MINISTERIAL STATEMENT: Food Rescue Grant Program

Hon. MAJ SCANLON (Gaven—ALP) (Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef
and Minister for Science and Youth Affairs) (10.01 am):

Foodbank’s latest Hunger Report found that severe food insecurity has affected 21 per cent of households over the last 12 months. As the Premier mentioned, at the same time more than three million tonnes of edible food in Queensland is sent to the tip every year. We want to change that, which is why this government established the Food Rescue Grant Program. Today, I am pleased to join the Premier in announcing an additional $2.9 million to help food rescue organisations divert 2,993 tonnes of good food from landfill.

As the Premier announced, 10 organisations—many of which this chamber is familiar with—will
receive critical funding, including SecondBite in Morningside which will receive funding to upgrade their
freezer infrastructure and purchase a 14-pallet truck to increase the distribution of meals in South-East
Queensland. The organisation estimates that by June next year around 1,701 tonnes of food will be
saved from landfill because of this funding.

Groups like OzHarvest, Tony’s Community Kitchen and Foodbank will also purchase new trucks
through this funding, while Twin Rivers Community Care in Logan will now be able to expand their
space at Eagleby. Another group in the electorate of Bulimba, FareShare Australia, will receive funding
to produce foods with an increased shelf life for distribution to South-East Queensland and regional
Queensland. It is also good news for many other groups like: Fishers of Men in Logan, which will now
be able to buy a new food van with a pie warmer; the Mount Gravatt Community Centre’s food pantry;
Lighthouse Centre Deception Bay, which will increase its food rescue by up 50 per cent, stopping more
than 343 tonnes of food from going to landfill; and The Rock Family & Community Support in the
Redlands. I visited that particular facility with the member for Capalaba recently.

All of this is part of our plan to halve the amount of food waste generated in Queensland, divert
80 per cent of food-related organic material from landfill, and achieve a minimum organics recycling
rate of 70 per cent by 2030. Today’s announcement puts us one step closer to that. Importantly, it
provides support to local charities, Queenslanders and even businesses who will be engaged to deliver
new equipment. SecondBite acting CEO Lucy Coward said—

"One in five Aussies are affected by food insecurity.
"We know this can badly affect their physical, emotional and social wellbeing.
"Our partners use the rescued food for nourishing meals, emergency relief packages, community pantries and much more."

Cost-of-living pressures are being felt across the world, including in Queensland, and these
grants will make sure that we are not only providing good meals but also tackling some of the harmful
emissions from food waste.