• Tara, this article is brilliant. Agree with every word. - Nicole Madigan
  • Santorini..... - Katherine Basher
  • Very moving. Everyone I know who had done this has been touched by it. - Jo
  • Wonderful. I always ask myself will someone die if I fuck up? Will it matter in 3 months? And who fucking cares? Works for me. The swearing part is important apparently. ;-) x - Michaela C
  • Our focus on women and children and their difficulties ignores the elephant in the room. Where is the father/partner in this equation? Where is the support, financial responsibilty, active participation and general parental sharing by partners/fathers? Where are they all? Why has the focus on women and children left them invisible and unaccountable? Is it because we don't expect men to take care of their responsibilities, or is it too hard any issue to deal with? I fully acknowledge that there are many exceptions, including death of a partner, abuse and violence, and other diverse reasons, but is there no way we can broaden the debate to include the responsibilities of partners/fathers? Just a thought. - Nel Matheson
  • Can we please clarify that not all single parent families were moved from PPS to Newstart - only those who were grandfathered by the Howard government when they brought in the changes many moons ago. It was Howard and his cronies that singled out and privileged a group of single parents, allowing them to recevie more than anyone in similar circumstances who didn't benefit from the grandfathering, or never received PPS in the first place (Not everyone's marriage ends before their youngest child turns eight). While I don't believe that Newstart is sufficient to live on and raise children easily I am very much against this focus that has been placed and what is in reality a small group of people. How about fighting to put everyone on PPS or to increase Newstart rather than just a few. - Carz
  • Well spoken, Vanessay. I cringe when I hear people go on about single mothers. As if it's only the mothers who deserve the social stigmatization and the husbands, boyfriends, partners don't. And as if the two parent family is so perfect. As if no two parent family lives off the taxpayer or eats junk food. But more important than the social stigma that attaches itself to their children is the poverty that disadvantages them and how it can be transmitted to the next generation. Many single mothers are close to the bread line and that's not good enough. Do we want them on the street? How would that look? It's no better than kicking someone when they're down. Un-Australian. - Rhoda
  • I was just going to comment on the same thing! I worked on my first Apple computer in 1989, aged 20 - and they have the hide to say over 40 is too old to learn? We've "grown up" with computers too - they just can't do the maths. - HellB
  • We give aid to overseas countries to strengthen the education of women and female children so that future generations in those countries are not raised in poverty. The single most important factor contributing to low birth rate is education, yet we defund single mums in our own country so that their education and that of their children remains at a low level thereby perpetuating the poverty/ young mother cycle. Three stories from my life. Mother A became a single Mum when her husband was killed crossing the road at work to get his lunch. Mother B became a single M um when her husband was stung by numerous large ants while at work (anaphylactic shock) and Mother C's husband said "goodbye, I love you, I'll see you tonight" and got on a plane, flew interstate and texted her to tell her he'd had enough. That Mum has 5 kids, one with a disability. Furthermore, the waiting rooms of the oncology and specialties dealing with kids with disabilities like autism at the Children's Hospitals are full of single Mums whose partners have "had enough". There are also women and children who will lose their lives because they are too afraid to leave abusive situations because of the this constant putting down of women who access benefits and fear that they will not be able to survive on the benefit if they are able to muster the courage to leave. These are the mums these government decisions are hurting, not the VERY few Mums who think they can keep having kids to keep getting benefits. People who are determined not to work will always find a way not to work. The whole thing is demeaning to single parents and to women in our "advanced" country. - vanessay
  • Great article. Regarding Newstart and the $35 a day question - I have experience of living on this and came across this equally relevant blogpost regarding the topic - http://50shadesofunemployment.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/australia-on-35-day.html - Antonio
 
11
Categories:  Must see, News and Opinion, Wellbeing

FOOD. SHOW SOME RESPECT

By Jen Barwick
August 29, 2012

Food has an image problem.

And it’s not just about our expanding waistlines, or our warring supermarkets and the damage they’re doing to our milk industry.

It’s about food’s role in our society, its future and that we take for granted that it will always be there for the eating.

Given all the attention that Australia’s mining boom and its earnings generate, one might be forgiven for thinking that we’d be better off ditching our weet-bix for a bowl of coal.

But a little-recognised fact is that Australia’s agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors have significantly outstripped their fellow manufacturing, mining and retail sectors in terms of productivity growth for the past 15 years.

What this means is despite this nation continually underestimating its real value, the people responsible for delivering the food have been doing their job extremely well for a really long time.

Its continued success, however, is not a certainty. Recent events such as Facet 2012 have raised the spectre that Australia’s food future isn’t as assured as we might like to believe.

Even the Federal Government now admits it hasn’t done enough to acknowledge the importance of food – and all that it encompasses.

So, it’s developing a National Food Plan, which it hopes will produce its first “integrated approach to food-related policies and programs for the benefit of food businesses and consumers”.

It’s a tad mind-boggling that it’s taken to 2012 before someone in the government backrooms thought it appropriate to set up a plan to protect the nation’s food security but perhaps we only have ourselves to blame.

Most of us can acknowledge it’s rather vital in our ability to, you know, live. But, what about its role in other ‘little’ matters of national interest?

Did you know that some 2 million Australians needed food relief last year?

More than 90 percent of all the fresh produce sold in Australia is grown in Australia. With such a high level of access to fresh food why are people in our own towns and cities unable to afford it?

