G21 Regional Forum to discuss food insecurity

THE final program for this year’s G21 Regional Forum has been confirmed, with one of the sessions dedicated to food security and food insecurity.

According to the United Nations, food security can be defined as “when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life”.

Food insecurity is the absence of this, and Geelong Food Relief chief executive officer Andrew Schauble’s talk on the issue and what can be done about it will headline session two of the G21 Regional Forum.

In its submission in July to the state government’s inquiry into food security in Victoria, the centre noted it distributed 95 tonnes of food a month across the five municipalities in the G21 region and supported well over 20,000 people weekly, and had increased food distribution by 33 per cent in the 2023-24 financial year compared to the previous year.

“In the G21 region, when you look at people who are struggling financially, that has significantly risen over the past four years, and that of course has an impact on their physical and mental health, which is really part of what the challenge is,” Mr Schauble said this week.

“It’s about recognising that food forms a significant basis around people’s lives, around relationships, and how food is an enabler to support people with other issues as well.”

He said the Geelong Food Relief Centre’s voucher system was important and effective, as some people just needed food relief.

“But we also believe it’s really important, through a lot of the agencies that we deal with, that there are wraparound supports provided, because food is often just one small element in a much bigger picture that is going on in people’s lives.”

Hosted by ABC journalist Tamara Oudyn, the program comprises:

• 9.30am: Keynote speaker – Dr Norman Swan, with an address titled “Mind the Gap”
• 10.15am: Session one – “State of Mind: Mental health in the G21 region”, a panel hosted by Dr Norman Swan and featuring Barwon Health clinical director and Deakin University professor Dr Steve Moylan, First Nations advocate and Wanyaari business development director Kaley Nicholson and Geelong YMCA CEO and Geelong & District Youth Services CEO Shona Eland
• 12 noon: Session two – “Food Security: a high price to pay”, featuring Geelong Food Relief CEO Andrew Schauble and a special presentation from Cottage by the Sea
• 2.10pm: Session three – “Building Our Resilience”, featuring “Water Matters: Future-proofing a precious resource” with Barwon Water chair Jo Plummer; “The Creative Connection” with panellists Back to Back Theatre CEO Tim Stitz, Geelong Arts Centre CEO Rhys Holden, First Nations artist and community builder Kiri Tawhai and Regional Arts Victoria’s Stacie Bobele; and a special performance from Anna-Lee Robertson, Kym Dillon and Gorgi Coghlan from their coming show Song Birds.

Tickets for the G21 Regional Forum, to be held at the RACV Torquay Resort on October 3, are now on sale.

For more information, head to g21.com.au