Reception in support of Foodbank Queensland

Minister the Honourable Di Farmer MP; Leader of the Opposition, Mrs Deb Frecklington MP, and Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Mr Tim Mander MP; Foodbank Queensland Chair, Mr Bob Newey, and CEO, Mr Michael Rose; supporters; ladies and gentlemen.

Kaye and I are delighted to host you all at Government House this evening, in support of Foodbank Queensland.

It has been an unpredictable and indeed unprecedented summer, and in recent weeks our Queensland communities in both the north and north-west of the State have felt the full force of historic floods.

As we all here know only too well, it is in times of need that Queenslanders come together to help their fellow communities repair and recover from such sudden, life-altering events.

In this instance we can blame the weather.

But the truth is there are many hundreds of Queenslanders who find themselves facing hard times each and every day, and Mother Nature has nothing to do with it.

For many different reasons, over the course of our lives, we may fall into hardship.

In fact, hunger impacts a wide range of groups in society, and it is certainly not restricted to the unemployed or the homeless.

That is why the work of Foodbank Queensland, and the spirit of community it has embodied since its foundation year in 1995, continue to remain so vital.

Foodbank’s warehouse in Brisbane may be the smallest of its capital city warehouses, but it provides the largest volume of food relief in Australia, feeding more than 197,000 disadvantaged men, women and children each month.

Sadly, more than 35 per cent of food recipients are children.

Quite a sobering statistic, I am sure you agree.

To that end, I make special mention of Foodbank’s truly outstanding School Breakfast programs.

Many of us probably cannot imagine facing the day without breakfast, let alone expecting our children to do the same.

That is why the school breakfast program is so essential – it helps our most vulnerable Queenslanders access the nutrition they need to better learn and grow.

Today, we are joined at Fernberg by people who all play a part in supporting those very same young Queenslanders.

To the food and grocery donors, financial donors, staff, volunteers and Foodbank’s Charity Heroes and Ambassadors, I sincerely thank you on behalf of all Queenslanders for the wonderful work you have done, and continue to do.

When I see people so keen to lend a helping hand when others are in need, I am always reminded that some organisations make this their objective every single day.

Foodbank Queensland is one such organisation, and for that we give our deepest thanks.

Thank you.