Tens of hundreds of Australians are falling by means of the cracks every month in what’s being labelled a “nationwide emergency hiding in plain sight”.
OzHarvest’s current survey of frontline charities has revealed that fifty,000 people are being turned away from meals charities every month this yr — a 54 p.c rise from the 32,467 people turned away per thirty days in 2024.
It discovered 31 per cent of individuals looking for meals help have been doing so for the primary time, with households and single dad and mom being the most important teams.
“This can be a nationwide emergency hiding in plain sight,” OzHarvest founder Ronni Kahn mentioned.
“We’re within the midst of a nationwide meals safety disaster.
“Pushed by the escalating price of residing, stagnant wages, and surging housing prices and power payments, Australians are sacrificing meals simply to get by.”
The survey indicated that 77 p.c of charities famous a rise within the variety of individuals needing meals final yr, with 72 p.c of charities requiring extra meals to fulfill demand.
South Australia noticed the best surge in demand of 82 per cent, adopted by Victoria with 81 per cent, Queensland with 79 per cent and New South Wales with 78 per cent.
“Each day we’re out in communities throughout Australia supporting 1550 charities which can be stretched past their limits, because the hole between demand and assets retains widening,” Kahn mentioned.
“As well as, we have now 1200 charities on the waitlist to obtain meals.”
OzHarvest is looking for the federal government to create a minister for meals place to coordinate meals safety, meals waste and meals system options.
The organisation is asking for sustainable and ongoing funding for important meals rescue and reduction, and significant cost-of-living interventions.
“The maths is heartbreaking. Our sector offers 160 million meals yearly, nevertheless it’s nowhere close to sufficient,” Kahn mentioned.
“Authorities failure to assist these doing it hardest is deeply disappointing.
“This disaster calls for speedy motion — we’d like funding to feed individuals immediately, however we’d like management and coverage change to make sure nobody goes hungry tomorrow.
“That is above politics — that is individuals’s lives.”
