By Benjamin Millar
A public backlash has forced the Federal government to reverse its decision to strip vital funding from a Yarraville-based charity, a cut that jeopardised more than $8 million worth of vital food relief.
Foodbank, a charity which helps feed 710,000 hungry Australians a month, slammed the government on Monday over a surprise decision to slash $323,000 per year from its funding.
Chief executive Brianna Casey said the decision to reduce annual funding from $750,000 to $427,000, announced just six weeks out from Christmas, had dumbfounded the charity.
“I just cannot fathom why this is happening at all, let alone at one of the most challenging times of year for vulnerable Australians and our drought-affected communities,” she said.
The cut was the third since 2014 and threatened to end the charity’s ‘Key Staples Program’, which ensures essential supplies such as rice, bread and vegetables get to people going hungry.
The decision was criticised by the opposition, the National Farmers Federation and even within the government’s own ranks.
Visiting Foodbank on Monday, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten called the funding cut ‘foolish’ and ‘a disaster’.
“When you can find $444 million for a Great Barrier Reef Foundation that didn’t even ask for the money, you’re prepared to give $17 million to big banks, why not give $323,000 to the Foodbank?”
More than 30,000 people signed online petitions demanding the cuts be reversed.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison defended the funding cuts on Monday, yet on Tuesday announced funding would be restored for at least four more years.
“I have listened and decided to increase the Food Relief budget by $1.5 million over the next 4.5 years and have asked the Minister to place more focus on relief in drought affected areas,” he stated via social media.
“This maintains Foodbank’s funding at $750,000 per year, with Second Bite and OzHarvest funded as announced last week.”
Ms Casey welcomed the backdown, labelling the reversal a “massive relief”.
“As a sector, we are trying to feed more than 4 million Australians, who at some point are struggling with food insecurity,” she told ABC.
Ms Casey said cutting Foodbank’s funding and splitting it between SecondBite and OzHarvest was the wrong approach.
“This is not the right sort of response for a whole-of-government challenge,” Ms Casey said.
Lobby group GetUp had joined the chorus of calls for the funding cuts to be reversed.
Senior campaigner Jake Wishart said thousands of people immediately called out the government for “this cruel cut”.
“We are a society that wants a country in which no one goes to bed hungry. Together we can make that happen.”
