Australia's largest food relief organisation, Foodbank, is reporting unprecedented demand as cost of living pressures continue to bite. The charity estimates that in 20% of Australian households, people skip meals or go whole days without eating.
Foodbank relies heavily on surplus stock donated by farmers, but those growers are becoming more efficient at getting their food to market, leaving less for those in need. The charity's CEO, Kylea Tink, says hunger in Australia is now mainstream, with more families and individuals seeking help than ever before.
Despite federal government cost of living relief measures, many Australians are compromising on food quality. Tink notes that fresh fruit, vegetables, and high-quality protein are often the first items cut from shopping lists, replaced by cheaper options like two-minute noodles.
Queensland vegetable grower Andrew Moon has been working to reduce food waste amid rising production costs and extreme weather. However, supermarkets still reject some produce due to minor imperfections, forcing growers to find alternative homes for the goods.
Foodbank is lobbying the federal government for tax incentives to help farmers cover freight costs when donating surplus produce to food relief groups. The Department of Social Services has increased Foodbank's base funding by almost 70%, but the charity says it needs more than the $1.4 million it currently receives annually from the Commonwealth to buy additional food directly.
