Foodbank

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-127462

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

Foodbank

Mr MARK COURE (OatleyMinister for Multiculturalism, and Minister for Seniors) (21:00:53):

— Recently I was invited to the Foodbank facility at Glendenning. I commend the fantastic work it does to support those in need throughout New South Wales. My staff and I made the trip to the Foodbank facility and were prepared to roll up our sleeves and give a helping hand for the day. We have done that for several years and it is always a rewarding experience for everyone involved. Foodbank acts as the pantry to the charity sector and aims to make sure that all Australians have access to good quality food despite their circumstances. Foodbank supports a broad range of age groups from all different walks of life. Whilst each person's situation is unique in its own right, Foodbank works tirelessly to ensure that everyone who is experiencing food insecurity are supported.

As outlined in the recent Foodbank Hunger Report, one in six adults in New South Wales have not had enough to eat in the past year; 371,600 children in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory have also gone hungry in the past year. These are unfortunate statistics. Thankfully, Foodbank provides relief to more than 339,000 people every month—many from my electorate—sourcing the equivalent of 86.7 million meals across the country. That work makes a positive difference to the lives of many Australians. Foodbank also does amazing work for schoolchildren throughout Australia, particularly schools in my electorate and surrounding electorates.

Its School Breakfast Program ensures that students are provided with fresh and nutritious meals, which helps them to stay focused during the school day. Thanks to this wonderful initiative, students generally report feeling less hungry, being happier throughout the day and having more energy to learn. Foodbank not only works alongside over 2,500 school breakfast programs throughout Australia to provide meals to schoolkids but also partners with just under 3,000 frontline charities to distribute meals. That is all possible thanks to the generosity of individuals, businesses, community organisations, schools and the Government, who all donate generously to support this cause.

On the day, my staff and I packed fresh vegetables and ensured they were ready to be enjoyed by those in need. Whilst my staff and I definitely worked up a sweat, the work extremely benefits people impacted by hunger across New South Wales. Foodbank would not be able to do that fantastic work without the help of its volunteers. I thank each one of them for their work. It was also interesting to hear about what goes in the daily operations of running such a large charity organisation. The Foodbank team is efficient and ensures that resources are readily available to those in need. Its teams and processes are well organised.

Foodbank is involved in food collection, and the sorting and storage process. It then distributes the food by partnering with agencies and schools throughout the State—some of which are in my electorate—which helps those in times of crisis. Not only does its work support communities right across the State but also it saves millions of kilograms of edible food from landfill. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Foodbank again rose to the challenge and provided for countless Australians who were in need, some of them for the very first time. I thank the team for their efforts during that difficult period.

I thank the CEO of Foodbank, former member of this House John Robertson, and his fantastic team and board of directors along with the many volunteers. They ensure that those in need across New South Wales are well supported, and for that we celebrate their efforts. I also thank the New South Wales Government for its continued support and sponsorship over several years. It is important that, as a government, we do what we can to ensure that organisations like Foodbank continue to do the work they do in our communities. I wish the Foodbank team all the very best for the coming year. I look forward to returning alongside my staff next year to continue to support the work of this wonderful organisation.