The Legislative Council Legal and Social Issues Committee (LSC) is conducting an important Inquiry into food security in Victoria. Sustain welcomes this Inquiry. Large numbers of Victorians are experiencing hardship and distress amidst one of the worst cost of living crises in recent memory. The burden of rapidly rising housing costs combined with sustained food price inflation place growing pressure on household food budgets. Food relief agencies report unprecedented demand for their services.

It is not an exaggeration to say that there is a hidden food poverty crisis in Victoria and the state government needs to take strong and effective action as a matter of high priority. This Inquiry is an important first step as it will provide front-line agencies and Victorians - especially those with lived experience of food poverty and food insecurity - to make their experiences and views known to inform the recommendations that the LSC will make in its report due in late November this year.

Submissions are due by 26th July. Sustain has provided a detailed Guidance note for all organisations and individuals in Victoria wanting to make their views and perspectives known to the Committee members.

We are hosting this webinar with Sustain member organisations, the City of Greater Bendigo and the Give Where You Live Foundation, both of whom have worked for many years to strengthen food security and dignified access for community members in the Greater Bendigo and G21 regions respectively. Give Where You Live Foundation will be represented by Kerry Farrance, Head of Design and Evaluation, and the City of Greater Bendigo by Rebecca Dalrymple, Food Systems Officer. The webinar will be facilitated by Dr Nick Rose, Executive Director of Sustain.

The purpose of the webinar is first, to share with our members, supporters and the broader Victorian community some key statistics and research from Greater Bendigo and the G21 on the scale and nature of the issue of food poverty and food insecurity; secondly, the types of locally-driven and community-led solutions and responses; and thirdly, what policy, financing and other actions need to be taken by the Victorian government to address this growing social problem that is causing so much suffering throughout the state.

We invite frontline agencies and anyone who works in the food relief sector as well as all Victorians concerned about food security to join this webinar and share your views and experiences.

This is a free webinar - donations to our work as a health promotion charity (DGR1) are appreciated.

Just Food Collective

Joining Rebecca and Kerry will be members of the Just Food Collective. This youth and student-led food justice organisation, formed in 2021, is doing outstanding work providing dignified access to excellent food with the support of the City of Melbourne and RMIT University Student Union.

Well Fed: A Student Project was developed by Just Food Collective after a year-long research campaign in 2022 exploring student food insecurity. After receiving funding from City of Melbourne, Just Food Collective is spending two years working on dignified ways to alleviate the isolating effects of being a student during the cost of living crisis and loneliness epidemic.

Project coordinators Savannah and Patrick understand that they will always be battling the dichotomy of creating systemic change and supplying tangible goods in the present moment.

Just Food Collective Coordinators — Savannah Supski & Patrick McMillan - Coordinators of the Well Fed project

The Well Fed project is divided into four distinct parts and key interventions:

Supplying students with free joyful, nourishing and delicious food
Hiring student interns and volunteers so they can gain work experience and create a network of friends – something we are noticing is very important for international students who are finding it especially hard to find casual employment at the moment
Raising awareness of student food security through state-wide advocacy efforts
Creating free programs and educational tools -like workshops and cheap and delicious recipes - for students and teachers to learn cooking, eating and growing skills