Have you ever fired up the barbecue on a weekend and thought that 60 percent of Australia’s land mass is being managed by farmers? That’s a massive responsibility, which needs constant investment, as well as ongoing innovation to accommodate the many challenges thrown their way.

When was the last time you cleaned out your fridge – adding to the 351kg of food waste every Aussie generates each year – and considered how many people, worldwide, rely on Australia’s ability to feed them? It’s 60 million people worldwide, by the way, who are fed by Australian agriculture and fisheries.

A further 400 million people are helped through Australian-generated agricultural development programs.

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11 Responses to this article

  1. Marnie August 29, 2012 Reply
     
     

    I get really angry when I see farmers ploughing their produce back in to the land because it costs more to grow it than sell it. When I see farmers shooting stock during drought because they can no longer feed them. Sure, they have to sell them cheap to the wholesellers because if they didn’t all the middlemen wouldn’t make a profit, but hey! what about us?? We can’t afford to buy them at exorbitant end prices but we can sure afford to buy them direct AND the farmer can make a profit. Farmer’s markets are great but limited to small farm holdings. Come on, get your thinking caps on. We need to get produce to the table from the farm without the middlemen, then we ALL win.

     
  2. Ms Adelaide August 29, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Are you seriously saying “you get angry with farmers”, Marnie? OMG did you read the piece properly? Just read the headline again, and it will give you some clues. What kind of milk do you buy? I’m guessing you do not know too many farmers then. I do not know quite where to start but it does completely confirm what this article is essentially about, the disconnect between the city and the country is a political nightmare of massive proportions. I have been worrying about this for a long time. It goes far deeper than food security. Rural Australia is our sustainable goldmine but too many people now grow up with no connection to the land and with every expectation that they are entitled to good, safe, ethical food at ‘cheap as chips’ prices. NO – YOU SHOULD EARN IT, THE FARMER SHOULD NOT SUBSIDISE YOU.

     
    • Jay August 31, 2012 Reply
       
       

      Well said Ms Adelaide!! I wholeheartedly agree. Such a concern and something needs to be done!

       
  3. Les Parsons August 29, 2012 Reply
     
     

    When you see the damage being done to farmers by Coles and Woolworths, and companies such as McCain also reducing farmers income to below cost it makes one’s blood boil. Their filling the shelves with their Own Brand, which leaves an opening to using overses foods. Heinz closing their plant in Victoria and going to NZ which has a free trade agreement with Australia which will allow them to import from Asia and state Made in NZ, which could only be the label. It requires a re-think on how to supply to the consumer from the Federal Government downwards.While ever the consumer purchases the cheap milk ( which has 17% cheese byproduct added) and other cheap food products produced by our farmers in the price war between Coles and Woolworths, they are helping to destroy our farmers.

     
  4. Margaret August 29, 2012 Reply
     
     

    I have blogged about signing up to Aussie Farmers before. http://www.aussiefarmers.com.au/
    Love all the fresh produce delivered to our door. Milk (real milk), cheese,yoghurt, eggs and meat. All fresh and keeps for ages, no more throwing out the rotten fruit and veg. We also give a small weekly donation to the farmers. Love it. We are fussy eaters, so if they please us they are doinjg plenty right! All the produce comes from the east coast, so the food miles are less and the produce deliciously seasonal.

     
    • The Huntress August 29, 2012 Reply
       
       

      I’m with you, Margaret! I love Aussie Farmers and get most of our weekly groceries delivered by them. Not only do we get to support our local farmers, we don’t have to endure the hellpit of the supermarket and we ALWAYS have fresh food on hand to knock a meal up, no matter what. If more people got on board Aussie Farmers we could better support our farmers and we get better quality, better priced produce. It’s a win/win!

      Plus I love chatting to my Aussie Farmers man, Brian. He’s so nice and always puts a smile on my face :)

       
  5. catecat August 29, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Thank you so much for this article!
    About time for a National Food Plan, but in the meantime a big cheer for groups which have already started to do something (eg Food Connect and Aussie Farmers) as well as Stephanie Alexander’s Kitchen Garden school programme (which is helping to set kids straight about where yogurt comes from.

     
  6. Tracy August 29, 2012 Reply
     
     

    We think Jen is just a great writer and we want hear more. Love your secret admirers

     
  7. Rhoda August 29, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Glad this is finally on someone’s agenda. I worry most about prime farming land going under to suburban landscapes and then there’s coal seam gas – 3000 wells and 400000 projected – that’s in Queensland alone. A nightmare. I refuse to buy gas now and greenies should be doing their homework on this subject. It’s a terrible worry to anyone in the food industry or to anyone reliant on our rivers and streams.

    And I never go into a supermarket if I can help it – there’s not much there that can be classed as proper food. A whole aisle devoted to soft drink. Another one devoted to cleaning products. Packets of this and cans of that – from heaven knows where. You’ve got to be kidding.

    I grow a lot of my own food. It’s not rocket science. Does require a bit of organic fertilizer and some weeding – water is the big thing. If we can’t afford water we can’t afford to grow our own.

    A National Food Plan has to consider both these issues or won’t be fair dinkum.

     
  8. Rhoda August 29, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Sorry, that was 40 000 coal seam gas wells – not 400 000.

     
  9. Sara September 1, 2012 Reply
     
     

    Thanks Jen. I love reading this type of article on the Hoopla.

     

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  • Nicole Madigan: Tara, this article is brilliant. Agree with every word.

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