We live in a free, prosperous country with easy access to quality education and healthcare.

We live in a region that boasts a diversified economy, clean air and water, good job prospects and is a great place to raise a family.

But beneath that shining veneer remains a troubling and apparently growing population of working poor that belies our status as The Lucky Country.

And the freezing chill of winter only exacerbates the crisis, as families that might struggle through summer without switching on the air conditioning find themselves exposed to the conditions without adequate clothing or heating.

Local charities paint an appalling picture of the truth of poverty in our region, stressing that those doing it tough might not be the families you would expect.

The traditional image of an elderly man in ragged clothes sleeping rough in a shop doorway still exists – even here in Bathurst – but is by no means the typical story of poverty.

Today, financial counsellors are just as likely to hear from family men and women who are employed and yet still struggle to make ends meet.

Public housing shortages have forced even low income earners into the private rental market where high demand pushes up the price for even modest dwellings, eating up large portions of their wage before they think about feeding and clothing their children.

When families are living week-to-week, any unexpected expense can be enough to blow the budget and put more pressure on the credit card or short-term loans, which all carry high interest rates and simply add to the spiral of despair.

In the final week of a federal election campaign, addressing poverty – and particularly the crisis of working poor in our society – should be the focus of all candidates.

The Lucky Country should not be judged by the treasures it makes available to the privileged few but, rather, by the treatment of those at risk of falling through the cracks.

It must recognise that a booming economy has a responsibility to protect the vulnerable and not just be a land of opportunity, but a land of opportunity for all.

Only then can it be The Lucky Country it should be.