Charities in Melbourne’s west, and country-wide, are being forced to turn away tens of thousands of hungry people, a new report on hunger in Australia has found.
Yarraville-based Foodbank Victoria says food insecurity in Australia has hit crisis point.
Its Foodbank Hunger Report, released last week, found one in six Australians had been unable to put food on their table at least once in the past 12 months.
More than 644,000 Australians now receive food relief each month – more than 133,000 people in Victoria alone – and a third of them are children.
The report noted an eight per cent annual increase in the number of people seeking food relief in 2015.
It also noted that more than 43,000 people were unable to be assisted by charities and community groups.
Foodbank Victoria chief executive Dave McNamara said those affected by food insecurity were not just people living rough on the streets.
“In a year when Foodbank Victoria increased food distribution by 31 per cent, it’s disconcerting to find that food security in Australia is now reaching a crisis point,” he said.
“The Hunger Report’s findings reinforce our need and commitment to fight hunger in Australia by distributing more food, to more people, in the areas of most need, more of the time.”
Foodbank Victoria last year donated almost eight million kilograms of food. That was insufficient, he said, but at least double the amount of food was needed for 2016s growing demand.
The report found food relief had a remarkably positive and far-reaching impact on people’s lives.
Mr McNamara said recipients reported longer-term benefits, such as improved physical health, being able to plan for the future and feeling better able to look for work or get a job.
Foodbank Australia chief executive Geoff Starr said the Australian notion of “a fair go for all” must include making sure everyone has enough to eat.
“It’s time to put the growing hunger problem on the national agenda. We’re calling on all Australians to join us and commit to the fight.”
Details: foodbank.org.au
