Australia is facing a deepening food security crisis, with 3.7 million households grappling with the challenge of putting enough food on their tables over the past year. This staggering figure reflects an increase of nearly 350,000 households compared to the preceding year, as outlined in Foodbank’s latest annual hunger report.
Of these households, more than 2.3 million are classified as “severely food insecure,” indicating they are actively experiencing hunger, reducing their food intake, skipping meals, or even enduring entire days without sustenance.
The disconcerting findings are based on a survey conducted in July, encompassing responses from 4,342 participants. In comparison to the previous year, approximately 383,000 additional households have struggled to access adequate sustenance.
The most significant driver of this escalating food insecurity crisis is the unrelenting cost-of-living surge, with a staggering 77% of households identifying it as the primary reason, marking a substantial increase from the 64% reported in 2022. Low-income employment and inadequate welfare payments were the next leading contributors, with 42% of respondents citing these factors.
A striking revelation from the report is that over half, specifically 60%, of all food-insecure households have at least one member engaged in paid employment.
One case exemplifying this crisis is that of Micheal Coe. He lost his job in December due to ongoing seizures, and his wife became the primary breadwinner for their family of five, consisting of three children aged nine, seven, and four. Despite his wife’s part-time income and Coe’s disability pension, the family struggled to afford sufficient food.
Coe expressed his concerns about the high cost of living and rental expenses, emphasizing the difficulty of obtaining housing security in such conditions. He called for increased rent assistance or measures to curtail excessive property investments to alleviate the financial burden on families like his.
Brianna Casey, CEO of Foodbank Australia, underscored the gravity of the situation, characterizing it as “the midst of a food security crisis.” She emphasized that an alarming 77% of those experiencing food insecurity were doing so for the first time, with the trend skewing toward younger demographics, individuals with mid to high incomes, and those holding jobs.
While the number of households experiencing chronic food insecurity remained steady at approximately 750,000, Casey pointed out shifts in people’s shopping habits, with 48% of respondents reporting reductions in purchases of fresh produce and protein. These changes can have significant consequences for public health.
Should the current trajectory persist, Casey warned that by the end of 2023, half of Australia’s population may have encountered varying degrees of difficulty in fulfilling their food requirements. She lamented the fact that individuals now require at least one and a half, if not two, full-time jobs or equivalent income sources to meet bills that a single job previously covered. This unsettling situation calls for immediate attention and action to address the pressing issue of food insecurity in the nation.