Submission: Federal Parliamentary Inquiry into food security in Australia

Description

My submission focused on 6 key areas being: food is a human right, food security is a socially-embedded concept, rural and remote communities are less food secure, food insecurity and socio-economic disadvantage, Indigenous Food Security, agricultural production in Australia in an era of climate change and global flux. I made 8 recommendations. I made 8 recommendations:
Legislate the right to food in Australia and embed it into all relevant Government policies, budgeting processes and activities.
2. Increase social protection incomes to a level that at least meets the minimum costs of living and is above the poverty line
3. Invest in regional small-scale agricultural production and regional food systems to provide integration, networked markets, and actively work to dismantle the ‘funnel in’ urban centralised model of food production
4. Legislate for diversification in the Australia food system by purposefully dismantling the structures that allow for a supermarket duopoly and concentrated food markets
5. Acknowledge that food production is a driver of climate change. As such, agricultural policy and planning must transition away from unsustainable practices and commodities towards an agricultural sector designed for limiting global warming to 1.5C
6. Ensure a ministerial responsibility for the right to food, by introducing a Minister for Food and a domestic cross-sectoral food security portfolio
7. Develop food security programs that are Indigenous-designed and led, ongoing, sustainable, coordinated and cross-sectoral and based in Indigenous worldviews and values.
8. Design and plan for urban food security by strengthening peri-urban and urban food production, through collaboration and funding that cuts across Federal, State and local government


Terms of the Inquiry:
The Committee will inquire into and report on strengthening and safeguarding food security in Australia, including examining: National production, consumption and export of food; Access to key inputs such as fuel, fertiliser and labour, and their impact on production costs; The impact of supply chain distribution on the cost and availability of food; and The potential opportunities and threats of climate change on food production in Australia.

Period	2022 → …
Degree of Recognition	National