IFDA Urges Immediate Action on Food Security, Transport Infrastructure, and Fair Access to Government Support
Following three years of sustained advocacy, IFDA welcomes the Prime Minister’s agreement to develop a National Food Security Strategy. This is a crucial step forward, and we thank our industry partners and government stakeholders for supporting this outcome. However, with supply chain disruptions becoming more frequent and geopolitical uncertainty rising, the proposed two-year timeline for developing the strategy is simply too long. The urgency is real; Australia’s food supply chains must remain open and protected to ensure continued access to essential goods for communities and businesses across the country.
We were also pleased to speak with the Hon. Catherine King MP, Federal Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, about the need for resilient and upgraded transport networks. IFDA members operate more than 2,000 trucks daily, delivering food to Australians. Maintaining clear, consistent communication on infrastructure planning and addressing logistics challenges is vital. We thank Minister King’s office for their follow-up engagement and ongoing discussions in this space. Also in attendance was ACCI’s Head of Policy, David Alexander, underscoring the cross-industry importance of these issues.
Separately, IFDA is deeply concerned about the federal government’s $50 million food subsidy scheme for remote Indigenous communities, which is being delivered exclusively through its own entity, ‘Outback Stores’, without a competitive tender process. Excluding private wholesalers from this scheme undermines the critical role our members play in remote food supply and raises serious questions around procurement fairness. Our analysis shows that private operators could deliver food at lower costs, helping communities more effectively while supporting a healthy, competitive supply chain.
We call on the government to immediately include the private sector in this scheme and to recognise our essential role in ensuring food security for all Australians, including those in remote areas. To date, Indigenous Affairs Minister Senator Malarndirri McCarthy has not met with IFDA to discuss these concerns, but we remain open and ready for constructive dialogue.