90 SECOND STATEMENT: FOODBANK QUEENSLAND

I want to talk about an issue that’s particularly important as the Christmas holidays draw near, with some families doing it especially tough, and that’s food wastage.

Can I first say I’m proud to have once again partnered with Foodbank Queensland for their annual Christmas Donation drive. My office will be taking donations of non-perishable goods until December 12. Every donation will be going out to people in need this Christmas. Last year my office was inundated with generous donations and I want to thank the Bonner community for giving so freely.  No doubt my constituents’ generosity will shine through again this time around.

People can donate anything from canned vegetables, pasta sauce, rice, jams and spreads, tinned fruit, long life products and other non-perishable food items. 

It’s staggering that over 600,000 people in Australia—one third of them children—seek food relief from charities every month, while Australia produces enough food to feed 60 million people a year. Food wastage costs Australia $20 billion a year and seriously harms our environment.

That’s why this Government is developing a National Food Waste Strategy with the goal of halving food waste by 2030. I commend Foodbank for taking a leading role in the development of this National Food Waste Strategy. The Government is convening a National Food Waste summit next month and I look forward to some great outcomes from that.