The Tasmanian Liberal Government wants to ensure that all Tasmanians have access to healthy and nutritious food in their local communities when they need it, across the State.
We know there are people doing it tough that need our support, which is why we have provided record funding for emergency food relief in recent years.
Today, it was my pleasure to again visit Foodbank Tasmania, which plays an important role in the community as one of Tasmania’s vital emergency food relief distributors.
Since 2018, our Government has provided more than $1 million in funding to Foodbank, as well as increasing funding for the essential services of Gran’s Van, Loui’s Van and Mission Beat to serve our community.
This is on top of our $1.4 million commitment to extend our successful School Lunch Pilot to 30 schools, to build more connected and resilient communities, across Tasmania and across generations.
We acknowledge that for people experiencing disadvantage, dealing with the costs of living can be particularly difficult, and our Food Resilience to Food Security Action Plan, which is out now for public consultation, is part of our further supports to help people move out of the cycle of disadvantage by tackling the barriers they face.
The Action Plan will encourage further collaboration across organisations, which is essential to ensure the ongoing success of emergency food relief in Tasmania.
I thank the team at Foodbank Tasmania, along with everyone in our community sector, for working together to co-ordinate the production and delivery of food for Tasmanians in need, where and when they need it.
The Food Relief to Food Resilience Action Plan is available at https://www.communities.tas.gov.au/csr/policy/Policy_Work/food-relief-to-food-resilience-tasmanian-food-security-strategy-2021-2021
Consultation is open until 31 July 2022 and submissions can be made at: https://www.communities.tas.gov.au/newsroom/public-consultation-food-relief-to-food-resilience-action-plan