Media Release by The Hon Julie Collins MP

600,000 litres of UHT milk for Australians in need

Joint Media Release with:

  • Julie Owens MP
    Member for Parramatta

A $300,000 funding boost from the Australian Government has helped Foodbank Australia to secure 600,000 litres of UHT milk for families in need.

The Minister for Community Services, Julie Collins and Member for Parramatta, Julie Owens, made the announcement during the launch of Foodbank Australia’s UHT Milk Project at Parramatta Mission today.

“Last year I had the pleasure of announcing a $300,000 funding boost to Foodbank Australia to help with the high cost of packaging costs of UHT milk,” Ms Collins said.

“Since our announcement last April, Foodbank has worked with the dairy industry to produce more than 600,000 litres of UHT milk for distribution to some of Australia’s most vulnerable people.

“In the next few months, Foodbank Australia hopes to reach its goal of 1 million litres of milk.

“This funding builds on the $3 million already committed to Foodbank Australia over three years as part of its Collaborative Supply Program, which aims to meet the deficit in donations of essential foods such as vegetables, fruit and fresh milk.

“Foodbank Australia provides food and grocery supplies to 2,500 not-for-profit organisations across Australia and last year delivered 24 million kilograms of food to families.

“This is the equivalent on average of 88,000 meals a day – helping meet the need for essential foods such as vegetables, fruit and milk.

“I look forward to working with Foodbank in its commendable goal of delivering 65 million meals a year by 2015.”

Ms Owens said Foodbank’s supply of milk to Parramatta families was welcome and appreciated.

“According to welfare agencies, milk is one of the items most requested by vulnerable Australians and their families, and demand is growing each year,” Ms Owens said.

“I’m proud of my Government’s support for Foodbank to secure food supplies so struggling families and individuals can have food on their table each night.”

Foodbank is a not-for-profit organisation and is the largest hunger relief organisation in Australia with distribution centres in New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory and Victoria.