Warrnambool corps officer Major Peter Wood said their emergency relief services were in “constant demand”.

“The things people are coming in for are the every day cost of living things,” Mr Wood said.

“They’re struggling with balancing out their Centrelink payment to cover the rent, food and utility bills.

“Most people who come to see us are just making ends meet. Some of them are the working poor on low incomes. There are some people who have a mortgage and with the rising costs of interest rates, which we are seeing now, that’s going to place more pressure on those people.”

He said if their clients’ washing machine or car broke down many needed to access a low-interest loan to pay for repairs, which they had to “factor into their already stretched budget”.

Mr Wood’s comments come after MP Michael Gidley visited Warrnambool on Tuesday as part of the CostWatch campaign to talk about the rising cost of living. 

Community members were invited to meet the shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Cost of Living and Member for South West Coast Roma Britnell to talk about their concerns at Warrnambool’s Civic Green.

They walked Liebig Street talking to residents and business operators who voiced concerns about the rising costs of gas, electricity, food, childcare and council rates. 

Mr Gidley said these “never ending” increases were taking a toll and wages were not rising to reflect the extra costs. 

Feedback gathered will be used to develop policies up to the 2018 election to help to reduce the cost of living pressures, he said. 

Rosebrook residents Essie Warmuth and Genevieve Grant are concerned about the impending $300 annual electricity increase with the closure of the Hazelwood Power Plant. “It matters to us and it matters to our kids,” Ms Warmuth said. 

Ms Warmuth has noticed the increased cost of living and Ms Grant called for improved train services to make food transportation to the region more affordable.