Tuesday, 12 November 2024

 Gaelle BROAD (Northern Victoria) (18:28): (1256) My adjournment is for the Minister for Carers and Volunteers as the minister responsible for community food relief under the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing. The action I seek is for the state government to ensure a more equitable distribution of funds by Foodbank Victoria to ensure that smaller regional communities like those serviced by Moira FoodShare are not forgotten. The cost-of-living crisis has seen a huge increase in the number of people accessing food bank services across rural and regional Victoria. Moira FoodShare provides emergency assistance through the distribution of free fresh and non-perishable food items to residents within the Moira and Berrigan shires. In the last financial year Moira FoodShare distributed the equivalent of over 200,000 kilograms of food through the support of one part-time coordinator and 50 passionate volunteers. I visited Moira FoodShare in Cobram last year with my Nationals colleague Tim McCurdy, member for Ovens Valley, and we saw firsthand the incredible work that James and the team do providing food and supplies to individuals and families who are in need. With the cost-of-living crisis, the need for food relief continues to grow, and while funds are being allocated to Foodbank Victoria, the relief is not filtering through to smaller rural communities. Unfortunately, not all areas are covered by the Regional Food Security Alliance and smaller areas like Moira FoodShare’s are missing out. Moira FoodShare is now looking to raise funds to find 250 patrons to donate every month to help them buy much-needed supplies, and I commend them for the action that they have taken. But the state government also needs to take action to ensure that Foodbank Victoria delivers support beyond the big cities and provides a fair share to smaller communities in northern Victoria as well.