Financial crisis hits poor hardest: ACOSS

The Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) says the global financial crisis is set to make things worse for the millions of Australians on or below the poverty line.

The global economic situation was a major talking point at the ACOSS annual general meeting yesterday.

ACOSS president Lin Hatfield Dodds says she is urging the Federal Government to use its surplus to increase spending on welfare groups and services.

"If we can't do it now then when?" she asked.

"If we're seriously looking at an economic downturn - and that looks increasingly likely - then the earlier we act the sooner we are going to ameliorate the effects of that downturn."