take a few minutes to share your insights: you can find our short survey here.
The survey closes at 9am Monday 4 May 2026, so you have a few more days to participate. We know your time is valuable and we are offering a prize draw of three $50 vouchers for those who complete survey and enter their email at the end.
I want to thank everyone who has contributed to the survey. Please remember that CSMC provides support, information and referrals via our Support Line so, if you need support as this fuel crisis drags on, get in touch.
Now, more than ever, single mother families need a strong advocate organisation to inform decision-makers of their specific needs and experiences, and remind them that we are resilient and determined to provide for our children – but facing mounting barriers to do so. CSMC is the oldest single mother organisation in the Australia – one of only two – and every staff and Board member has lived-experience of being a single mother. We are proud to represent single mothers in all their diversity and to stand together through good times and challenging ones.
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