Matters of Interest

Foodbank SA

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (15:23): Recently I visited Foodbank South Australia to see and discuss its operations. Founded 15 years ago, Foodbank is the largest food relief agency in Australia and is found all over South Australia. Its goal is to source all the food needed for food relief in South Australia and give it away. Using its logistics and procurement expertise, Foodbank acts as an intermediary between the food industry's surplus supply and the welfare sector's needs. Foodbank sources food from the food industry and supplies it to welfare agencies. It also purchases food from financial donations and food drives. In 2013-14, the estimated volume of food distributed was 1.7 million kilograms at an estimated retail value of $12 million, or about 3.5 million meals. In 2014-15 this is expected to rise to 4 million meals with a retail value of about $14 million.

Foodbank's work also provides a large social return on investment. Last year over $550 million of social value was created, and this included improving the physical health and performance of students at schools through its school breakfast program. Outside of directly helping food relief recipients, Foodbank has saved 19.7 million kilograms from landfill and avoided 24.7 million kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions.

Around 10 per cent of Australia's population relies on food relief, half of that children. In Australia the issue of hunger is generally a hidden social problem, and many people suffer in silence. It is an issue that is seen to mostly affect the unemployed, yet there is actually a greater prevalence in low-income families seeking food relief than there is for the unemployed. Recipients of various disadvantaged groups also seek food relief.

Each month over 60,000 South Australians rely on food relief services, and unfortunately one in three of those are children. However, there is insufficient food to meet the needs of those who rely on food relief, with 14 per cent of those relying on food services unable to be assisted and 40 per cent of children unable to be assisted. Moreover, 59 per cent of charities in South Australia do not have enough food to meet demand. Unfortunately, these figures are not improving and Foodbank SA has experienced a 6 per cent increase in the number of people seeking food relief.

Whilst it is hoped that food insecurity will decrease over time, the 2013 End of Hunger report shows the opposite to be true. Foodbank's aim is to distribute 3.5 million kilograms of food, as this is the estimated need of South Australia.

Foodbank believes that food insecurity can be tackled head on. It notes that this is not a production issue as we produce twice the quantity of food that we eat, nor is it that there is a lack of organisations, given Foodbank and the hundreds of welfare groups. Foodbank believes tackling food insecurity is a whole-of-community endeavour that requires a long-term campaign, and its success will depend on the combined efforts of all involved, including the support of the welfare sector, government departments working in these areas, corporate Australia and the public.

A recent $100,000 grant from the South Australian government has ensured that Foodbank SA distributes fresh fruit and vegetables—650,000 kilograms, in fact, in 2015—at no extra charge. A further grant from DCSI of $250,000 per year over the next four years has been awarded to establish more food hubs that are helping more South Australians. Foodbank's latest new food hub at Elizabeth is a joint venture with Anglicare South Australia, and is due to open shortly.

Every six to eight weeks the Foodbank team host mobile Foodbank events and take their trucks and vans, full of food and fresh fruit and vegetables, to a predetermined location working with local welfare groups, and invites their case-managed clients to attend a pop-up Foodbank morning where Foodbank gives away food. I applaud Foodbank and its goal to end food insecurity.