‘We need help’: Foodbank hungry for state government support as grocery prices skyrocket

Australia’s largest hunger relief charity will raise its food handling cost for the first time in eight years – that’s unless the state government offers a bit of help.

Australia’s largest hunger relief charity is calling on the state government to provide urgent assistance to help cut the cost of grocery prices for those most at need.

For the first time in eight years, Foodbank plans to raise the cost of its handling fee at local Food Hubs unless the state government agrees to intervene.

It comes as the cost of some grocery items at South Australia’s major supermarkets has risen by up to 100 per cent in the past year, including sugar, dairy items and meat.

Foodbank chief executive Greg Pattinson said demand for assistance had risen by about 10 per cent across the state, with the charity expected to have distributed about eight million meals by the end of the financial year.

He said around $1.8m has been spent on grocery items in the past nine months, yet only 5 per cent of its funding was offset by the state government.

“We are baffled as to why there hasn’t been the level of support that other states get... and think support should be up at around the 20 to 30 per cent mark,” he said.

“We don’t want to be a government agency but we do think the government should have some skin in the game... as it would cost them about $30m a year to provide these services on their own.

“We need help over the next 12 months because the cost increases that are coming through are unprecedented and could significantly impact on our ability to get through to the people that need our help the most.”

Handling fees currently range from zero to $1.50 per kilogram depending on the product.

Mr Pattinson said the biggest increase in demand for food had been recorded in Murray Bridge, Whyalla and some of Adelaide’s more affluent eastern suburbs.

“The stereotype of (world hunger) only happens to the poor doesn’t apply anymore,” he said.

South Australian Council of Social Service chief executive Ross Womersley said the state’s hunger crisis was “the canary in the coal mine” of growing cost of living pressures.

“Their income is simply not keeping up with the sheer cost of living and paying for groceries in one part of that,” he said.

“We’re also seeing a rise in rent and petrol prices rising and all of that is accumulating into one big household cost... so urgent government assistance is needed.”

Human Services Minister Nat Cook said the government had no plans to increase support payments for Foodbank.

“Foodbank works in partnership with community service organisations to provide material support to the SA community, and was provided funding of $256,000 by the SA government in 2021-22,” she said.

“Similar levels of funding are committed for the next two years.”