A shocking reality is unfolding in Australia: a staggering 20% of households are grappling with severe food insecurity. This means they're regularly skipping meals or going entire days without eating. The 2025 Foodbank Hunger Report paints a stark picture of the struggles many Australians face just to put food on the table.
Take Leah Potter, a Darwin resident, for example. After breaking her leg and pausing work, she's had to meticulously budget her grocery shopping.
"I have this strict budget — when I'm not working — of how much money I can spend on food each week, and that doesn't change," she explains. But when delivery fees for her groceries jumped from $10 to $18, she was forced to cut back on the food itself.
And this is the part most people miss: Even small increases in the cost of living can have a huge impact. Leah has resorted to cost-saving measures, like cutting meat from her diet. She's also noticed that 'half-price specials' are now priced like full-price items used to be.
Ms. Potter also runs a soup kitchen, and she's observed a shift in the people seeking help. "We used to mostly see desperately poor-looking homeless people, now we're getting families, people you wouldn't expect at a homeless kitchen," she notes.
Food Insecurity: A Growing Problem
The 2025 Hunger Report reveals that the situation is worsening. The 20% of households experiencing severe food insecurity is up from the previous year. The report also found that almost one in two renting households and one in five households with incomes over $91,000 have faced food insecurity in the past year. Overall, almost 3.5 million Australians are struggling to afford food.
Jack Barrett, Foodbank Darwin manager, sees a diverse range of people at the local hub. He emphasizes that food insecurity manifests in various ways, often involving difficult choices about nutrition or skipping meals. He adds, "In many cases, it's parents that will sacrifice for their children." The Darwin hub has been particularly busy, especially over the past year. Remarkably, 60% of households using Foodbank have some form of employment.
Are Current Measures Enough?
The cost of living was a major issue in the May federal election, with the government introducing measures to help with energy bills and Medicare levies. But, according to the Hunger Report, these measures haven't translated into more food on the table. Foodbank Australia's chief executive, Kylea Tink, states that hunger in Australia is now "mainstream." She highlights that the government's cost-of-living initiatives haven't significantly improved people's ability to afford food, even if they helped with other expenses.
Foodbank is urging the government to implement tax incentives to encourage farmers, growers, and manufacturers to donate surplus edible produce, instead of sending it to landfills. Ms. Tink emphasizes that Australians are skipping meals and worrying about what to put in their children's lunchboxes.
What are your thoughts? Do you think the current government measures are sufficient to tackle food insecurity? What more could be done to help struggling families and individuals? Share your opinions in the comments below!
