Food insecurity is on the rise in Australia. We need more effective responses

Food insecurity is an increasing concern in Australia, with a rise of around 40% in severe food insecurity between 2020 and 2024, according to an analysis of Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey data. This is a growing problem, especially for single-parent families with children, but risks have also increased for other families.

Food insecurity is difficult to measure, as people experience it in different ways, such as worrying about not having enough food, cutting back on some foods, skipping meals, or going without eating altogether. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) developed an internationally comparable measure using eight questions about people's experiences with food insecurity, which was included in the 2020 and 2024 HILDA surveys, with responses from around 15,000 people.

The analysis found that severe food insecurity increased significantly in Perth, Adelaide, Sydney, and Melbourne, while it decreased slightly in Brisbane. Single-parent families with children experienced the highest level of severe food insecurity, increasing from 11.57% to 13.68%, followed by couples with children, where food insecurity jumped almost 87%.

Better evidence and data are crucial for addressing food insecurity and designing effective policies to support those most at risk.