Address to the Food Policy and Regulation Forum

It’s my pleasure to be with you here today, alongside my colleague and fellow Tasmanian, Rebecca White.

Hobart’s waterfront, where we meet today, is a good place to be talking about food policy.

Not only is it a stunning backdrop, our surrounds today are a rich reflection of the food supply chain that Tasmania is globally recognised for.

As a proud Tasmanian I never take for granted living so close to such a varied, world class collection of producers.
And Tasmania is, in some ways, a good reflection of Australia itself. 

We are fortunate to be able to produce so much here, not only to feed ourselves, but to feed those around the world.

We are in this enviable position because of the innovation, productivity and resilience of our farmers, fishers, and processors.

Because of the hard work of our food producers, transport workers, retailers and exporters – and everyone right across the food supply chain.

And as a Government, we of course recognise the importance of strengthening our food supply chains.

But we also know how critical it is to support Australians right across the country to be able to access safe and nutritious food.

And we’ve always recognised that a conversation about food security must also be a conversation about nutritional security, public health and equity.

That’s what today is all about – working together on solutions that help to feed Australians.

And that’s what our National Food Security Strategy, which we are currently developing, is all about. 

Our strategy, Feeding Australia, will take a whole-of-system, long-term approach to strengthening the productivity, resilience and security of Australia’s food system.

And it recognises that food security is not just about whether enough food is produced.

The Feeding Australia consultation paper adopted the internationally recognised definition of food security from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, which states, “that food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.”

We heard from stakeholders about the importance of continuing to recognise the food security dimensions outlined in the FAO definition as the strategy is developed.

We’ve always been clear, Feeding Australia cannot be developed by Government alone.

Food security is experienced differently across households, communities and regions. 

The barriers people face, whether they relate to cost, resources, transport, health, culture or information, are best understood by the people closest to them.

That includes many of you in this room: people working across public health, food regulation, research, advocacy and Government.

People who understand how food systems affect health outcomes in practical and measurable ways.

That’s why co-design is central to our National Food Security Strategy.

We’ve already established the National Food Council, and received over 400 submissions during the initial public consultation phase. 

These were filled with constructive input from producers, retailers, researchers, public health experts, logistics providers, and community organisations.  

We are now well into the co-design phase, with workshops being held across the country, until June.

I am pleased that we have seen representation from public health across the workshops. 

We want to include as many voices as possible: producers, supply-chain providers, public health and nutrition experts, community groups, and consumers.

This approach reflects that the best solutions are those that are tested from different angles, and those that are shaped collaboratively.

Food security does not exist in a vacuum. 

Global events have all-too-real impacts as we are experiencing at the moment. 

We’re conscious that the current Middle East War is putting pressure on global supply chains and food production.

That includes the availability of inputs such as fuel and fertiliser, and the affordability of nutritious food for Australians. 

That’s why our Government has taken action to secure more fuel and fertiliser, including to help underwrite additional shipments of these critical inputs.

But this disruption we’re experiencing reinforces the importance of preparedness.

It has always been an important part of our plan, and recent events have sharpened our focus.

Global events such as this remind us that we are connected to global networks. 

They also remind us that resilience has to be built across the whole system, from inputs to production and processing, to transport, retail, affordability and household access. 

That’s why earlier this week the Prime Minister announced a new Australian Fuel Security and Resilience package, as part of next week’s Federal Budget.

This will provide more than $10 billion to secure Australia’s near-term fuel and fertiliser security, establish a permanent Government-owned Australian Fuel Security Reserve of around a billion litres, and lift the Minimum Stockholding Obligation by around 10 days for every type of fuel.

This is about boosting our domestic capabilities and keeping our food production systems moving.

Also central to our strategy, actions, and productivity is how we manage the changing climate.

Australia’s agricultural productivity has consistently outpaced climate impacts to date. 

This has been driven by strong research and development, farmer-led innovation and the rapid adoption of new technologies and practices.

But climate risks are increasing, across farms, fisheries, transport and processing. 

Managing these risks is now core business, not a future challenge. 

And the changing climate will also increase threats to our biosecurity system.

Which makes our Government’s significant investment of over $2 billion in additional biosecurity resourcing even more important.

The Government will continue to invest in agricultural research and innovation, supporting adaptation at the farm and system level, and ensuring food policy aligns with climate and environmental objectives.

Resilience is not just about surviving shocks. 

It’s about planning and maintaining productivity, affordability and access to safe and nutritious food over the long term.

Through investment, innovation and the hard work Australian agriculture is famous for, we will give ourselves the best chance of weathering the climate challenge.

Events like this matter. 

They matter because food policy sits at the intersection of health, agriculture, climate, equity and economic security.

And because progress only happens when people working across those systems come together, listen carefully, and collaborate.

And we know food regulation, from labelling to standards, is a critical part of how the system delivers on health outcomes.
Food policy is not simple, but it is consequential.

The conversations happening in rooms like this shape the advice Government receives, the questions that get asked, and the policies that follow.

Australia’s agricultural sector is strong, adaptable and globally respected. 

Through Feeding Australia, we are taking a whole-of-system approach that considers nutrition, access and equity.

That means working across portfolios, sectors and disciplines to support a food system that is productive.

A food system that is resilient, sustainable and able to provide Australians with access to safe and nutritious food.

I will continue to listen to ensure Australia keeps moving, farming and producing.

And I look forward to hearing about the ideas, challenges and solutions that emerge from today’s discussions.

Thank you.