Australia’s food security to be put under the microscope

A parliamentary inquiry will examine if flooding, a war in Europe and climate change puts Australian consumers at risk.

Widespread flooding, a war in Europe and a pandemic have prompted a parliamentary committee to put the spotlight on Australia’s food security.

Despite being one of the most food-secure nations in the world, the committee has been given the green light by Agriculture Minister Murray Watt to examine national food production and consumption, food exports and access to agricultural inputs such as fuel, fertiliser and labour.

The inquiry has been launched amid a backdrop of record high prices for fertiliser, chemicals and diesel due to the effect of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on global supply chains.

The effect of supply-chain disruptions on the cost and availability of food and the potential threats of climate change on food production will also be assessed.

NSW federal Labor MP Meryl Swanson, who represents the seat of Paterson in the lower Hunter Valley, said food security was an issue domestically and overseas, and “recent events such as the pandemic and widespread floods have shown that we cannot take anything for granted”.

“Input shortages and disruptions to the global supply chains that Australian producers depend on are likely to have a significant impact on the productivity and profitability of the sector. More importantly, these factors will have a direct impact on the cost of living for all Australians,” Ms Swanson said.

Empty shelves at a Coles supermarket in inner Melbourne in January this year. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

The inquiry is at odds with a Department of Agriculture report published in 2020 that said concerns about food security in Australia were “misplaced”.

Australia was one of the most food-secure countries in the world, the report said, producing much more food than it consumed.

Australia exports about 70 per cent of its agricultural production, and imports just 11 per cent of the food we consume, most of which is counter-seasonal fresh produce and manufactured food items.

While they caused alarm, empty supermarket shelves during the pandemic were the result of logistics taking time to adapt to the unexpected surge in purchasing, “and not an indication of food shortages”, the report said.

But the National Food Supply Chain Alliance has welcomed the inquiry as a chance to develop a national food supply chain strategy.

NFSCA spokesman Richard Forbes said the proposed strategy would protect Australian consumers from ongoing global and domestic disruptions, helping stabilise food prices and provide consistent access to food for domestic consumption.

“The threat to Australia’s national food supply chain, sparked by the pandemic, current geopolitical tensions, the threat of a global recession plus the ongoing threat of natural disasters due to climate change, have highlighted the nation’s vulnerability to both domestic and global factors … If there was ever a time to develop and implement a national food supply chain strategy, it is now,” Mr Forbes said.

The inquiry is calling for submissions until December 9.