FOODBANK SA

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (14:37): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Mineral Resources Development a question regarding the regional food relief centre in Whyalla that will assist 12,000 needy people across Upper Spencer Gulf and the West Coast.

Leave granted.

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO: The inception of Foodbank in the year 2000 has become the state's largest hunger relief organisation, growing from supporting 120 registered welfare groups in its first year to 535 groups in 2007. Further, another key focus for Foodbank SA was to extend its reach into regional areas. The first satellite Foodbank operation opened in 2005 in Mount Gambier, and I understand that work has started on developing an agency in Whyalla to respond to people in need in northern regional and remote areas. Will the minister provide further information regarding the progression of the Whyalla Foodbank?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister Assisting the Premier in Public Sector Management) (14:38): I thank the honourable member for her question. I was delighted to formally open the new emergency food relief centre—Foodbank Whyalla—last week. Whyalla Foodbank will provide food relief to around 12,000 people in need annually across the Upper Spencer Gulf and West Coast regions through a network of about 40 welfare food relief programs. Each year, 100 tonnes of staple foods and groceries are to be distributed across the region.

This project has taken time, effort and commitment from many people to make this vital regional service a reality. It was about two years ago that myself and Primary Industries and Resources SA, Minerals and Energy Division, arranged a partnership between our minerals drill core storage facility in Whyalla and Foodbank SA. This crucial arrangement ensures that Foodbank can respond to the very significant food relief needs of marginalised people across the Upper Spencer Gulf and West Coast regions.

The site was very basic when handed to Foodbank SA to develop into this wonderful community asset. The investment that Foodbank has since made into the shared PIRSA storage facility is very significant. A considerable amount of expensive infrastructure is required to operate a food warehousing and distribution business, especially in regional communities. Foodbank SA has been working to build further collaboration with business to fund the $500 million worth of development in Whyalla.

The companies on the Foodbank Whyalla Honour Roll are jointly responsible for donating more than $400,000 in cash to help underpin the redevelopment of both the PIRSA donated warehouse and the yard and loading apron. The funds have also provided critical operational seed funding for the branch in the first couple of years of operation. The Foodbank Whyalla Honour Roll, which is on display at the rear of the warehouse, included 55 business groups that contributed the $400,000 in cash sponsorship plus a further $100,000 in in-kind gifts of goods and services.

The range of business partners engaged in the Foodbank collaboration is expansive and includes the state government through PIRSA and Community Benefit SA; local government through the City of Whyalla; food companies such as Woolworths, Coles, IGA and so on; large business groups such as OneSteel through to small businesses and trades; the philanthropic sector including trusts and foundations; as well as many community groups like Rotary, Lions and their many partners in the welfare sector across the region.

I would also like to specifically acknowledge Foodbank Whyalla's principal partners in the project which are the City of Whyalla, OneSteel Whyalla, Centacare, Australian Children's Trust, Morialta Trust, Community Benefit SA, and of course PIRSA which provided half of the old storage shed, the other half of which is still used to store core samples in Whyalla. In particular, it was pleasing to see such local prominent members of the community such as the City of Whyalla and OneSteel show strong leadership in helping to fund the establishment and ongoing operations of Foodbank Whyalla.

While visiting Whyalla I also had the opportunity to visit the OneSteel mine site and view the new Iron Chieftain Mine site located in the Middleback Ranges. I might add that OneSteel is an impressive operation.

Foodbank is an important peak agency that brings together levels of government, the business sector and the food industry with a common goal of providing essential food resources for the disadvantaged in our community. Through centres such as the new Whyalla warehouse, Foodbank's head office distribution facility in Adelaide and its other regional warehouse in Mount Gambier, Foodbank SA is making a very positive difference to the work of welfare agencies ensuring people most in need have adequate food support. I personally congratulate them on their efforts in supporting the regional communities of South Australia.

The Foodbank Whyalla project is most certainly a long-term solution to the growing long-term issue of food security for families in need in regional and remote areas of South Australia. Again, I would like to congratulate the Foodbank SA board, the executive staff and volunteer team on their perseverance during the past two years and their final achievement which is a well-stocked local emergency food resource centre. I was very pleased that PIRSA could play a part in providing that and also I would like to acknowledge the Hon. Dean Brown who, through his involvement in the mining industry and as a member of the Foodbank board, also contributed to this.