Tasmania takes lead in fixing Australia’s food crisis

Media Release: November 2025

Tasmania is emerging as a testbed for national food system reform, with experts from  across Australia set to gather in Launceston next month to help chart the future of food  security and policy reform. 

On Tuesday 9 December 2025, Sustain: The Australian Food Network together with  Tasmanian partners, will host the National Food Policy Forum at St Lukes, Launceston – a landmark event bringing together community leaders, researchers, growers and  policymakers to explore how federal food system reform can deliver tangible change for  local communities. Much of this momentum is being driven by a uniquely collaborative  Tasmanian ecosystem of producers, community organisations, social enterprises and  education partners. 

The forum comes at a time when new data from the Foodbank Hunger Report 2025 has  revealed that one in three Tasmanian households (33%) experienced food insecurity in  the past year. 

“It is deeply concerning how many Tasmanians are struggling to put food on the table,”  says Andrew Pitt, Coordinator for Gastronomy Northern Tasmania. “At the same time,  Northern Tasmania produces enough nutritious food to feed all of its residents many times  over. Gastronomy Northern Tasmania is partnering with Sustain and others to tackle the  structural problems that are the root cause of this catastrophic and worsening market  failure.” 

While food insecurity in Tasmania remains high, recent progress offers hope. Regional  rates have fallen from 40% to 36%, driven by organisations working together to support and  strengthen many community-led food initiatives. Sprout Tasmania is helping small-scale  farmers grow ethically and sustainably; School Food Matters is improving access to  nutritious, affordable school meals; Loaves and Fishes Tasmania is providing place-based,  statewide access to healthy food while boosting regional economies through local  procurement and employment pathways; and The FaRM Project is creating market-garden  jobs in the northern suburbs. Together, these efforts show how coordinated, community rooted solutions can deliver real change. 

“Food security isn’t just about filling gaps — it’s about building a fair, local system that  gives every Tasmanian access to good food with dignity,” says Andrew Hillier, CEO of 

Loaves and Fishes Tasmania. “Tasmania shows what’s possible when community,  producers and government work together. With the right federal settings, practical  solutions like school lunches, social wholesale, and community-led food enterprises can  scale nationally and create real pathways from relief to resilience.” 

According to Jennifer Robinson, CEO of Sprout Tasmania, “Achieving food security in  Tasmania means harnessing the full spectrum of our food system — from small-scale  growers and regional processors through to large farms and institutional buyers. As  research shows, governments can drive resilience by aligning local processing, public  procurement, supply chains and farming across all scales. That’s the policy change we  must prioritise now. We believe Tasmania can be a leader in building a fair, secure, and  future-focused food system — but that will only happen with committed action from  government and policymakers.” 

Dr Nick Rose, Executive Director of Sustain: The Australian Food Network, says  Tasmania provides an ideal setting for national conversations on food policy reform. 

“From a national perspective, we see some of the most exciting and practical innovations  in food systems coming out of Tasmania,” says Dr Rose. “The National Food Policy Forum  will highlight how federal reform – through the Feeding Australia national food security  strategy – can support these local successes and ensure all Australians can access good  food with dignity.” 

“We find ourselves at a critical juncture for food in Australia. Feeding Australia is a  powerful opportunity to redesign our food systems for human and planetary health – and Tasmania is showing how that change can start from the ground up.” 

The National Food Policy Forum is being delivered in collaboration with Eat Well  Tasmania, Loaves and Fishes Tasmania, Gastronomy Northern Tasmania, FermenTas,  Sprout Tasmania, the Tasmanian University Students Association, School Food  Matters, the FaRM Project, and Tasmanian Churchill Fellows Julie Dunbabin and Rodney  Spinks. 

The one-day event will feature leading national and Tasmanian speakers exploring key  themes from the Feeding Australia strategy. 

“To truly secure Australia’s food future, we must address the systemic drivers of  insecurity, inequality and ecological decline,” says Dr Rose. “Federal change is essential  — but it must empower communities like those here in Tasmania, where solutions are  already being built.”

Event details

National Food Policy Forum 

Location: St Lukes, Launceston 

Date: Tuesday 9 December 2025 

Time: 10:00AM-15:30PM 

Tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/national-food-policy-forum 

SUSTAIN: The Australian Food Network is recognised as a thought and practice leader in  sustainable and healthy food systems, operating as a “think and do” network connecting  passionate people to build tangible change. Never has there been such a vital time to  determine solid pathways for climate action, sustainable food production and the  localisation of food systems.

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