By Karen Poh
MORE than 6000 adults in Hobsons Bay went hungry last year, according to reports by ISIS Primary Care.
The November 2007 First Steps to Improving Food Security in Hobsons Bay report revealed that 7.8 per cent of adult residents ran out of food or could not afford to buy more food.
This figure is higher than the 6.4 per cent recorded in the northern and western metropolitan region, and the 6.1 per cent Victorian average.
The figure does not take into account children, which suggests more people could be going without food than research shows.
Many underlying factors affected food supply and food access, according to ISIS Primary Care health promotion co-ordinator Anne Brown.
“The biggest barrier for people in our research was the cost of food as well as the physical lack of shops to provide it,” she said.
A follow-up report published in January identified Laverton as one of the most-effected areas.
The suburb has a high proportion of low-income households, early school-leavers and single-parent families, and “any one of which could lead to difficulties in accessing a nutritionally adequate diet”, the Laverton Food Security Research and Modelling Report said.
The suburb is divided by the railway line and the Princes Freeway.
There are few food outlets north of the railway line, three of which are fast food outlets, two are milk bars and one a small supermarket with a limited variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, the report found.
Hobsons Bay mayor Bill Baarini said increased food prices were putting nutritious food out of the reach of many families.
“The ability to access cheap, nutritious food is something many of us take for granted,” Cr Baarini said.
“It’s an important issue that needs to be addressed, as poor access to safe and nutritious food has been linked to chronic illnesses such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases and cancer.”
The council has received $40,000 from the Department of Human Services to develop a policy to address hunger and poverty in the community.
Cr Baarini said the council was proactively involved in programs to improve the health and wellbeing of the community.
A Food Security Working Group and a Laverton Food Security Working Group have been established to guide the council’s policy.
Initiatives already in place include Meals on Wheels, the Kids Go for Your Life program, Healthy Choices for Children, and the Cafe Meals program.
“Through these programs and policies the council will continue to address the issue of food insecurity and work towards making healthy food more accessible to the wider community,” Cr Baarini said.
Residents in need of emergency relief, such as food and travel vouchers, food parcels, community lunches, clothing and financial assistance with bills, can get in touch with the nearest emergency relief provider:
– Laverton: Laverton Community Centre, corner Crown St and Railway Avenue, 9369 4866.
– Altona: Salvation Army, 108 Queen St, 9398 1750.
– Williamstown: Holy Trinity Church Hall, corner Pasco and Aitken streets, 0423 195 781
– Altona North: Walker Close Community Centre, 180 Millers Rd, 9318 0521 or 0423 195 781.
