Foodbank

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-116159

Hansard session: Fifty-Seventh Parliament, First Session (57-1)

Foodbank

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (15:30:44):

In December last year my staff and I volunteered at Foodbank in Glendenning for the fifth year running. This time we were lucky enough to join the member for Lakemba, Jihad Dib, and his team. When Foodbank came into being in 1992, the overarching aim was to ensure that food did not go to waste. In the 28 years since the foundation started, Foodbank has evolved and matured into the largest hunger relief organisation in Australia. Last year Foodbank provided 75 million meals across its 2,400 charity partners. It also provided regular breakfasts to over 116,000 students in more than 2,500 schools around the country. Foodbank's purpose is to fight hunger by providing quality food to people in need. It was very interesting to gain an insight into Foodbank's operations and processes. We hear about the incredible work of charities, churches and not-for-profit organisations for the wider community but oftentimes we are not aware of what goes on behind the scenes to get food and resources to begin with.

Visiting the Foodbank warehouse showed us how food gets from A to B, from supermarkets to soup kitchens. Foodbank's model is simple and effective: Surplus food is donated by farmers, manufacturers and retailers; Foodbank collects, sorts and stores the food; agency partnerships and schools receive and distribute the food; and people and communities are fed in times of crisis. That process saves millions of kilograms of edible food from landfill. What people do not realise is that hunger is often not just a food problem; it is a logistics problem. Each year millions of kilograms of food go to waste in Australia. Since the start of the pandemic, demand for the charity has increased by 47 per cent. Food banking captures surplus food and delivers it to the people who need it most. Without Foodbank's food sourcing and distribution work, many hungry individuals and families across the State would miss out on food that would otherwise go to landfill.

In addition to food storage and distribution, Foodbank also has the school breakfast program that delivers healthy breakfasts to some of the most disadvantaged schools across the State. More than one in five Australian children have experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months. It is more likely for a child in Australia to experience food insecurity than an adult. That is why such a program is so important, and I am grateful that Foodbank is providing practical solutions to combat the issue of hunger in our local communities. The school breakfast program has provided breakfasts to over 2,500 schools in Australia and provided fresh produce and pantry staples to schools in low socio-economic areas for students to take home. The results of the program are outstanding. Parents reported the following improvements in their children as a result of receiving food assistance: 34 per cent felt less hungry, 33 per cent were happier, 20 per cent had more energy and 20 per cent improved their behaviour.

Programs such as the school breakfast program are only possible because of the volunteers who commit their time and energy to ensuring those kids are fed properly. I take this opportunity to thank the regular volunteers, staff and directors for their dedication and support. Without their combined efforts, Foodbank could not possibly operate. A special thank you must be extended to CEO and company secretary Gerry Andersen; chairman Peter Kelly; executive general manager, and no stranger to this House, John Robertson; and volunteer coordinator Luke Chesworth. I also thank the Department of Family and Community Services and the NSW Environment Protection Authority for their support and sponsorship over several years. I conclude by congratulating Foodbank on 28 excellent years. Foodbank puts dignity back into the lives of many individuals who feel ashamed or embarrassed because of their inability to provide for their family. For that, we congratulate and honour it.